South Florida Family Photographer | Colon Cancer Awareness Month Part 2
In this two part series for Colon Cancer Awareness Month I sat down with Dr. Shari McGill, PhD, RN, OCN and Karise Ho to find out more about the oncology journey from the perspective of an oncology nurse as well as someone battling with colon cancer.
To read part one with Dr. Shari McGill, PhD, RN, OCN click here.
Continue reading below for my intimate interview with Karise as we discuss her journey with colon cancer and what she wishes you knew.
Q: Can you describe where were you were when you found out about your diagnosis?
A: I had just had a colonoscopy and the doctor came out and told me that they found a mass in my colon that was really big and it looked cancerous. From there we scheduled an appointment with the oncologist.
Q: And what were your first thoughts when you heard that?
A: I was just worried about my son Jayden. Depending on how bad this was, I didn’t know if I was going to be able to be there for him and that was pretty much the only thing that was going through my mind.
Q: What were the circumstances that led you to go to the doctor in the first place?
A: After I gave birth to my son in 2018 I had hemorrhoids so I had some bleeding going on which became normal to me. But it became excessive and it wasn’t stopping so I went to see my primary care doctor who then referred me to a gastroenterologist. The gastroenterologist thought I had IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) since I had the same symptoms and recommended a colonoscopy but the first available appointment for the colonoscopy wasn’t for a few months. And as it turned out it wasn’t hemorrhoids and it wasn’t IBS, it was a mass that had been growing.
Q: So from 2018 to 2021 you just assumed it was hemmorhoids and normal?
A: Right, and we don’t really know if it was going on from then. I mean maybe it was just hemorrhoids at that point. In January of 2021 I went to the ER and had emergent surgery on my appendix at which point they did a scan and it didn’t show anything. It wouldn’t have shown the colon, but it didn’t show anything on my liver. Fast forward six months when we found the colon mass and did scans, and it had already spread to my liver. So it would have had to spread very rapidly at that point.
Q: What has helped you the most through this journey?
A: Prayer. And support from friends and family. Really and truly that’s all that I’ve been holding onto. In the beginning it was really hard because a lot of things go through your mind when you find out you have cancer or you could die, but everybody has been so supportive between all my friends. my family, and my job. Everybody has been accommodating. And of course prayer. Prayer changes things.
Q: What are your biggest concerns currently?
A: The same as before. I’m still concerned about Jayden. The act of dying doesn’t scare me itself because I know when I die I’m going to be ok. But it’s what’s left behind all the what ifs. What if Jayden has to grow up without me. What if my son thinks that I abandoned him. Things like that. But i guess what worries me right now other than that is the treatment I’m receiving now. What if it’s not a cure? What if it’s just a bandaid? How much longer do I go on getting chemo and whatever other therapies to prolong my life? I wonder how long do I have to live and what can I accomplish in that time?
Q: In what ways are you a different person today?
A: Well, I’m more conscious as to how I want to spend my time and what I want to do with my future. I think that before I thought I had all the time in the world to do things. Now I’m learning that tomorrow is not promised so live in the now, be more present.
Q: Your mom just went through her own colon cancer journey herself. Who would think less than a year later that you would be diagnosed as well?
A: And who would have thought that I would’ve been so much further along given the age gap between us. Yes a part of it is genetic and everything but who would’ve really thought that she would’ve been diagnosed just a year before at stage 3 and one year later I was diagnosed as stage 4.
Q: What do you want other people to know about colon cancer?
A: Do not ignore your symptoms. If you wait until the standard age recommendation for a colonoscopy you could already have it. People are being diagnosed with colon cancer younger and younger. The symptoms are so common as with many other diagnoses. If you feel anything different about your body, regardless of what the physicians are saying, go with your gut and get a second opinion. Get it checked out.
Q: The recommended age for average risk individuals of colon cancer to start regular screening with colonoscopy used to be 50 but now its 45. But it seems colon cancer has been affecting a lot of people younger than that.
A: Colon cancer is definitely affecting people younger and younger. They lowered the age for routine colonoscopy but not low enough and It’s better to be safe than sorry.
Q: What would you say to someone else who was just diagnosed?
A: Go through all the emotions. Feel whatever you want to feel. What you feel is what you feel and no one can tell you any different. Go through all the emotions, all the different stages of grief and don’t be afraid to accept help when it’s offered to you. I’m very independent, I like to do things by myself. But i learned that you have to accept help when it’s being offered.There comes a point when you’re going to need help and you want to make sure those people are still around to help you when you need it the most.
Q: And what would you tell someone whose friend or family member was just diagnosed. What should they know and how can they help?
A: Just be empathetic rather than sympathetic. Always ask whoever it is that has the diagnosis how they want you to help them or what you can do for them because you might be thinking that you’re helping yet in reality you could really be making it worse.