Battling and Beating Rectal Cancer: ​My Journey of Triumph

Introduction

I want to take a moment to share a deeply personal story with you… my journey through Stage 3 Rectal Cancer. It's a ​story of resilience, determination and ultimately, triumph. I hope that by sharing my experience, I can help demystify the ​process and offer some hope and encouragement to anyone who might be facing a similar battle.

March 2022: Peak Fitness

Let’s rewind to March 2022. I was at the peak of my fitness game. I could hold a 5-minute plank and I had just hiked to ​the top of Chancellor Hill… something I was really proud of! Life felt good and I was in the best shape, or so I thought.

Mid-April 2022: Symptoms Became More Obvious

Seemingly out of nowhere, I started experiencing abdominal pain and discomfort. It began with excess gas, a lack of ​appetite and feeling extremely bloated. Then came what I called "ghost poop" feeling the urge to go but nothing would ​come out. I was fatigued, didn’t have energy to work out and felt like food was my enemy. It was odd and unsettling, but I ​chalked it up to some type of food intolerance, so I cut back on gluten and dairy.

May 2022: Mother's Day and Doctor's Visit

Mother’s Day rolled around and I went to brunch with my mom. By the time we got home, I started projectile vomiting, ​that was the wake-up call I needed. On May 11th, I visited my Family Doctor, explaining my symptoms, convinced it might ​be a gluten intolerance. In her infinite wisdom, she referred me to a gastroenterologist for more detailed tests, including ​an endoscopy.

May 27th 2022: Gastroenterologist Appointment

I met with the gastroenterologist on May 27th, who noted that my symptoms aligned well with IBS, except for the ghost ​poop. In addition to the endoscopy, he suggested a colonoscopy be done as well to clip any polyps that may be ​hampering the passage of stool. At 34, I was well below the recommended age for a colonoscopy, but his thorough ​approach literally saved my life!

June 1st 2022: Life-Changing Discovery

On June 1st, I underwent both procedures. I was under sedation for the endoscopy, however, I woke up during the ​colonoscopy and saw something alarming on the screen. The gastroenterologist found a mass so large that the scope ​couldn’t pass by it to perform the full colonoscopy. He took a biopsy and scheduled a CT scan for the next day. The ​following day, it was confirmed: I had well differentiated adenocarcinoma in my rectum at the sigmoid junction.

Treatment Plan

By the next week, I had results from an MRI that staged my cancer at T3N2M0… Stage 3.

I met with the Surgeon and Oncologist and my aggressive treatment plan was quickly laid out:

1. Diverting Colostomy Surgery to prevent blockages during treatment
   
2. Chemotherapy - 6 x 3-week cycles
   
3. Radiation Therapy - 28 sessions
   
4. Tumor Removal Surgery
   
5. Colostomy Reversal Surgery
   

June 25th 2022: Diverting Colostomy Surgery

Two weeks after receiving my treatment plan I was on the operating table. The concept of having your insides attached ​to your outside is difficult for most people to comprehend, let alone accept, however I didn’t have the luxury of feeling ​sorry for myself… everything was happening at lightning speed. My diet had to change completely - low fat, low fiber, no ​residue foods only and I had to take care of a portion of my delicate colon that was now sitting on the outside of my ​abdomen. It was indeed a life altering experience in and of itself, but more on that in another post!

July 11th 2022: Chemotherapy Begins

I started chemotherapy on July 11th with an intravenous infusion of Oxaliplatin, followed by 14 days of the oral ​Capecitabine tablet, 6 tablets per day. This cycle continued until November 9th 2022. While these chemo drugs didn’t ​come with hair loss and extreme nausea, Oxaliplatin’s main side effect was extreme neuropathy… I could not touch or ​consume anything cold, or else my heart could stop. No air condition, no ice cream, no cold liquids, sometimes our cool ​Caribbean breeze was too cold on my skin. Those 18 weeks weren’t easy, some days were more grueling than others, ​but I kept focused on my blessings, knowing things could be worse.

December brought complications that landed me back in the hospital, pushing back my radiation start date to January.

January 9th 2023: Radiation Therapy Begins

Every day (excluding weekends) from January 9th to February 15th I received radiation therapy. To increase its efficacy I ​was back on chemotherapy, taking Capecitabine tablets on treatment days. I don’t think there is a word to describe the ​toll this phase of the treatment took on my body. I lost so much weight I began seeing my skeletal frame.

For the duration of the 12 week waiting period after my last radiation session, the treatment continued to work in my ​body, my skin continued to “cook” and struggled with basic tasks. I relied heavily on my mom, who was my rock ​throughout the entirety of this journey.

May 11th 2023: Tumor Removal Surgery

Exactly one year after my first doctor visit, I underwent surgery to remove the tumor… Low Anterior Resection via a ​midline incision. The procedure went smoothly, but now I had a major abdominal cut, next to a colostomy… my mobility ​was significantly compromised. It’s at this point I realized why they call it our core… it’s essential to even the slightest ​movement!

June 1st 2023: Post-Op Biopsy Results

Exactly one year after the tumor was discovered, I received the best news: the biopsy of the surgically removed section ​of my colon confirmed that the cancer was contained within the tumor and had been excised with clear margins. The ​cancer was gone from my body!

As a woman of faith, I’ve heard the phrase “God works in mysterious ways”, but the fact that in exactly one year this ​diagnosis was turned around… To God Be The Glory!

August 26, 2023: Colostomy Reversal

Cancer-free, but I still had my colostomy while I waited for the healing of the anastamosis (the site where my colon was ​reconnected with my rectum). It was a period of joy and impatience as I was eager to have my final surgery in order to ​feel truly healed.

On August 26th 2023, I finally had my colostomy reversal surgery. While I was ecstatic I regained my normal bodily ​functions, I did feel a tinge of loss given I developed a bond with my stoma over the 14 months. Together with my mom, ​ostomy nurse and surgeon, we fondly named it Buddy Barker… in hindsight, maybe that was a coping mechanism.

October 11th 2023: Go Forth and Be Great!

After all the stitches were gone and the wounds were healed a follow-up colonoscopy confirmed all was well. I ​remained awake for this procedure since I wanted to see for myself that my colon was clean… it was beautiful! No ​polyps or legions or any cause for concern, just pretty pink at every turn. The harrowing journey was finally over!

Post-Journey: Embracing Life and Wellness

As I regained my physical strength, during my recovery I traveled and reconnected with loved ones, embracing this new ​version of life. Having gone through this life-altering experience, it would be remiss of me to to go back to “life as usual”, ​I’ve since embarked on a new journey of integrating wellness into my professional life.

Thriving and Advocating

My cancer journey taught me the value of resilience and the importance of prioritizing health and well-being. I’m ​dedicated to demystifying cancer treatment and survivorship, advocating for an integrated life where well-being and ​success coexist. If you’re on a similar path know that you’re not alone, there’s always hope.

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