www.stephmastini/forgotten ones /

Familial Adenoma Polyposis. It has been described as a “ ticking time bomb”. After years of diligent follow up suddenly I acquired a lot more polyps.  I’ve had most of my colon removed,  but if more polyps come back, they might have to do additional surgery.  Once you’ve had hundreds of polyps, it’s hard not to imagine what it would be like to have that major surgery.  The past 11  months have been rough, but i’ve been able to do everything I’ve done before. Just a lot slower. Sometimes it’s an all day encompassing exhausting scenario.  I’ve tried to remain positive.  I won’t lie.  In the back of my mind I’ve been thinking what if it is cancer next time?what if I need more surgery.  The bottom line is that the reason I have some of my colon is because I was quick enough to listen to my body.  Quick enough to have regular screenings.  The hundreds of polyps could not be removed.  This time there isn’t a colon to keep. It could evolve into Cancer. It’s hard to hear others talk about this

  I really don’t even know how to truly express this new medical diagnosis. I’ve just been told that I have a rare and serious condition After many years of developing polyps in my colon my doctor has now told me I need a partial colectomy.  I have maneuvered through medical files and seen photos of the hundred plus polyps I have. They developed in less than six months. This is a condition called familial adenoma polyposis (FAP). It is usually genetic .  Especially from parent to child. I am still alone with this news. . The only way to prevent inevitable Colon cancer is to have the colon removed. I have over 90% chance of developing colon cancer without the surgery. I tried very hard to get a hold of my daughter, Cara Podenski in Seattle to Tell her about the surgery and the fact that it’s genetic .  It’s a shame my daughter didn’t think it was important enough to have a phone call. Genetic testing isn’t always 100% but when you have such a large number of polyps it is impossible to