Carla Deschamps

Carla Deschamps is now a survivor of colon cancer after receiving her diagnosis in February 2020. Read Carla's 

Have you ever wondered what life lessons you will experience after a diagnosis of colon cancer? Well, Iwould have never guessed that this question would be a part of my adventure. Being diagnosed with colon cancer in my early thirties was definitely not a thought in my mind. However, when the doctor informed me of my prognosis, I took the news with my head held high as I knew that my family needed me. I had to stay strong and courageous, as I was an inspiration to those around me. I did not have the heart to disappoint themost important people in my life, especially my parents. I wanted to set an example that fighting for your life is worth every sacrifice.

For this reason, as difficult as it was, I knew that having peace of mind as well as empowerment of positive thinking was one of the best remedies to overcome this life changing event.

Now you may ask, “What are some of these life lessons that you can learn from after going through a cancer journey?”. My immediate response is the power of self-love. Loving yourself is the best gift you can endure.Before my diagnosis with colon cancer, I thought that I loved myself, yet this experience taught me the true meaning of self-love. What do I mean with this phrase? It is as simple as saying, “I am always putting myself first no matter what.” Also, it is stating, “It is ok to say no and not feel guilty about it.” Now, this does not mean that you are selfish and that you would not be there for the people that you care about. It is simply that youneed to take care of yourself first before you can take care of others.

Additionally, another life lesson that I was able to gain an understanding of was getting out of my comfort zone. This has been an area where I have genuinely struggled. Ever since I can remember, I always liked conformity and did not like change or try new things. Yet, after my diagnosis, I began to explore and became more open minded. I started to do things on my own and not depend on others. For example, I attended a women’s retreat in Upstate New York, where I was able to reconnect with myself on a much deeper level. Atthe same time, I met incredible, powerful women that I learned so much from. I would have never gone on my own, but I have become braver, and I am not scared to do things alone. If anything, I have acquired positive experiences and have grown exceedingly.

To sum it up, these past few years have been bittersweet, yet I would do it all over again for the simple factthat because of my colon cancer voyage, I have become my highest, truest expression of myself. I have acquired a knowledge of experiences where my life lessons assisted in helping me grow in all areas of my life. By going through this path, I have gained insight of who I am meant to be along with where I want to go.

With that being said, I want to take this opportunity to express my gratitude. Thank you for taking the time toread my blogs. It is a blessing to be sharing my story with you. I hope and pray that my memoir be an inspiration that anything is possible as long as you believe. May God continue to bless you with an abundance of love, prosperity, health, success, but above all happiness. Forever Blessed!

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A colon cancer diagnosis in one's early thirties can be life-altering, prompting profound personal growth and self-discovery. Embracing self-love and prioritizing personal well-being become essential, as does stepping out of comfort zones to explore new experiences. This journey fosters resilience, courage, and a deeper understanding of oneself, ultimately leading to personal empowerment and fulfillment. The experience, though challenging, is transformative, offering valuable life lessons that contribute to personal development and a renewed sense of purpose and direction.

After being diagnosed with colon cancer, I learned the life-changing lessons of self-love, stepping out of my comfort zone and embracing positive thinking.

Life Lessons I Learned After My Colon Cancer Diagnosis 

Carla Deschamps is now a survivor of colon cancer after receiving her diagnosis in February 2020. Read Carla's

Someone once expressed, “The secret of being happy is accepting where you are in life and making the most out of it.” This quote represents how I viewed my life after my diagnosis with colon cancer at the age of 34. During that time, it was extremely difficult to accept the fact that I had colon cancer, especially being that young. Without a doubt, the news was a hard pill to swallow. In this blog, I would like to share with you how choosing to be happy and accepting where I was in my life made a significant difference throughout this journey.

First of all, it was not easy to accept that I had a cancerous mass in my body. The unknown of whether or not it spread throughout other parts of my body was very terrifying. I recalled occasions where I thought of worst-case scenarios, which did not help me in any way. If anything, the feelings of anxiety and fear took over. I allowed my emotions to control my way of thinking, which eventually impacted my actions when I was at the hospital. However, there was a time where I was lying in my bed meditating, and I was able to be mindful of everything that was happening to me. In that moment, there was a sense of peace, purpose and clarity.

