About one to two years ago, I found blood in stool and it was quite alarming. After medical examinations, I was diagnosed with stage 2 colorectal cancer. I went for a second opinion as my first doctor did not provide enough information and I wanted to hear from a more experienced doctor.

I tried to improve my lifestyle by exercising and eating healthily more frequently.

The initial treatment plan my doctor recommended included surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The doctor suggested that I remove a part of my colon and the entire rectum. After doing some research on my own, I did not opt for chemotherapy.

I felt slightly angry and discouraged about this decision. I’m extremely anxious and scared about the treatments.

In terms of side effects, the ones that affected me the most were:

• Pain
• Fatigue
• Radiation burns

To manage them, I relied on eating better and prescribed drugs.

I continued to eat healthier every day, as best as I could. I’m closer to my family after knowing that I have cancer. I contact or visit my parents more frequently. I also spend more time with my kids and we have more trips together. Once my radiation therapy is over, we might go on a trip to see some friends outside of Texas.

For now, I just focus on recovering from radiation therapy. Then I want to raise awareness about how important it is to go for screening like a colonoscopy. Colon cancer needs more awareness. My biggest dream is to see my kids graduate high school.

I had really bad radiation burns before my op. I was scared of the side effects of surgery and post-op chemo and radiotherapy. I turned to Reddit, which has been such a big help. It’s comforting to know that others have similar stories and to know I’m not alone in my journey.

Now, I feel neutral.

Hang in there everybody. We got this. I’m so glad you’re still here with us.