So where to begin.... My name is Andrew, and I started my cancer story back in 2022 when I was 36 years old. I am married and have two beautiful little girls aged 6, Mia and 4, Lilly. I've been an electrician for 20 years.
When asked what I would do differently if I could go back in time, the short answer is DO NOT IGNORE the SIGNS.
I had symptoms probably in 2019 and I didn't follow them up. My symptoms were bleeding when I went to the toilet, not a lot but some on the toilet paper. It would happen maybe once every 1-2 months for 1 or 2 bowel movements then would go back to normal so I would think it was okay. Maybe I was pushing too hard or maybe I had haemorrhoids, so I didn't go see a doctor because I felt normal. I never felt sick at all.
My second symptom was being tired, but I was working shift work and long hours, so I thought it was because of that. I went to a doctor about being tired in 2020 and explained that I never felt refreshed when I woke up and I felt tired all the time. They took blood samples and suggested I do a sleep study. I didn't follow up with the sleep study and my blood results were good so again I was happy enough to continue with my life as normal. Those were the signs that I didn't pick up on.
What made me go to a doctor in 2022 was a lot of blood on the toilet paper after passing stool. I mean like the whole toilet paper in my hand was bright red. I came out and told my wife that something was wrong and explained what happened. She insisted many times to go to the doctor. After seeing my GP, he advised me that it was likely to be haemorrhoids and gave me treatment and said to come back if the bleeding didn't stop. Well, it didn't stop and so I was sent off to do a colonoscopy.
16 September 2022, the day that changed the path of my life indefinitely.
When I woke up from my procedure, they took me to recovery, and they had put me in a private room while I waited for my wife to pick me up. I didn't realise at the
time that no one else was in a private room. When my wife arrived the doctor followed to advise us of the results of the colonoscopy. This was the moment that we found out that I had a mass in my bowel and that the doctor was 95% sure that it was cancer. I remember thinking this sucks but now I have to fight. Some people just get dealt a sh*t hand but I’m not going to sit and cry about it as it won't change what I have to do next. I have too much to fight for; I didn't want to leave my family not having a father or husband. Then it took a few weeks until we had this confirmed as I had to do an MRI, CT and a blood test. I met with a surgeon, and he confirmed my worst fear. It was stage III bowel cancer with cancer in my lymph nodes. I had to start radiation and chemotherapy immediately and we had to be aggressive with treatment for the best results.
It was really tough telling friends and family that you have cancer but it's hard to hide. My kids knew that dad was sick and had to take medication and see doctors to get strong again. The hardest part was when we decided that we were not going to tell my 86-year-old grandma that I have cancer. It's hard because she lives right next door to me. I have to lie to her and say I’m working night shifts and that's why she sees me sometimes during the day. She thinks I don't get enough sleep because she sees me in the day and thinks I worked all night so I should be sleeping all day. It really bugs me having to lie but I know it’s the best thing for her.
October 2022 is when I started radiation. My radiation oncologist warned me that the pain would progressively get worse the more treatments I did. I had to do 25 rounds of radiation together with chemo and if I could put the pain into words, it still wouldn't be enough to truly know. By November I had to resign from my job as I could not physically go into work (I work in the road tunnels as an electrician). Finishing the 25 rounds was a big deal. I had to redo my scans and I had good results, but I then had to start six rounds of IV Chemo. It’s very scary before I start each new treatment, but I know that I have to do it if I want to be here for my wife and kids. I thought radiation was bad, but chemo was another level. Feeling sick all the time, having no energy and not to mention the horrendous body aches and the thinning of my hair, but I finished the first 6 rounds of IV chemo and was booked in for surgery shortly after.
7 March 2023, surgery day – an Ultra Low Anterior resection with a temporary stoma bag. I woke up from surgery and the doctor wanted me to start walking that night. I went to sit up in the bed and the whole room was spinning. My blood pressure was very low. I tried again the next day and the same thing happened. They did a blood test, and my white blood cell count was high, and I needed two blood transfusions and an iron transfusion. After my blood pressure got back to normal, I had to learn how to live with a stoma. Having to get used to having a stoma was new but after a few weeks it was my new normal and manageable.
17 April 2023, the start of another 6 rounds of IV chemo every fortnight, called mop up chemo. Every round got worse and worse, and I would tell my wife that I was done and couldn't continue chemo anymore, but it would pass, and I’d complete another round only to start a new one as soon as I started to feel better. It was extremely mentally draining, even not leaving the house for days at a time took a toll as well. I would also have bad neuropathy in my hands and legs – even all the way up to my thighs would become completely numb at times. Somehow I made it all the way and completed 12 rounds. As I look back on it, I don't know how I did it, but I remember someone told me to remember that you are stronger than you think you are and that’s what I’ve been telling myself since I found out I had cancer.
22 August 2023, reversal surgery – this was a fairly quick surgery compared to my cancer removal. I was up and out of bed the same day (huge relief to my wife) and the next challenge was making it to the bathroom. I think I spent the first three months after this surgery stuck at home and on the toilet. It was super challenging physically and mentally. I remember one night I was going to the bathroom every five to 10 minutes and I woke my wife up in the middle of the night and said I can't do this anymore, I want a permanent stoma bag. I was at my wits end and thought it would never get better. However, my wife researched ways to improve my bowel habits and we got in touch with Bowel Cancer Australia, Cancer Council, and my surgeon and I got additional support for my mental health and physical health. We have been working with a nutritionist on a meal plan to help with my bowel movements, and I’ve been writing food diaries and working with my whole medical team to come to a new normal life. It's hard for people to understand what it's like to have to know where a bathroom is at all times, and what it's like to go to the toilet close to 30 times in a day.
Although you might be cancer free, no one tells you about the ramifications all the treatments have on your body. I will never be normal like I was in the past.
The MRI, CT scans and blood tests continue and with every follow up appointment comes those same nervous feelings of the initial diagnosis. There is a word for it – scanxiety – and I don't think it will ever go away.
I haven't been able to work for close to a year and a half and all I want to do is get back to my normal life – some days it feels like it's so far away and other days make it seem around the corner, but I have made some calls and sent my CV out. I have to try to get back to work as the financial stress and pressure is extremely difficult and something that no one tells you about when you get cancer.
However I have come this far, I am cancer free, and I wish to create awareness, so people don't ignore the symptoms like I did. I was told it won't be anything serious because I'm too young.
The average age for people with bowel cancer is 69 years old but it seems to be a much younger age bracket getting bowel cancer.
I have to thank my friends and family for all the love and support, and I have to thank Bowel Cancer Australia and Cancer Council for providing me with support and information. Every person that I have dealt with has been so caring and supportive.