A Journey of Anita H from Denial to Survival with Colorectal Cancer – Colorectal Cancer Alliance
Colorectal Cancer Alliance shared a post on LinkedIn:
“I ignored the symptoms of cancer for a long time.
I saw blood in my stool for about six months, and sometimes I would even pass blood clots. I was in complete denial and never allowed myself to consider the possibility of cancer.
My best friend had been diagnosed with colorectal cancer a few months earlier, but I kept telling myself, No, this isn’t cancer; it’s just hemorrhoids.
At 48 years old, I convinced myself that colorectal cancer was an old man’s disease.
One day, I took my daughter to the primary care doctor because she had a bad cold. While sitting in the waiting room, I thought, ‘why not make an appointment for myself and get some blood work done?’
That decision changed everything.
My hemoglobin levels came back very low, and further blood tests showed I was severely iron-deficient.
They requested an occult blood test, which confirmed there was blood in my stool. A colonoscopy revealed a tumor of 3 cm in my rectum.
After a CT scan and PET scan, I was diagnosed with Stage 2 T3 N0 rectal cancer.
I feel so lucky I took my daughter to the doctor that day. Otherwise, I might not have gone myself, and my cancer could have progressed even further.
My treatment began with six weeks of radiation and chemotherapy. Afterward, I underwent surgery to remove my rectum, which left me with an ileostomy for six months.
This was followed by eight additional rounds of chemotherapy. Afterward, I had my ileostomy reversed, but that came with its own challenges.
Now, I live with a condition called LARS (Lower Anterior Resection Syndrome). On bad days, I may need to use the bathroom up to 25 times, and I cannot fully control my bowel movements, leaving me effectively incontinent. Sometimes, I even wish I had chosen a permanent colostomy instead.
Despite these challenges, I am now a cancer survivor.
Living with LARS is not easy, but I am grateful to be alive and to share my story with others. – Anita H.
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