Cancer diagnosis can evoke a myriad of emotions: fear, anger, grief and sadness. A cancer diagnosis does not mean the end of happiness, but instead should be considered a journey of self-discovery and knowledge. This is one man’s personal voyage on beating colon cancer, his road to recovery and how his outlook on life has changed for the better. Simply put, it is a motivating story of perseverance, determination, and the will to overcome the odds.
“I am a cancer survivor.”
Meet Oscar, father, husband and colon cancer survivor. Diagnosed in the fall of 2006, he sat with his daughter in her apartment, and watched as the tears fell like raindrops from her eyes. He found he could not comfort her if he could not comfort himself, and at that moment decided that he would not let his diagnosis define his life.
“Feeling helpless was not something that I was used to. I had never thought as a young boy I would ever be diagnosed with any type of cancer. I had been feeling fatigued, and went in for a routine check-up. My doctor came back with a look of concern, and referred me to an oncologist on the third floor. He made a same-day appointment for me, and walked me up himself.
At first, I did not fully understand the seriousness of the situation, and when the oncologist came back with a diagnosis of colon cancer I found my mind reeling in disbelief. I had naively thought that only diabetes or high cholesterol may be the extent of my worries, easily treatable with exercise and dieting.
How wrong I was.
Through extensive surgery to remove part of my colon, and aggressive treatments to kill the remaining cancerous cells, I was able to triumph over this debilitating disease. I conquered my fear of cancer and my aversion to hospitals. I researched the disease extensively. I learned that while not having a history of cancer doesn’t give you immunity, your risks of getting it greatly increase if it does run in your family.
These days I try to watch what I eat, and make sure that I am exercising more. I try and lay off the soda, but it’s a hard habit to break and sometimes I find myself stumbling. I am glad that with cancer treatments today being so advanced I was able to cope with cancer and find myself in remission.
Not too long ago I started to feel the same sluggishness I felt back in 2006. While getting a routine physical for a simple laser eye procedure my doctor discovered abnormal cells that were traced back to my prostate. After beating colon cancer, life saw fit to have me battle another disease: prostate cancer.
This time, I face this disease unafraid, and having undergone surgery to remove my prostate and begin radiation treatment I feel a fearlessness I have never known. I have journeyed through this wild ride called cancer and emerged victorious once.
I will now see if miracles can happen twice.”