Getting Real with Colon Cancer

Junk Food Junkie

I grew up in a meat and potatoes household. As an only child, I was never forced to eat my vegetables and was often home alone after school to fend for myself for meals. These meals usually consisted of pizza, Doritos, and Pepsi. I developed some terrible dietary habits. As long as I was active, my weight was not an issue. But as I got older, and after the birth of my daughter, the pounds started to creep on.

Family History

Although my father was diagnosed with colon cancer at age 50 and my maternal grandmother passed away from colon cancer in her early 70s, there was no genetic marker for any type of cancer identified in my DNA. The major contributing factors for developing colon cancer were my diet and chronic inflammation.

A Colonoscopy At 40: Not For Me!

Sometime in my early 30s, I started having stomach cramps after eating a meal, but I didn’t bother to track if there was any particular food causing my stomach issues. Because of my father’s early diagnosis with colon cancer, it was recommended that I get my first colonoscopy at age 40. But when I turned 40, getting a colonoscopy wasn’t very high on my priority list.

Alarm Bells

At age 42, I noticed some blood on the toilet paper. I called my doctor and asked if I needed to be concerned. She told me it was likely hemorrhoids but to schedule an appointment. The blood increased over the next week and I noticed it in my stool. I called the doctor back and was given an appointment two months out.

Alarm bells were ringing in my head; I knew I had to be my own advocate. So I called a gastroenterologist and scheduled an appointment for that week. They took my health history seriously. The doctor did a colonoscopy where polyps were found. Most concerning, one had grown through the wall of the colon. A sample was sent to pathology.

The Call

I still remember getting the call at work and hearing the bad news — it was cancer, a disease that had killed several family members. I was to schedule appointments with an oncologist and a surgeon. I was scared and lost. I didn’t know who to call or what appointments to schedule first. I spent some time on the Internet and made myself even more scared. Then I called the gastroenterologist back. I asked her if she was advising her best friend or her sister what oncologist and what surgeon would she recommend. In my opinion, this is the best question you can ask any doctor when you’re looking for a specialist referral.

Surgery

I had resection surgery with no need for a colostomy. He got all the cancer out, and I finally got some good news — the cancer hasn’t spread to the lymph nodes. My oncologist said I could skip chemo and radiation and just keep an eye on my blood levels… and have frequent colonoscopies.

Today

Now, 14 years later, at a recent fundraiser for cancer, I grabbed one of the survivor pins and pinned it on my lapel, much to the shock of the people with me. They had forgotten, which is the best indicator of recovery and healing.

Now I make it my mission to nag all of my 50-something friends to follow the guidelines and get checked out for colon cancer. I also remind my daughter and all of my loved ones to be their own advocate because you know when something isn’t right in your body.

My Message To You

My message to you is to take care of your body with exercise and healthy diets. Take action when something doesn’t feel right and be your own healthcare advocate. And get your colonoscopy when recommended!