I was diagnosed with colon cancer stage IV 10 years ago and I thought that my life will come to an end after some months. At the beginning I suffered a lot and I suffered for many years with different kind of pain such as abdomen pain that made me to have all kinds of strange diarrhea and constipation. I didn’t know that it was because I was suffering of cancer I thought that this was something linked with indigestion or something like that. It doesn’t mean that I ignored these symptoms... No... during all those years I did many types of exams and I visited many doctors that told me that my issue was called as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and that generally it’s because I’m usually very stressed (yeah, I was that time). When I started to noticed that in addition to the pain I started to have some bleedings I decided to speak about this with an specialist in stomach pain. He also did some exams that I don’t remember the name and at the end he assured me that I’m okay and that my exams results are normal. I was very confused because my symptoms continued and I was sure that there is something wrong, something that doctors are not able to see or to understand. I didn’t thought about cancer, but I started to think that maybe I have a strange syndrome which is very rare. Even if my syndromes continued and lasted for years no one continued my exams and none of my doctors thought to suggest a colonoscopy.
After one year I found out that there was something wrong with my colon. I found it completely blocked and I started to notice that I reached beyond the colon some lymph nodes. My doctor still did not recommend me something that could help me, neither he said anything about chemotherapy. After I found that I’m suffering from stage 4 cancer I started to think that it’s too late to change something. I started to think about myself by my own. Since the beginning I have seen that none of my doctors really wanted to do something about to treat it and when they found out that I have colon cancer and even that its stage 4 everything changed. Suddenly, since the beginning when they found out they thought that nothing is going to help me. I decided to do chemo by my own and to take the situation under control. Before starting, I decided to find more about the alternatives that can cure colon cancer and I flew to Boston’s institute. Besides this I started to visit a psychologist in order to free my mind and to start to believe in the fact that I’m able to pass over this issue, also psychologists are good for relaxation which is an important stage that makes you feel comfortable and confident. I decided to eliminate all the stress and problems out of my life and to focus on my health and well being. During these moments you start to understand that nothing is more important than our health. The most important point in my list that was fundamental in order to get rid of cancer was to get rid of anger and worry and to let the behind me. Honestly it was very hard, there were some days when I felt like I was able to do everything and other days when I started to become psychologically ill…
After one year full of chemo I decided to do my first surgery intervention. After six months I went back to do reverse the colostomy that they done the first time and the surgeons couldn’t find any cancer tracks. Even if I was very happy about this and even if I really started to hope in the fact that maybe I’m finally okay I continued to do my chemotherapy to finish my course. At the end of the course I finally found out that I’m really cancer free and that I’m finally a healthy person which even if it seems impossible, it is true.
Now I’m here because I decided to tell you my story and to let the world know what happened to me n order to be sure that it doesn’t happen to others. I would like to advise you to search and to do more exams if you feel that there is something wrong and I don’t mean just of colon cancer but about all type of horrible diseases that still exist. Continue to investigate if you’re not sure in the first exams that you did, and don’t give all your trust to the doctors, even if you know them all your life. Don’t forget that they are people too, and that they can make mistakes. I really hope that my story is useful and that can help you learn more about this situation and give you hope for your situation. Don’t wait until the cancer will reach the final stage and even if it will then nothing is impossible and that there is still hope. I was very lucky that I could get rid of it in the final stage, and even if since that day passed 2 years I still continue to do thousand of exams and investigations in order to keep this thing away and out of my body. I was too young and I could die because I didn’t have had enough investigation and that my doctors weren’t able to do this too. I was under stress and antidepressants for many years and the beginning I was quite sure that wouldn’t pass through this, happily I found strength and I got through it. This is another thing that explains why doctors dismissed my symptoms. If you think that you have colon cancer I really insist and advise you to ask for a colonoscopy as well as other types of tests that are related with this, I am sure that at least something you will find out.
Today I’m cancer free, I’m really grateful of my life and ‘m trying to help others that have the same thing. Honestly as I said I still live in fear every day because I’m really scared that this could turn back, but there is one thing that I know very well: it is that if I passed over this in past then I’ll be able to pass over it again. I really hope that this isn’t necessary but in this life everything can change. My work is linked with cancer because I do mammograms and I’m warning women about the breast cancer. It’s quite ironic that I have this work and that I’m trying to prevent this cancer when I almost died from a form of cancer that no one wants to talk about. This is really sad but there is one positive thing that these years game to me. I understood that life have to be taken seriously in consideration and that we should appreciate it. The last thing that I would like to advise to those who henceforth have this disease.. Please don’t lose your self confidence. Just look at my example and I’m sure that there are other people like me… I was quite dead but as you see now, I’m here and I’m writing this post and trying to encourage you. Don’t forget that the most important power is the power inside of you and self confidence. Everything is possible if you just believe in that. Thoughts become reality. Good luck to everyone and hope you’ll have a long and healthy life.