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Handle:	pauly77
Status:	Cancer Survivor
Cancer Type:	Colorectal Cancer
Gender:	Male
Age:	46
Country:	CANADA
Last On:	Aug 19, 2008

Officially Diagnosed with Cancer by a Doctor: November 2005

Stage of Cancer at Diagnosis: III

Date I Began/Begin Treatment: January 2006

My Cancer Story:

I was diagnosed with color-rectal cancer late in 2005. A few months prior to that I was experiencing all sorts of difficulty with my bowel movements. Family doctor mis-diagnosed the problems I was having which included blood in my stool and he was pretty sure all I had was hemorroids. But I was losing weight and feeling tired all the time. I knew something wasn't right. So a few visits (about a month) later he finally booked me for a barium enima then a colonoscopy but he was sure there was nothing wrong.(again)
Well Lo and Behold they found a 7 cm tumour that was impacted. He told me right away it was cancer.
I was stunned to hear that even though I knew something very wrong was going on inside of me.
So the next thing I knew I was in the hospital wearing a bag and preparing for chemo/radiation treatments. I had the worse time with the bag to begin with. I could not eat without throwing up and it took along time for bowels to re adjust to the new format. But finally things started to pass through after a week or so. I remember being so week from hunger during that period. I lost about 30 lbs in the next month or so, but had to get ready for my chemo/radiation treatments. So off I went to the Cross Cancer Institute. I must say I was really really freaked out to be there. I didn't show my wife any of that, but I was quite terrified at the time. So they hooked me up with a pic line so I could receive chemo 24/7. I don't know what I hated more, that pic line or the bag I was now wearing. I really had no problems with the radiation treatments ( that I felt anyways)other than internal scarring, it was the chemo treatments that were really making me feel gross.

So I went 6 weeks hooked up to that Pic line and was
relieved when I got it removed. I rested up to get my strength back before sugery to have tumour removed. The surgery went well and tumour was removed,however I still had bag and had to go another round of chemo treatments or what they call assurance chemo. Once that was done ( and I faired better with these particular treatments that were 1 week out of every three. Those seem to go on for a while, but was grateful I could just go in for a short blast and be on my way home again.I jumped for joy on my last injection!! Went for a awful lot of CT scans after the fact and things were progressing nicely .So back to the hospital a few months later and had my illiostomy bag taken off and
got reconnected. This was done after about 10 months of wearing it. I have no sphincter muscles anymore as they were cut out at surgery time so a bathroom always has to be close by for the rest of my days. But thats really not bad at all, as I am so grateful to go the normal way now.
So there it is, all of the year 2006 was spent in the treament, hospital recovery mode.

So here I am alive and well and back to great health in 2008. I had bottomed out around 138 lbs and now up about 50 lbs from where I was.

I had so much wonderful care during that year I would have to write another column just to mention everyone involved. I was blown away by the kindness and thoughtfulness of family,doctors, friends, co workers and my minister during this time. My wife was the rock of Gibraltar during this period and I leaned on her heavily to pretty much run our family (I have two young boy as well)
And of course, to the Lord Almighty who held my hand all the way thru that mess.

So what have I learned?
Love everyday. Be kind and as helpful as you can be to all those around you in your life.
Don't waste a single day grumbling and complaining,remember how blessed you really are.
I want this next part of my life to meaningful and not wasted on trivial things. I want to have a purpose, and one of those is to be helping others as best as I can. I absolutely LOVE being able to play sports with my young lads again!!

You know its incredibly scary being diagnosed with cancer, but it also makes you realize that our bodies are mortal and we will not last forever in them.
However our souls will go on forever.
So I encourage you to keep up the faith and fight the good fight against this beast! never give up!!
Always think of feeling better and look forward to that feeling always.

You know it takes me about two seconds after I've finished ing about something to realize where I have been,where I've come from and how blessed I am to be here to tell you something about myself.

I hope God who granted me mercy and healing will extend those very same things to you.

I would be more then happy to talk to anyone who has gone through or going through the same trials
with their cancer.

Take good care of yourselves and God Bless.
Pauly77