This illness is more my fault (PSA included)

Did you eat red meat? 

How prophetic. The kind of question that comes to mind with colon cancer or heart disease. Well, I'm a vegan (since 2017), and am long overdue for a confession and a warning:

I was in the "scope frequently" category due to ulcerative colitis, but found excuses--or simply chose to--make it "scope occasionally"

And of course, I developed a tumor. In one week it will be the one year anniversary of my having my entire large intestine removed.

And I got lucky. A lot of what happened between diagnosis (Jan 2024) and now went smoothly. Chemo, the surgeries. 

It could have been avoided. I will spare you the icky details.

Unless you need further convincing.

Don't be a Dave. Get that colonoscopy.