This disease is tough, but you can beat it
(California)
I'm a 8 year survivor of stage 3 colon cancer and going strong. No matter what diagnosis the doctors give you, don't give in, don't give up.
It's been almost 9 years since the pathology lab report said I had stage 3 colon cancer. Back then I was just 53 and could not believe it! I had a great job teaching law at this State University; wife liked me most of the time and loved me a lot; my son was doing great in grad school; our daughter getting ready to start her own business after college.
Let's not sugar coat this- my emotions were shot, sometimes my hands shook from fear and anger, I looked for someone to blame and generally made everyone around me miserable. Then my work began to suffer, my students are sharp and my collegues are sharper.
My Dean demanded to know what was affecting me becuase it was evident in my class performance. I'd like to say he showed compassion and that my collegues were supportive. Well, sometimes they were, but this is a performance based environment therefore not many people shower emotion on the litigation professor.
I guess people showed more support when I started chemo, and after the surgery; when I was so weak, and my hair went from mostly black to very very gray. But I was probably out-of-sorts most of the time then and didn't notice.
But I do know how to fight, for myself and for others. So I never gave up, got great doctors, solid second opinions, reliable third opinions. Then I took care of myself and made a personal determination to survive and win.
Sometimes I was mad, scared, angry, bored or sad. Didn't matter what I felt- I wanted to be healthy again and strong. I did what the doctors told me to do and kept looking for better advice and alternatives.
Got through it, went back to a normal life. I still apologize to my wife for the hell I put her through. Sometimes parts of the story fit into a class discussion on how a lawyer has to seperate their personal life from their client.
Hope this helps someone keep steady on.
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