I kept going back to the doctor because my stomach was in so much pain. I was told that I had diverticulitis and put on antibiotics. Two weeks passed, and I ended up in the ER with severe stomach pains. My doctor was working in the ER that day and had a CT scan done on me. I was by myself, but my husband showed up, and we were confused as to why the nurses had called him to come to the ER. My doctor came into the room and told us that I had something in my sigmoid colon, and it was more than likely cancer.

My doctor set me up for a colonoscopy a week later. That is when it was confirmed that I had colon cancer. My mom came with me to that appointment. I felt like a ton of bricks fell on my chest, and I couldn’t breathe. I kept thinking the doctor was reading me someone else’s report, but it was mine. After my surgery I was told that I was stage III at the age of 48. Five out of 22 lymph nodes were positive.

Cancer is scarier than a colonoscopy/colorectal screening. They are what saves lives for a very preventable and curable, if found early, cancer.