3 John 1:2 “Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you…”
I just got back from Rex Miller’s funeral and I am still
shocked at the way his life ended. Most people know that he had a very brief
but lethal bout with cancer. However, I believe there is a cautionary word from
his experience that needs to be shared as broadly as possible.
Rex died from esophageal cancer [beginning with “Barrett's Esophagus”] that then spread to his stomach and liver. The scary part is he didn’t know it was happening. In fact he had no symptoms until February, when he began to struggle swallowing food. It was at that point he was examined and within a month was diagnosed with cancer.
But then the question
was asked: Why hadn’t he been scanned and checked for esophageal cancer? The
reason was he was never told that he should. The doctor then explained that
everyone who has severe acid reflux should be checked every year. Between roughly
10 to 15% of people that have severe acid reflux end up getting esophageal
cancer.
This was completely new information. I know lots of people
who struggle with acid reflux and manage it with a variety of medications. But
I don’t know any of them that get regular scans to check their esophagus for
cancer.
As I watched this situation unfold and the simple fact that
Rex went from being a relatively healthy man to being diagnosed with cancer and
then passing away in six weeks is a real wake up call. Friend, if you have acid
reflux and are taking regular medication to control the symptoms please go get
checked on an annual basis. Ask your doctor about it and see about having this
done.
I would hate to have
someone else suddenly have a cancer they never even knew was there but could
have potentially caught it earlier. Oh Lord give us wisdom as we seek your will
for our health!
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