Interview 32

Age at interview: 65

Brief Outline: He was invited to be screened for bowel cancer in 2006 when aged 65. The first Faecal Occult Blood (FOB) test was unclear so he repeated it. This was abnormal so he had a colonoscopy. Two benign polyps were removed.

Background: A black Jamaican man, a retired factory worker, married, with 7 children.

More about me...

He was invited to be screened for bowel cancer in 2006 when aged 65. The first Faecal Occult Blood (FOB) test was unclear so he repeated the test. This was found to be abnormal, so he was offered a colonoscopy. During the colonoscopy two benign (non-cancerous) polyps were removed. He will return for further checks in three years time.

Doing the Faecal Occult Blood test was as easy as ABC.

Please could you explain for other people who might be wondering what they have to do when they do the test, could you explain exactly what you have to do?

You mean the test for'?

When the test kit came in the post to do at home.

Oh you just go to the toilet, you know, and the instruction was on the, you know in the kit you see and after, it was just easy you know the instructions it was just easy like A, B, C.

Is it?

Yeah it's just easy, you know.

Did you have to put a little bit of your bowel motion onto the card?

Yes onto, you know and seal it, easy.

It was quite easy?

Yeah, yeah.

And was it quite clear how much of the bowel motion you had to put on the card?

Yes it did, it explained, you know it explained on the, you know on the kit you know.

On the information?

Yes information.

And then what did you have to do with it after that?

You seal it you know and the, the thing that was, you put it into a disposal?

Into an envelope?

Yeah, you know, and then you wash your hands, that's right.

The doctor removed two polyps during the colonoscopy. It wasn't painful.

Well after I get undressed you know I got you know a gown, you know that?

A gown?

Yes after I took my clothes off you know what I mean and they took me in on one of them trolleys, you know what I mean?

A trolley?

Yes you know lying down you know. And when I went in, I've been placed on a bed, you know there was two nurses and they were ever so nice you know. And then the doctor gave me this injection, you know help me to relax.

Make you sleepy?

Yes, I wasn't sleepy.

Just relaxed.

Relaxed, you know I can see everything you know that took place you know on the television, you know what I mean?

Could you see that?

Yes.

What did you think of that?

Oh I said, 'Oh technology is great,' [laughs] I said, 'Technology is great,' you know. I could see me inside.

Did you like seeing inside?

Yes to be honest, to be honest, to be honest.

What could you see exactly?

Yeah all my, you know all my system, inside works you know yeah.

Good and what did they find?

They found what you call it, two.

Polyps?

Yeah two, two polyps.

Polyps.

Yeah which they removed yeah. They don't have to feel any pain. As I said I lie there and I can see you know because it's showing on the, on the television, you know the television, you know what I mean, I said, 'Technology is great,' you know it's good. You don't feel any pain or nothing, nothing, honestly I can say that.

That's good.

Yeah.

He rested for an hour after the colonoscopy. Then the hospital staff arranged an ambulance to take him home. He had no side effects.

Yeah and they put me back out you know in the hall, you know what I mean, I was just lay there on the bed.

They took you into the waiting area?

Yes, for about an hour and then they give me a cup of tea and a sandwich, yes. Oh they was ever so nice, honestly.

Did you have any side effects of the colonoscopy?

No, no, no none whatsoever.

Oh that's good.

And how did you get home from the colonoscopy, after the colonoscopy how did you get home?

Do you mean from the hospital?

Yes.

Oh the ambulance, the ambulance, ambulance took me home.

Oh good so there was no problem with that?

No.