That was when I decided to shift my way of thinking and chose that no matter what happens, I was going to be happy and accept that being diagnosed with colon cancer was a part of my journey. As a result, I began to do activities that brought joy into my life. One of those activities included being around nature as often as I could. My favorite place that I visited during that time was a park near my house. It has a lot of beautiful trees, a lake, and a breathtaking view of New York City. I remembered waking up early in the morning to simply go on walks, which was relaxing and therapeutic. It was definitely one of my most cherished memories.

Additionally, another activity that I enjoyed was going on hikes with my family.

In the summer of 2020, we went on our first hike located in Ramapo, New Jersey. It was a two-hour hike where I was able to connect with Mother Nature. We took on the challenge to go to a specific spot in the hike where we eventually saw this beautiful lake that had an amazing view of tall mountains. It was gorgeous scenery to see. I loved every minute of it due to the fact that I was able to do this hike with the most important people in my life. For this reason, every summer, my family and I go on a different hike as a way to spend quality time together along with doing something fun that we all love.

To conclude, by being happy and accepting where I am in my life and making the most of it has impacted my diagnosis with colon cancer that much smoother. Even though it has been an emotional roller coaster, intentionally doing things that I love has assisted in viewing my journey with an optimistic outlook. I am fortunate to be alive, and being a cancer survivor is definitely worth smiling about. With that being said, live life to the fullest, be present in the moment and laugh often.

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A personal journey through colon cancer diagnosis at age 34 highlights the transformative power of acceptance and choosing happiness. Initially overwhelmed by fear and anxiety, the individual found peace through mindfulness and a shift in perspective. Embracing activities that brought joy, such as nature walks and family hikes, played a crucial role in maintaining a positive outlook. This approach not only eased the emotional burden of the diagnosis but also fostered a sense of gratitude and fulfillment, underscoring the importance of living life to the fullest.

Being diagnosed with colon cancer at 34 was difficult, but choosing happiness and acceptance helped me find peace through mindfulness, nature and family.

Accepting My Colon Cancer Diagnosis at A Young Age

Faith. What does it mean to you? Well, faith, from my perspective, is believing in the unseen. When I first heard, “You have colon cancer,” I was in complete shock. I would have never thought in a million years that part of my journey in this world would include becoming a colon cancer survivor. Yet, I am beyond grateful for this life changingevent as it helped me grow in all areas of my life. Although nobody wants to go through this, I must say that it is howyou respond to life’s challenges that makes a huge difference. In this blog, I want to share my experiences on how faith transformed my journey with cancer.

Let's start from the beginning, when my oncologist informed me that I was in stage II colon cancer: I did not knowwhat life had in store for me, which was very scary to think about. However, I knew that this traumatic event had its purpose. Therefore, I decided to take this experience and make the best of it. This is when my faith in life and my spiritual journey started.

Affirmations was one of the techniques I utilized in order to cope with this experience. One of the affirmations that I recited frequently during that time was as follows: “

.” I remembered repeating this affirmation over and over again out loud and. This affirmation brought me a feeling and a sense of inner peace. It was an emotion that I genuinely needed, especially when I began chemotherapy. Even though I did not know what to expect in my future, believing that everything was going to work out at the end was, ultimately, what helped me keep fighting for my life.

Moreover, an area where faith played a significant role was my health, which consisted in being physically fit. In February 2020, I weighed 103 lbs, the skinniest I have ever been. I must be honest and express that I hated theway I looked. I did not like how skinny I was. I never understood why I was eating normal portions of meals and always had difficulty gaining weight.

Looking back now, I have come to the conclusion that the mass in my colon was not allowing me to gain the weight that I wanted. For this reason, I began to have hope that with time, I was going to improve my physicalappearance for the better. As months passed, I was able to gain weight and eventually weighed 116 lbs. I was definitely in the best physical shape of my life due to exercising regularly and establishing a healthy, balanced diet.

In conclusion, faith was an important tool that helped me endure my journey towards being cancer free. It allowed me to keep moving forward even when I had moments I wanted to give up. Yet, my conviction and loyalty towards my recovery assisted me to evolve in all areas of my life including my emotional, mental and physical well-being. As Martin Luther King, Jr. once stated, “Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.” My faith, without a doubt, encouraged me to become a cancer survivor and I am beyond blessed and grateful because of it. Thankyou, God for my blessings and my second chance in life.

