Melissa’s Story
My name is Melissa and I am from Ontario, Canada.
In September 2022, I delivered my third child and my midwife had told me I had a hemorrhoid. I knew they were common, especially after childbirth, so I was never really too concerned.
Throughout 2023, I noticed a small amount of blood on the toilet paper after having a bowel movement and thought it was from having a hemorrhoid so I dismissed it.
At the beginning of September 2023, I met with a new family doctor and expressed to her how I thought I had hemorrhoids and noticed a change in my bowel movements. A few weeks later, I was scheduled for my first colonoscopy – something that is not routine and sometimes hard to get at a young age. After the procedure, the specialist came out to tell me I had a cancerous tumor in my rectum.
My heart sunk. My emotions were indescribable. I was 34 years old at the time and all 3 of my children were under the age of 5.
The specialist explained that he had taken a biopsy of the tumor and had already spoken with a highly recommended surgeon who was going to contact me the next day to discuss next steps. I was then scheduled in for an MRI and CT scan, and received a confirmed biopsy report that I had adenocarcinoma. The surgeon had explained to me that he may need to give me a temporary stoma to help preserve my rectum and help it heal. I had never heard of a stoma or an ostomy before, but I was fortunate that the nurse I met at the hospital and the nurses who visited me at home were very helpful with teaching me about my new stoma friend; a friend who comes with a modified diet and some food sensitivities.
The surgeon removed the tumour as well as 13 lymph nodes. I found out I had clear margins, but 8 out of the 13 lymph nodes tested positive for cancer. While I was healing from my surgery, the surgeon suggested I receive adjuvant therapy and referred me to an oncologist. It was confirmed that I had stage 3, N2B adenocarcinoma.
As I advocated for myself, I thought about this part of my journey as a school project: hours of phone calls, connecting with people who have gone through treatments and similar diagnoses, getting opinions from doctors, listening to podcasts and audiobooks, and learning about different treatments used to help enhance chemotherapy and support my health. I wanted to take on an integrative approach, modifying my lifestyle, diet and exercise, along with going for natural treatments to help keep me strong.
I am so thankful I came across the Colorectal Cancer Canada support group to also connect with others who were on similar journeys. I know each one of our stories are different and each one of our bodies are different, but it was so helpful to have some extra support. I also utilized a mass text messaging app to share updates with close friends and family. I would end my messages with “enjoy all of the things going right”, as we ALL have so much to still be thankful for.
At the beginning of December my husband and I found out that radiation was not recommended for me but chemotherapy was. We met with my oncologist and talked about the CAPOX protocol. I tried so hard to look at chemotherapy as a process to help me heal, to help kill off the cancerous cells in my body. My oncologist noticed a lymph node in my scans in my left pelvic area. He said it was highly suspicious and would expect to see it change with chemo. He suggested I proceeded with 8 rounds of chemo on a 21 day cycle. It seemed overwhelming but I tried to stay strong for my kids and husband, and just get through it. Some rounds were a lot harder than others but I am so thankful for my extremely supportive husband, my family and friends. From doing our laundry and helping out around our home, to making and sending us meals, to sending text messages and calling to check in. Every little bit that everyone was able to do was so greatly appreciated throughout my healing journey. I also enjoyed practicing yoga, trying healthier recipes, meeting people in support groups, speaking with my therapist, spending a lot of time outdoors, and doing a lot of journaling.
After 4 rounds of chemo, we noticed the highly suspicious lymph node in my left pelvic area had not changed. My oncologist sent me for a biopsy and it was confirmed that the lymph node was metastatic. I felt all of the heavy emotions and was anxious about the next steps. We talked about completing 6 rounds of chemo and seeing how my blood work looked. The toxicity in my body had gotten so high that the oncologist suggested I not continue with another 2 rounds as the side effects could be a lot more harmful than the benefits. I continued alternative treatments with my naturopath and in the meantime, had pushed for a PET scan to see if there was any other signs of cancer elsewhere in my body. Thankfully the results from the PET scan only showed the lymph node in my left pelvic area, so I was scheduled in days later to have this lymph node removed and my ileostomy reversed at the same time.
After my surgery, it was the biggest relief to know that I went to bed cancer free! That summer I enjoyed myself as best as I could and was eager and optimistic to return to work in September. Little did I know that the upcoming scan in November was going to show progression and a spot on my lung. These updates weren’t going to stop my family and I from enjoying life so we decided to take a vacation with the kids in the new year – even though I would be recovering from surgery. In April 2025, I had another scan which showed that the spot on my lung was growing, so it was recommended to have surgery in June to remove it.
Now I have been working closely with my naturopathic doctor and Chinese medicine doctor. I continue speaking with my therapist, practice yoga, trying healthy recipes, spending a lot of time outdoors, journaling, connecting with people, sharing my story, and importantly… ENJOYING ALL OF THE THINGS GOING RIGHT.
