In the beginning.....

I think I became aware that something going on when I was visiting Boise in April.

One morning I was extremely constipated and was bound and determined to get something out. So, I strained quite a bit but never did "unconstipate". So I read about constipation and tried all the home remedies. I was beginning to be aware of a mass, but was sure that I had caused some pretty good sized hemorrhoids and that that is what it was. Eventually, I went to my regular doctor to see what to do about constipation. This was probably in June some time. She had me do all the fiber in your diet, ducolax, colace routine. Nothing changed except for the fact that it took about 3 or so weeks to try all these things and then report the results.

Then I went to a friend who uses a lot of natural type health products. I asked her about severe constipation and from there we tried a colon cleanse and other natural products. All together this took about 6 weeks. I certainly was no longer constipated what with all the fiber I was taking, but I was becoming very uncomfortable down there. It just plain old HURT! I remember when the Makaafi's were here in July going to the store for Preparation H type stuff. Anything to bring some relief!! (Still sure that it was a bad case of hemorrhoids.)

I did make another doctor appointment though, this time with a new doctor who doesn't necessarily go to prescription drugs automatically. Took me 2 weeks to get in to see her because she was on vacation. We did some thyroid lab work and when all was well there, she recommended I get a colonoscopy to see what, if anything, was going on. Looking back on it, I think she suspected something but didn't want to say anything without solid evidence. In the meantime, she thought I should try a dairy free and gluten free diet in case it really was constipation. That went on for three weeks (longest three weeks of my life!) until I could get in to see the doctor she recommended for the colonoscopy. (He was on vacation too!) So with all the colon cleansing and waiting for doctors to get back from vacations, I lost quite a bit of time.

Finally, on September 24th, I saw Dr. Moro, a rectal surgery specialist (the colonoscopy doctor). After asking lots of questions and writing down my history and all, he did a quick exam and confirmed it right then and there that it was a malignant tumor. He said that a biopsy would confirm it for sure, but that with all of his experience he was 95% sure of what he saw.

Then came a roller coaster ride of this scan and that scan and seeing a radiologist (Dr. Ash) and an oncologist (Dr. Mahmood) and lots and lots of lab work. As a result of all of this, I will receive my first radaition treatment and chemo infusion tomorrow, October 15, 2009.