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Stephanie’s Journey:

When I was ten years old my dad died of colon cancer. At age ten I had my first colonoscopy and was diagnosed FAP, familial adenomatous polyposis, a genetic disorder that primarily causes cancer in the colon and rectum but can also cause polyps to form in other areas of the body as well.
Since that day I have had 21 colonoscopies, My doctor wanted to give me as much time to have a normal life as possible, to have children, etc. So I had a colonoscopy each year, I was on medication, he removed as many polyps from my colon as he could while my rectum had none, ever. For five years the polyps had gotten smaller in size and number so he told me I could come back in three years. In 2016 was my last colonoscopy until May 20, 2020.
In April I started having some issues, pain, weakness and blood loss. I called and a colonoscopy was scheduled a month later (due to COVID-19). I had the colonoscopy on May 20, 2020 and was told I had rectal cancer. I was then referred to a surgeon who then ordered a series of test, sigmoidoscopy, ct scans, mri’s, a pet scan and blood work, to stage the cancer, track its growth rate and put together a treatment plan. All of those results showed that it was stage 3 rectal adenocarcinoma measuring 5 cm and growing, and also a lymph node closest to the mass was enlarged. So then the treatment plan was formed, I am currently in treatment of chemotherapy and radiation, then surgery followed by four months of iv chemotherapy.
Because I had to miss so much work during all of the testing and procedures my HR rep had me to file FMLA in order to have a job to go back to. I wont be able to work until treatment, surgery and recovery is complete.
I have a long road ahead of me but I have faith, I know Gods got this and Gods got me.