Mitchell’s story:
I have had two separate cases of colon cancer. Amazing right? While only the initial case resulted in chemo treatments, each time was a special in the time of reflection that it provided. Cancer can impact anyone and it impacts your love ones as well. My wife, Janet and daughter, Lauren, were faced with the realization of cancer but also seeing me need their help as caregivers. Frankly, while it was a difficult time, it was also a special time because of the closeness that it provided my family. In summary, cancer is an all in proposition for the patient and the caregivers. I am blessed to have them in my corner and realize that their patience and sometimes tough love is what got me through those times.
Janet’s story:
Mitchell’s routine colonoscopy revealed a cancerous polyp on July 1st, 2010. A subsequent resection (cancer staged at 3a) port a cath and six months of Folfox were recommended. The week after Thanksgiving he was hospitalized from reactions to chemo and they decided he had had enough!
Life went to the follow-up scan and blood test fears. On his first follow-up colonoscopy in 2013, they found a large cancerous polyp. The nurse told him how sorry she was and she hoped he was able to survive this one. We were scared. But praise God, we had an awesome surgeon who did a second resection and delivered the news that the cancer was contained – no further treatment was needed.
Mitchell is now 5 years post first cancer and anxiously awaiting the 5-year anniversary of his second one. We were told that more than likely the second polyp was missed during that colonoscopy in 2010 and that it just continued to grow through the chemo.
He eats LOTS of blueberries, takes a baby aspirin a day and works out every day- all things to reduce his risk of further cancer. He also did the genetic testing for Graves’ disease and he did not have that. We have the best surgeon, best GI doc and best cancer doc!!
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