Jesse Twyman – Colonoscopy Patient – Men’s Health Success Story

Jesse Twyman 66, retired maintenance worker, U.S. Postal Service; elder, Mountain View Church of Christ

I am no stranger to seeing doctors. Every three months I see my primary care provider to make sure my blood pressure medicine is doing its job. And since triple bypass surgery in 2010, I see my cardiologist every six months.

So in March when I noticed my right eye was really red, I went to see my wife’s ophthalmologist, Sylvia Hargrave, MD*. It’s strange: I went for an eye check and ended up seeing a doctor for a colonoscopy.

Dr. Hargrave said there are types of eye conditions that can indicate that there’s a problem in the colon; plus, I was experiencing constipation. So she referred me to gastroenterologist Paul Tarnasky, MD*, for a colonoscopy. In fact, her office called his office before I left that day, and by the next day we had the appointment set up. And it’s a good thing we did.

I’d had three previous colonoscopies, and they didn’t find anything. But this time, they found multiple polyps, one of which was fairly significant and at risk for turning into a cancer soon. None was cancerous, but I’m really thankful to Dr. Hargrave for being on the safe side. I wasn’t due for another colonoscopy till next year, and who knows what we would have found then?

These doctors know what they’re doing, and now I’m able to enjoy my retirement and be there for my family and church.

From the fall 2013 edition of Shine magazine.

*Both Sylvia Hargrave, MD, and Paul Tarnasky, MD, are independently practicing physicians on the medical staff at Methodist Dallas Medical Center.