I found out that I had stage 3 colon adenocarcinoma unexpectedly during a routine colonoscopy. Prior to that, I had also been experiencing some symptoms, such as:

• Frequent diarrhea
• Frequent constipation
• Feeling that the bowels do not empty all the way
• Constant abdominal pain, aches or cramps
• Tiredness or fatigue

I was fearful when I first learnt about my cancer. I was concerned about treatment and survival.

I listened to my doctor’s recommendation and chose to undergo partial colectomy (removal of a part of colon) and chemotherapy. Honestly, I was still fearful after deciding on my treatment plan as I was worried about the side effects. For my chemotherapy regimen, I had Oxaliplatin infusion on day one, followed by fourteen days of Xeloda (capecitabine) oral meds. I was not expecting the infusion to be so painful. Afterwards, I had one week off chemo. That was when I had adverse reactions to the infusions — I had DVT in my arm and vein damage. Because of that, I tried to reduce the dose for round three but it did not help. Hence, I stopped the infusions at that point instead and extended oral chemo for four more rounds. In total, I underwent 8 rounds of chemotherapy over 6 months. Fortunately, I was declared cancer-free after my treatment in August 2024.

With regards to my treatment costs, they are subsidized. I am also covered by insurance.

The treatment wasn’t easy. I struggled with fatigue, peripheral neuropathy and diarrhea. Of all the side effects, fatigue affected me the most — when I wasn’t working, I was in bed. However, I did not do anything to manage these side effects. I had to work full time throughout my treatment.

I am looking forward to travelling to Italy and going on a cruise.

I continued working even after I was diagnosed with cancer. I needed the distraction to keep myself from falling into deep depression. My employer also offered some accommodations and I needed the income to support myself and my loved ones.

Being diagnosed with cancer took a toll on my day-to-day life as well as my social life and relationships with loved ones. In particular, I had no energy to socialize. I just focused on finishing treatment as I believed it would get better once I have recovered.

However, I still face challenges as a cancer survivor. I struggle with the physical side effects, changes in body image or appearance, fear of recurrence as well as coping with a "new normal" or lifestyle changes. I am just dealing with it each day as it comes. I am also managing my “new normal” body functions.

My biggest fear throughout my cancer journey was undergoing treatment. How did I cope? I tried speaking to a therapist or counselor, engaging in mindfulness or relaxation techniques, focusing on physical recovery and staying active, educating myself about the cancer and treatment process as well as focusing on positive thinking or gratitude.

Now that I have been declared cancer-free, I feel optimistic. Treatment is over and I’m keeping up well with follow up appointments.

Have bland foods on hand. Eat whatever you feel like eating. Be your own best advocate. Focus on recovering on a day to day basis. Rest as often as possible. You will have many good days and a few down days.