How I navigated stage 4 colon cancer and a subsequent breast cancer diagnosis
Bobbye’s Story
“How can colon cancer survivors manage treatment and find post-cancer support?”
Bobbye, a 65-year-old athlete and scientist, shares how persistent stomach pains led to a Stage 4 colon cancer diagnosis during the pandemic. After undergoing chemotherapy, surgery, and achieving No Evidence of Disease (NED), she found renewed purpose through Shay's Warriors, helping her face a subsequent breast cancer diagnosis with resilience.
Essential Notes:
Persistent abdominal symptoms and blood in the stool require diagnostic evaluation including colonoscopy.
Adjuvant chemotherapy post-surgery targets micro-metastases to lower the risk of recurrence.
Post-treatment side effects like neuropathy, brain fog, and fatigue can alter physical identity and require gradual rehabilitation.
Routine health screenings remain critical even after achieving NED for a primary cancer.
My name is Bobbye. I am 65 years old, have 2 daughters and a husband. Growing up a baby boomer, I always dreaded to ever hear the word “cancer” and it was terrifying to me because the treatments were rarely successful and I feared the loss of hair, constantly vomiting and ultimately death.
I always thought cancer happened to other people, but not me. I have been an athlete my entire life and absolutely love everything sports and outdoors. That was my identity. I have been a professional for my whole career and very driven to succeed at my job.
Delayed diagnosis and self-advocacy with a stool test
Then mid-2020 happened. I began having stomach pains that never seemed to go away and it was affecting my daily activities. I then began seeing spots of blood in my stool. Since the whole world focused only on COVID-19, I could only have phone calls with a doctor. Call after call, month after month, they excused it saying it was a pulled muscle, bacteria, etc.
Luckily, I had a stool sample kit they had sent me the year before, and now being January 2021 I decided to take matters in my own hands. I did the sample and turned it into the lab. Within a few days they called to say they found something and scheduled me for a colonoscopy for February 12, 2021.
In order to sway my fears, since I am a scientist, I made the colonoscopy preparation cleansing into a study. I called it the “Colon Carrying Capacity.” I decided to weigh myself before the cleansing and after the colonoscopy. I had lost 6 pounds! Yikes.
Anyway, the procedure went smoothly until I woke up. The doctor asked me to bring a family member into the room, and then he told me I had a huge mass and it was Stage 4 Colon Cancer. I had no idea what was happening… the next day I had blood work, CT scans and information to meet an oncologist. All my greatest fears. Within a few days the pathology report came back and I had cancer in my colon, lymph nodes and 2 areas of my liver.
Facing stage 4 colon cancer treatment and surgery
The journey had begun. Meeting my oncologist, getting a port inserted into my chest for chemotherapy infusions and many appointments scheduled. Starting March 16th, and over the next several months I had 6 chemo cocktail infusions every other week, they call it neoadjuvant chemo to try to reduce the tumor.
I had many CT scans, blood draws, PET scans, MRIs, weakness, neuropathy, weight loss, and brain fog just to name a few. At each encounter the nurse or technician would ask me how I felt and they were surprised at how I remained positive and cheerful. I figured that was easier than being down and depressed.
On June 29th, 2021, I had my colon surgery. They removed 18 inches of colon, 19 lymph nodes and 2 liver wedge resections. My abdominal scar is 11 inches long. I could not believe it when they told me I would need 12 more chemotherapy infusions, adjuvant chemotherapy. My doctor told me after surgery that they had gotten everything, and that I was now NED (No Evidence of Disease). So why more chemo? I now know it was beneficial because during surgery, the knife can knock cancer cells loose and reattach somewhere else. I did the adjuvant chemo.
Through my whole journey of this cancer thing, I was so blessed with a wonderful support system. My husband and 2 daughters took such great care of me. Taking me to every chemo, labs, cat scans, etc. even though they had to wait in the car because of COVID, no one was allowed in, even for my 10-hour surgery. They encouraged me to be positive and look forward to the future, there was no other option. They fed me and sat with me all the time. Of course, the only way I have survived this stage 4 cancer was the Blessing of God. He orchestrated all the timing, treatments, surgery, etc.
Finding healing at Shay's Warriors retreat
The only thing was, I didn’t know who I was anymore. Side effects of neuropathy, brain fog, weakness and sore joints still plagued me. I wanted so badly to get back outside. But how? I wanted to feel useful again. Through this whole journey I had continued to work full time but I still lost “me.”
My blessing came along from a woman named Shay Moraga. She was part of a group that supported Life After Cancer. That was me! I was invited to go on a retreat with fellow survivors, just like me. That retreat changed my life!
I began engaging with others and finding so much compassion and true understanding. I was going to be ok. I started walking and hiking again and continuing my support of cancer charity groups. I was happy!
Facing a new breast cancer diagnosis with community support
As of February 15th, I was still NED (no evidence of disease) for my colon cancer. Until... my regular mammogram showed something, and I had another mammogram, ultrasound and biopsy. On February 16th, 2023 I found out I had breast cancer. I was numb and mad! I was so happy to be NED, (no evidence of disease) and now that was taken away from me!
On March 17th, 2023, I will have a mastectomy. With so much love and support from not only my family, but now from my new Shay’s Warriors family and support group I have so many blessings to lean on.
Let’s Rock and Roll!!
Remember to ALWAYS get your screenings.
Read another colorectal cancer survivor's story by checking out what are the early symptoms of young-onset metastatic colorectal cancer.
You don't have to navigate this alone.
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