My Journey Of Surviving Stage 3 Colon Cancer
One day that is forever etched in my mind is the day I learnedIn my law practice I had handled claims regarding the delayed diagnosis of cancer and yet even this experience had not prepared me for hearing those words used to reference my own diagnosis. By having worked as a delayed diagnosis of cancer attorney and knew the symptoms of a number of distinct types of cancers, including advanced colon cancer I did not wait the moment I began to show symptoms myself. I saw my primary care physician who advised that despite the fact that I was too young for regular screening for colon cancer and even though I did not have anyone in my family with colon cancer colon cancer (at the time) that I should nonetheless get a colonoscopy to rule out cancer as the cause of my symptoms.
The colonoscopy uncovered that I had a large cancerous tumor and surgery established that it had by then begun spreading and was stage 3 colon cancer. Bad news. The one good part of this was that at least it had not reached stage 4 colon cancer. However it was metastatic colon cancer that had spread to my lymph nodes. And I had a moment of real fear and doubt when I was given the news. I knew that my chances of long term survival were just about 50%. The fact that I was a lawyer who had handled medical malpractice lawsuits, even lawsuits concerning colon cancer, did not help me to avoid that instant of pure anxiety and terror. For at that moment I thought I would die
At that moment I reached out to a friend who was also an attorney and had been one of my mentors. I believe it must have been instinct that I reached out to him first. He did not sugar coat it. And that was exactly what I needed. Another voice to express out loud what the reality was and what had to be done. He then offered to help with whatever I needed. And later the managing partner at the firm, another good friend, offered to handle all my cases during my treatment. He offered to do this, not for any compensation, but just out of friendship. I have alwats been grateful to him for that.
Although I took a few weeks to recover following surgery and while there were times while undergoing chemotherapy when I just did not feel well enough to do anything, I was, for the most part, able to continue working. This gave me immense pleasure. I felt that I was able to carry my weight and lead more or less a regular life during my treatment. Seven years later I exhibit no evidence of cancer. If I had waited perhaps even just a few months the cancer could have continued to advance and I probably would have lost the battle against this dreadful disase.
The lesson for us all is to get the right test if you exhibit symptoms of colon cancer. The best way to give oneself the greatest treatment choices and the greatest chance of surviving the cancer is to detect and treat it early.
In the event that a doctor fails to make a suitable referral or order appropriate tests when the patient has complaints of symptoms (especially blood in the stool) and the patient later passes away on account of the cancer, then a wrongful death lawyer might be able to help the loved ones.