I will never forget when I found out I had cancer. In my law practice I had handled lawsuits involving the delayed diagnosis of cancer and yet even this experience did not prepare me for hearing those words applied to me. Given that I had worked as a delayed diagnosis of cancer lawyer and come to understand the symptoms of various different kinds of cancers, including advanced colon cancer I did not hesitate when I began to experience symptoms myself. I saw my family doctor who advised that despite the fact that I was too young for regular screening for colon cancer and even though I did not have anyone in my family with colon cancer colon cancer (at the time) that I ought to nonetheless get a colonoscopy to rule out cancer as the cause of my symptoms.

The colonoscopy found that I had a significant cancerous tumor in my colon and surgery established that it had already started spreading and was stage 3 colon cancer. Not good news. I knew there was a positive part of this was that at least it was not stage 4 colon cancer. Still it was metastatic colon cancer which had reached my lymph nodes. And I had an instant of real fear and doubt when I received the news. I realized that my chances of long term survival were just about 50%. Even though I was a lawyer and had previously handled medical malpractice lawsuits, even claims concerning colon cancer, did not prevent that moment of pure panic and fear. I still believed I not survive the cancer.

Despite the fact that I needed a few weeks to recover following the surgery and although there were times during the chemotherapy when I just did not feel well enough to do anything, I was, for the most part, able to keep working. This gave me tremendous pleasure. I felt that I was able to carry my weight and lead more or less a normal life while in my treatment and seven years later I exhibit no evidence of cancer. If I had waited perhaps even a few months the cancer could have spread further and I in all likelihood would not have survived.

Clearly, should you have symptoms that could be due to colon cancer getting the correct test immediately could save your life. The best way to allow oneself the most treatment options and the greatest possibility of eliminating the cancer is to detect and treat it early.