All Good Doctors Like to Solve Your Problems

My dad is in his late nineties and while he can’t walk (spinal stenosis), he is still very sharp, and we all enjoy him a great deal and vice versa. He had a giant career and is used to making things happen. He continually goes to doctors trying to find someone who can make him walk again. Frankly, while sharp as a tack, he has not grown old all that gracefully.

Anyway, one day he complained to his very fine doctor that he just doesn’t move his bowels the way he used to (why are older folks so caught up in bowel movements?!?). My aggressive father kept pushing about his bowel movements, and his doctor called me and said he was going to recommend another colonoscopy for my dad. My dad had had one two years earlier, so I pushed back and asked why. He told me of my father complaining, and I asked the doctor what the likelihood was that my father had colon cancer or a bowel blockage; he said probably less than 5 percent—especially because my father was experiencing no pain, bleeding, or other symptoms aside from lack of frequency. So, I told our wonderful doctor that we were going to pass on this latest test. Doctors like to fix problems; it’s their job. And this doctor wanted to reassure my dad. But my dad is ninety-seven. Why expose him to the discomfort and relative risk of this test for less than a 5-percent chance?

The lesson here is to find out what the likelihood is of your having a real problem. Consider all the circumstances (of course, don’t ignore any warning signs) and use your own common sense.