My Story

Here is the short version of my cancer story:  In May 2012 I was diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer.  Six months of chemo and five surgeries later, I am living cancer free.  I intend to remain cancer free by utilizing the best of both western and holistic medicine.  So far, it's working.

Here is the long version of my cancer story.  During the year before I was diagnosed I just didn't feel "well."  I went to my gynecologist a few times complaining of general malaise, exhaustion, frequent flues and colds, and sleeplessness.  The response that I received was typical:  it was a quick pat on the shoulder and a few words about being a working mom and how tiring that can be.  Oh, yeah, he also gave me a prescription for sleeping pills.

Finally, the exhaustion got so bad that I went to my family doctor.  I had blood work done, which showed that I was severely anemic (8.4, when I should have been an 11 or 12).  My doctor performed a few quick blood pressure tests, and said that I was bleeding internally and the bleed had been occurring for a long time. He surmised that there was an issue in my colon or possibly my kidneys. He ordered a ct scan for that day.  The radiologist found a mass in my colon.   The next day I had a colonoscopy, which showed that the mass was cancer.

We were shocked.  I knew that something was really wrong with me, but I never guessed cancer.  Six days later I had surgery to resect my colon.  At first, it appeared that the cancer had been caught early.  That, however, was not to be the case.  My surgeon told me it was stage IV colon cancer.  It had spread to 5/10 lymph nodes, and three tiny (0.5mm) tumors were found in my abdominal wall.  We were devastated.  I never imaged that the cancer would be so advanced.

Six weeks later I started on my chemo cocktail of FOLFOX.  I was to receive 12 rounds over 24 weeks.  Chemo did not go well.  I got severely nauseated the moment the chemo injection started, and I stayed horribly sick for the next 10 days.  Then, after round three of chemo, I experienced a bowel obstruction caused by the scar tissue from the previous surgery.  I was in surgery for 12 hours, the ICU for 3 days, and in the hospital for another 11 days.  I  also now had an illeostomy.  I started on chemo immediately.  It continued to not go well, and my oncologist insisted that I switch to a different chemo regimen, 5-FU.

After chemo, I was declared cancer-free!  That declaration was, however, short-lived.  My surgeon performed laproscopic surgery and discovered a few small tumors, which were mostly dead, but still slightly viable.  My team of doctors and I decided to move forward with a somewhat controversial surgery called HIPEC.  On April 10, 2013 I had HIPEC, which involved the removal of any tumors (there ended-up being 7 small tumors) and an abdominal bath of heated, highly concentrated chemo.  I also had the illeostomy reversed.  The recovery was brutal, but I am finally starting to feel like myself with the aid of my natural healers.

I have had one ct scan since the surgery, which was all clear.  I will do everything in my power to feel better and stay cancer free, not only for my sake, but for the sake of my husband and two little girls.  I have been through a lot, and I hope that my experiences can help you be healthy and cancer-free, too.