My Relay for Life Speech

January 2, 2008 I awoke from having a colonoscopy done and was told by the Dr. that he had found a malignant mass and due to the size he was unable to remove it. He was able to extract a small piece for a biopsy. I had a colonoscopy done because I had noticed blood in my stool. I was in disbelieve, how could I have cancer? I was only 40 years old! I have three kids at home to raise. I was praying for the DR. to be mistaken. Each day that passes leaves you wondering…is it growing, how long have I had it, did we catch it in time?

One week later I was back in his office for him to confirm his findings. It was cancer. The results were not shocking to me; God had been working to prepare me for the news.
The Lord told me this was something I would have to go through but I would not die from it. He tells us in the Bible. “Do not fear, for I am with you.” Isaiah 41:10. That gave me a peace.

As far as I knew we did not have cancer in our family. I would later learn that my deceased Grandmother had colon cancer also.

At this point I was referred to a colorectal surgeon. He told me that I needed to have the section of my colon removed that had the tumor. He was unsure if I would need a temporary colostomy. I would probably need radiation and chemotherapy.

I was scheduled for an endoscopic ultrasound of my colon and a CT scan. Those two tests were needed to determine exactly where the growth was and get a game plan.

At my follow-up appointment with the surgeon I was told that my cancer appeared to be stage one colon cancer. If you have to have cancer you want it to be stage one. That was good news!
The tumor was at the top of my rectum just before my colon. I would not need radiation due to the location of the tumor and he was 99% sure I would not need a colostomy…God is so Good!

February 6, surgery day. I was to have my tumor removed laproscopically along with 18-24” of my colon and the main blood vessel going to that area to ensure that lymph nodes are taken. Everything was to be biopsied once it was removed.

I was given an epidural to help with post surgery pain control.
The surgery took 2 ½ hours and was a success! Other then there being more blood loss than expected my surgeon told me he was so happy with the surgery, that I would not need chemotherapy unless the biopsy report came back positive. I was on cloud 9! I was going to life to be 100 and this chapter in my life is now behind me. PRAISE GOD!

I was in the hospital 5 days and the day I was leaving I got the news. The pathology report came back and out of the 18 lymph nodes that were removed one tested positive. I now had stage 3 cancer.
I was diagnosed with Adenocarcinoma which is the most common – it accounts for 90-95% of all colorectal cancers. I was told to see an Oncologist and start chemo in one month. The battle was not over yet! I thought that was hardly enough time to recover from surgery. I had a railroad track of staples running down my stomach area and I was in so much pain.

After two weeks I was able to get my staples removed and the week after that I had surgery to have a port a cath placed in my chest. It is a direct access to your vein for the chemo drugs.

The Oncologist I was referred to was a sweet and compassionate man. I believe that God gave me all the best doctors for my care.
I was told I needed 12 chemo treatments. I would go every two weeks for treatment at the hospital I also would have a portable pump that I would have to wear for two days after my treatment that would infuse additional chemo drugs into my system.

Through out this ordeal I started a blog or a web diary. The night before I started chemo I wrote:

March 9 As I sit here wondering what tomorrow holds for me, I am reminded of the great love I have for my family and close friends that have been there for me from the beginning. That love doesn’t even come close to the love I feel from my Father God. He has been right beside me through the last two months of the cancer diagnosis, numerous tests, surgeries and recoveries. He tells us in His word “I will never leave you, nor forsake you”. And in Hebrews 13:6 he says “So that we may boldly say, the Lord is my helper, and I will NOT fear what man shall do unto me.”

And when I feel nervous, this verse comes to mind “ Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” Philippians 4:6. That is a great verse when you feel like nothing is going right. I try to remember that “ No matter what I am going through…It can always be worse” !

My first day of chemo at the hospital I arrived at 9am and was taken to a room and shown a video on the side effects of the drugs I would be given. I was then taken to the chemo suite with a dozen recliners where I was hooked up to an I.V. and given a steroid and anti-nausea meds before the chemo drugs or poisons as I learned to call them. I did what most people do that get chemo I slept. I finished around 1 o’clock. I was unhooked from the I.V. and my portable pump hooked up. Two days later I returned to the hospital to have my portable pump removed. The nausea starts almost right away even with the drugs to prevent it. I often got a headache, was nausous, crampy, felt out of sorts, didn’t have much energy. This went on for 6 months until I finally finished my last treatment in September. I had a PET scan in December and all was clear.
In January 2009 I had my follow-up colonoscopy and my port was surgically removed. I will continue to be tested and scanned for years to come.

Along my cancer journey I have been so blessed by my family that has been by my side, praying for my recovery, chauffeuring me around to my appointments when I was too sick to drive myself, friends, neighbors and strangers that have loved on my family through meals,cards and prayers.

I recall one day I was feeling horrible after one of my treatments and as I sat down to my lunch I found a smiley face in my tomato soup. It was a little gift from God to let me know that He was still here with me! Another time I was feeling blue God sent two birds singing outside my window. No matter how bad it is…Life is so worth living!
God never gives us anything that he has not already equiped us to handle even if we believe we are unable to do so.

Only through the Grace of God can I say “I AM A SURVIVOR” today!