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Hello, and welcome to my blog. I am a trucker (14yrs), and I want to share an experience, that I hope will be helpful to truckers, and anyone else who may be interested. In 2003, I was diagnosed with 3rd stage Colo-rectal cancer. At the time, I was 38yrs old, a non-smoker, a moderate drinker, and there was no history for this type of cancer in my family. I did not fit the profile for this type of cancer either (over 50yrs old etc.) In fact I was miss-diagnosed, that the bleeding I was experiencing was from hemorrhoids ( a fairly common problem among truckers). I was given treatment, and told to use a seat cushion while driving, and all would be fine. However, the bleeding didn't stop, and I was not experiencing the discomfort associated with hemorrhoids i.e. itching, and burning etc. So, I kept bugging my doctor telling him that something just wasn't right, (I did this for several months), until finally, my doctor relented, His exact words were " Alright, I'll schedule you for a colonoscopy, for your peace of mind, although I'm sure it's just hemorrhoids". Little did he know at the time, but that decision probably saved my life. The bleeding came from a cancerous tumor that sat so low in my colon that it actually masked the minor hemorrhoids I had, and led my doctor to believe that the culprit was the hemorrhoids. Needless to say, he was very upset with himself. Anyway, I embarked on a journey of radiation treatments, chemotherapy, and 2 major surgeries. I had 16 inches of my colon, and a portion of my rectal area removed, and the colon reconnected, also, an Illiostomy was performed (I wore a temporary bag for 6mos), and was declared cancer-free in September of 2003, and has remained so up to now. I want to share what I've learned about this type of cancer; 1. This cancer is slow-growing, and can progress undetected before symptoms are noticeable (i.e. rectal bleeding, or bowel discomfort--thin stool, and difficulty eliminating waste), doctors said I had this cancer for about 3yrs before detection. 2. People with jobs requiring long periods of sitting, like secretaries, telemarketers, and truck drivers, are vulnerable to this type of cancer. 3. A high fat, low fiber, or no fiber diet (fast foods, truck stop food, or processed foods) can lead to this type of cancer. Most truckers are meat, and potatoes guys. 4. This is most important, the inability to eliminate waste in a timely manner. As most truckers know, there are times when restrooms are few, and far in between, even non exist ant, depending on what roads we drive on, and most gas stations are not built to accommodate trucks, and One cannot always park on a roadside and walk into a gas station, or convenience store restroom. So we end up holding our waste for longer periods of time than necessary, trying to locate a restroom. This can be very harmful to our colons, as the toxins in our waste can fester, and cause damage. 5. This cancer is no longer age specific, I was 38 when diagnosed, and another trucker was 28yrs old when he was diagnosed. Unfortunately, he is no longer with us. 6. Truckers should get regular colonoscopies, to stay on top of this disease, and learn all that they can about this disease. Early prevention is the key. 7. Be persistent with your doctor until you get results. This disease can easily be misdiagnosed as hemorrhoidal bleeding. 8. