Diagnos

I am Doug Dallmann, a Patent Attorney living in the United States. At the age of 40, I was diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer—a complete surprise as it went undiagnosed by nurses and health professionals who thought it might be something else. Discovering that I had a tumor during my annual check-up at 40 was utterly shocking.

Behandlning

Jag hade gått igenom behandling i ett år, och jag gick igenom strålning och Kemoterapi i en och en halv månad innan operationen. Efter en och en halv månad gjorde jag en stor operation och min tumör togs bort. Jag var också tvungen att gå igenom en del cellgiftsbehandling efter operationen, som varade i ungefär ett år. Jag var upptagen med att jag skulle behandlas för cancer, från januari till december 2010, och om jag ska vara ärlig var det inte lätt.

Jag var alltid en aktiv och frisk kille förutom cancer, och detta har hjälpt mig att komma tillbaka i rätt form på nolltid. Alla blir kämpar när de möter sådana omständigheter. Fem år senare, efter att ha fått diagnosen cancer, gav jag allt och kom tillbaka i form för att delta i en fystävling. Jag följde en strikt diet och tränade hårt för att uppnå mitt mål, som var att övervinna cancer. Jag ville också sprida ett budskap om att cancer inte är en ursäkt för att sluta göra det du tänkte göra.

Jag säger alltid till människor som nyligen fått diagnosen cancer att skriva ner de saker de vill göra i livet och komma ut för att uppnå dessa milstolpar. Cancer är ingen ursäkt för att sitta hemma och sluta njuta av livet. Under 2018 packade jag mina väskor och gick utomhus till Pacific Crest Trail, en 2500 miles led från Mexiko till Kanada. Jag tog mig 900 mil genom det innan kroppen gav upp, men det var i alla fall en fantastisk upplevelse. Efter det blev jag ganska involverad i Colon Club, som är en amerikansk baserad kolorektal cancer grupp som delar ut kalendrar varje år med unga canceröverlevande på, och jag var med i den också i 2013 års upplaga. Colon Club gör nu tidningar med samma 12 canceröverlevande och uppmuntrar dem att dela sina berättelser för att inspirera andra cancerpatienter över hela världen.

Kemoterapi

The chemotherapy I had gone through, post my Kirurgi was a pretty basic; 5FU radiation to my pelvic region. There wasn't much side effect until the wearing under treatment, a 30-45 days course of chemotherapy, and radiation. I felt somewhat fatigued, had some soreness, and a burning sensation in the pelvic region because of the painful radiation. So I rested and gave my body some time between the chemo and radian before Surgery. After the surgery, which was a significant thing for me and was quite painful as well, which is why we gave a break and later started full chemo.

I was on a three-week cycle, and I felt a lot fatigued, making it difficult for me to go through. I had to go in for fusion and then take pills for two weeks, and then I had a week off that I used to recover before the next round started. I felt a bit nervous before the next round started and had always counted days for my treatment to end. The only known side effects of those chemo sessions were feeling Trötthetd and loss of energy. However, I was not as good to get back in shape and had to wait for the Chemotherapy to end to get physically active again.

Min roll som vårdare

A few years ago, I met Sarah, who also had stage 4 kolorektal cancer. She passed away last month, but I had been her primary caregiver since January. This experience allowed me to understand not only from a cancer patient's perspective but also from a primary caregiver's point of view. I feel incredibly honored to have taken care of someone in their final month. It was a difficult job, and being a cancer patient myself, I could relate to her in some ways, though not entirely to her mental outlook.

Sarah used to teach mothers with cancer how to care for their children despite their illness. She believed that you can be a parent from anywhere—whether resting on a couch watching movies with your kids or from an infusion room. Her mantra was to do what you can and live the best life possible.

Taking care of her and her two sons was particularly challenging during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. It was a tough situation to be a primary caregiver amid such a crisis. Being a primary caregiver is demanding, and it requires being in command of many responsibilities. Sarah was undergoing the same chemotherapy that I had experienced, which deepened my empathy for her situation. I could profoundly understand what she was going through.

Livet före cancer

Before my cancer, I had a lot of work-related ångest and things weren't going as planned. But when I was diagnosed with cancer, it made my life simpler, keeping my focus solely on surviving each day. After a year of treatment, trying to return to normal life was scary because I feared falling back into the old rat race. But gradually, life got back to normal, and I learned to take more time to enjoy moments with friends and family. Cancer taught me to live in the moment because no one is promised a tomorrow.

Livet som cancerpatient

When I was going through cancer, I didn't have a caregiver. I had my dogs, though, who were like emotional support for me then. Some people offered me support, and I took it whenever required. I drove myself to chemo and radiation. After surgery I had my friends and family support, but when their visits were over, I kind of took care of myself. I liked my alone time, and I wanted to sleep. I had a few people coming over to my place, getting me something to eat, and just sitting there to chat with me.

I did visit the support group at the hospital a few times before the Surgery and thought that it wasn't for me, and after surgery, I went again and realized that I do need this. My physical recovery was quicker compared to my mental and emotional healing. It took me years to be comfortable with that, and going to that support group had helped. The weekend I flew for the calendar photoshoot and it was incredibly healing for me. Sharing experiences with 11 other people was a wonderful feeling.

Engagemang i tjocktarmscancergemenskapen

Jag har varit involverad i Koloncancer community for several years now, and I have seen many young people die from cancer. I feel sad for them because they did not get to do what they had planned, and that is why I grab any opportunity that comes my way. I always seek to enjoy my time and give myself quality time to do things I've always wanted to do.

In 2017, my work wasn't going as planned, and I decided to quit to head out for the Pacific Crest Trail. Quitting my job allowed me to spend quality time with my family and friends, which is more important. Going through cancer made me realize that the smaller things in life matter a lot. I have a much better job now, I am where I want to be, and things are pretty good. Cancer gave me the courage to live and the wisdom that life is short.

I have seen many people who are fearful for various reasons and have a negative attitude. I understand that when you get diagnosed, your life can turn upside down, and a lot of fear can arise from uncertainty. Getting your doubts cleared by medical professionals can be helpful. It's tough for others to stay around a cancer patient because they need to provide the motivation and support required for recovery. There are some people who seek attention and use their cancer to do so. Having a negative attitude won't help you in your journey, while a positive mindset is crucial and can do wonders for your body and how you perceive the world.

The statistics say that 15 out of 100 people with stage 4 cancer can live with it for about five years, so there is a chance that you are among those 15. There are exceptional cases like Sarah, who survived with stage 4 cancer for over nine years. You just need to find the positivity out there and have the willpower to live. You should make the best of the time you have left, create memories, and cherish the small things in life.

Efter operationen

Min första skanning efter operationen hade jag inga tecken på sjukdomen, vilket var en lättnad. Du inser inte hur stressad du är förrän efter att du fått rapporten. Det är svårt att släppa skyddsfilten och du är rädd att cancern kan komma tillbaka. Jag skulle berätta för folk som inte låter cancer hindra dig från att leva ditt liv. Tillåt dig själv att göra de saker du planerat för och håll inte tillbaka. Om du är nydiagnostiserad blir det en lång resa, och det är en kronisk sak, men du ska göra vad du kan och göra det bästa av situationen.

Avskedsbesked

Försök att leva ditt bästa liv även under dessa omständigheter. Låt inte din cancer överväldiga dig. Man kan inte bara rulla in en boll och sitta i ett hörn. Jag är tacksam för alla som har hjälpt mig på vägen. Jag är tacksam mot vårdteamet, cancercentret, kirurgerna och dietisterna, onkologerna och hela samhället som jag mött under åren.

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