Faith, as a belief in the unseen, played a transformative role in the journey of a colon cancer survivor. Initially shocked by the diagnosis, the individual embraced faith as a guiding force, using affirmations to maintain inner peace and resilience during chemotherapy. Faith also inspired hope for physical recovery, leading to improved health and fitness. Ultimately, faith was pivotal in overcoming cancer, fostering growth in emotional, mental, and physical well-being. The journey underscores the power of faith in navigating life's challenges and achieving personal transformation.

Faith, from my perspective, is believing in the unseen, and was something I rediscovered following my colon cancer diagnosis.

Rediscovering My Sense of Faith Following a Colon Cancer Diagnosis 

Jackie Chan once expressed, “Sometimes it takes only one act of kindness and caring to change a person’s life.” This quote is a representation of my outlook towards the care that my physicians provided after my diagnosis with colon cancer. All of my doctors during that time not only took care of me but went the extra mile to ensure that my journey moving forward was smooth and pleasant. In this blog, I want to express my gratitude as well as explain how my physicians changed my life for the better.

To begin with, I would like to start with my surgeon, whom I would call Dr. Salazar to protect his identity. Dr. Salazar was the one who notified me about my prognosis of colon cancer. It was close to noon when he greeted and took me to a private room when I received the biggest news of my life. He expressed in a calming voice, “Carla, I am so sorry for what I am going to tell you, but we wanted to make sure what it was before we told you. After conducting your second CT scan, we found a mass in your colon, and it is cancerous. You have colon cancer. You have to stay in the hospital because we have to do an emergency surgery to get the mass out. However, you have to do a colonoscopy first to give us a better understanding of your condition.”

I recalled that day like it was yesterday as I will never forget how it made me feel. I remembered my heart racing extremely fast and I felt anxious and scared not knowing what to expect moving forward. Dr. Salazar during that time did everything he could to make my experience at the hospital enjoyable as it was my home for two weeks. He would check up on me as often as he could along with encouraging and supporting me during my recovery after going through a five-hour surgery. Dr. Salazar was kind, respectful, but most of all very optimistic, which was what I needed most during that time. Indeed, I am grateful that he was my physician.

Next, is my doctor who conducted my colonoscopy, whom I would call Dr. Sanchez. He was polite, sweet and kindhearted. It was a Saturday morning when he did my procedure, which lasted no more than thirty minutes. During that time, Dr. Sanchez and a few of the nurses were cheering me on and stating that everything was going to be OK. Yet, the phrase that Dr. Sanchez noted and helped me view my outcome from a different perspective consisted of the following: “The good news is that we detected the cancerous mass on time.” After that statement, I made up my mind to stay positive. I was determined to do everything in my power to heal my heart from all the pain and suffering I was feeling. Due to Dr. Sanchez’s words of wisdom, my journey of healing began.

Finally, my oncologist, whom I would call Dr. Sanders. She has been my rock since day one. I have so much love and respect for her due to the fact that she goes above and beyond for her patients. Dr. Sanders is nurturing, loving and friendly. It has been more than four years since Dr. Sanders took me under her wing. She has been by my side fighting to make sure that I stay cancer-free, and for that, no words cannot express or describe how thankful I am of her. Every day, I give thanks that God put an amazing, extraordinary physician that has taken care of me from the very beginning. Indeed, Dr. Sanders not only has done acts of kindness but has changed my life by helping me get a second chance in life.

I am forever blessed to have had a tremendous group of doctors that continuously demonstrate how caring they are by providing the highest quality of service. I am beyond grateful. Thank you God for blessing me each and every day.

A patient's journey through colon cancer treatment highlights the profound impact of compassionate care from dedicated physicians. The surgeon, Dr. Salazar, provided crucial support during the initial diagnosis and surgery, fostering a positive hospital experience. Dr. Sanchez, who performed the colonoscopy, offered encouraging words that shifted the patient's perspective towards optimism. The oncologist, Dr. Sanders, has been a steadfast ally, ensuring ongoing cancer-free status. This narrative underscores the transformative power of empathy and dedication in healthcare, emphasizing the importance of kindness in patient care.

My colon cancer journey showed me how compassionate doctors can change lives, as their kindness and care gave me strength and hope throughout my recovery.

Carla Deschamps

Life Lessons I Learned After My Colon Cancer Diagnosis

Accepting My Colon Cancer Diagnosis at A Young Age

Rediscovering My Sense of Faith Following a Colon Cancer Diagnosis

The Doctors Who Healed Me: My Journey With Colon Cancer and Gratitude

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