I can relate to you because I have been through the same thing. I was diagnosed with rectal/anal cancer (I think that's stage 4?) with a 6 cm tumor in September 2022. I started treatment in October 2022. I had a total of 12 sessions of chemo which occurred every 2 weeks. I had a port surgically installed in my chest for the chemo. Each session was about 4 hrs and I would then go home with a chemo pump which would be removed 2 days later.

After my 8th session, they stopped the chemo through the port and I had 6 weeks of radiation which took place every day. During the radiation period I took chemo pills every day. During my treatment I had MRI and CT scans which showed that the tumor was shrinking.

I then completed my last 4 sessions of chemo and then had a colonoscopy. The surgeon said he could find no sign of the cancer. I have to get checked again this month and am praying for the same result. My energy levels are just about back to normal, but I am suffering pain from, what I think, is the damage from the radiation. Just the same, I am back to enjoying life and even managed to get back on my mountain bike for short rides.... yes, sitting is a bit painful so lots of peddling out of the saddle 🙂

I hope that gives you some encouragement that you can defeat this thing. It's a fairly tough journey but most definitely doable. I wish you the very best outcome.

Jump to this post