A Poem: My Colon Cancer Remix

Went for my routine check-up to pick up some meds

I was informed to meet with general surgery instead

Reluctantly after disagreeing I took my butt upstairs

As God would have it, the second highest ranking colorectal doctor in the state of Virginia was there

Dr. Shah just happened to be doing rounds at the Veteran’s hospital and he pulled my chart

After telling him my history he asked me to humor him and get a colonoscopy to start

The appointment was made for the early morning dawn

when I got to my house, I was still torn

Believing there was no need for this test totally far gone

This was inconvenient — I had a lot going on

I was two months away from getting my degree

Was working two jobs the timing just didn’t work for me

Tried to cancel the appointment but the clinic was closed

My man and my mom were truly opposed

They’d agree to go with me and that’s just what they did

Mom said it wouldn’t be right for them to set up for me and then I not show up, God forbid

I was so mad, hurt and couldn’t understand

Why this unwanted interruption was my new command

The next day I woke up and I cried out loud

while dropping to my knees raising my hands toward the cloud

It dawned on me to say “thank you” dear God

for letting them find out something foreign was in my bod

This put things in perspective as I gave Him praises

And I took action initiating much-needed next phases

I spoke with my professors to arrange to finish my work late

The doctor and I set the left colectomy surgery date

This date was set for April 25, 2006

Got the anesthesiologist and team of doctors took me in to perform their medical tricks

Surgery was a success the tumor was removed

Rolling me out of the operating room,

Mom was scared said I was purple and blue and she didn’t approve

Although, under sedation, I still saw my mom’s jump when she saw my face

I couldn’t speak then was being rolled in my room in my new space

Three days on morphine kept me completely knocked out

But when I’d come to the pain in my head made me shout

I asked to be on Tylenol, but it wasn’t in my chart

The nurse hit my patient-controlled button like it was a work of art

Then in a matter of seconds again I was out cold

Still awakening with headaches this was getting old

When I woke up the next time,I threw the intravenous cord underneath my bed

so, when the nurse came back, she couldn’t give me any more morphine as meds

Day eight it was time for me to be home bound — my prayers were answered

By day 14 my tests came back confirming I had colon cancer

It was by God’s grace that this was caught early in stage 2

All was contained no radiation, no chemo — none!

They got every bit of my cancer it was all gone

So grateful to my medical team for all the care which was spot-on

Five colonoscopies later taking polyps out of me

18 years later, I’m still colon cancer free

Thank you, dear God for loving and blessing Me!

I hope and pray my poem brings light to someone’s life.

Being a colon cancer survivor reminds me of how God brought me through, of how great the doctors, nurses and hospital staff members are, and how important following through with medical appointments and health care and self-care is. This poem allowed me to bring it all together. 

This post was written and submitted by Elaine White. The article reflects the views of White and not of CURE®. This is also not supposed to be intended as medical advice.

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