03/20/2025
☆☆☆ My Journey to Diagnosis ☆☆☆
Looking back, I realize I was probably sick for at least two years before I finally sought medical attention. It's a decision I regret, and one that I hope others can learn from. *Don't make the same mistake I did!* Your body sends warning signals, and it's imperative to listen. Mine was whispering, then shouting, "Something's wrong! Get checked!" But I was too busy prioritizing everyone else's needs to stop and assess my own health.
As a devoted wife, mother, and friend, I always put others first. I made sure everyone around me was happy, healthy, and thriving. But in doing so, I neglected my own well-being. I ignored the subtle signs, the little nudges that something was wrong.
At first, it was just a nagging feeling of fatigue. I brushed it off as exhaustion from work, parenting, and life's daily demands. But as time passed, the symptoms intensified. I experienced intermittent persistent abdominal pain, changes in bowel movements, and unexplained weight loss. Still, I didn't listen. I didn't want to be a burden, and I didn't want to acknowledge that something might be seriously wrong.
That was until my body forced me to listen. During a family vacation, I got really sick. I couldn't eat, use the bathroom, or keep anything down. My colon was completely blocked, and all I could do was throw up. It was then that I knew something was seriously wrong.
My husband and kids were worried sick, and I couldn't blame them. I was scared too. As soon as we returned home, I scheduled an appointment with a gastroenterologist. I was seen quickly and prescribed medication for supposed constipation and possible IBS. I was also scheduled for a colonoscopy.
I decided not to take one of the medications. I intuitively felt like it wouldn't help and might even hurt me. On May 1st, I underwent my first colonoscopy, and that's when I got the diagnosis: colon C, just days before my birthday.
Honestly, I wasn't surprised. I had dreamt about it, and it felt almost like déjà vu. I went home and dived into research, searching for alternatives to the options given to me. I discovered would rock me to my core.
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