Accepting My Colon Cancer Diagnosis at A Young Age

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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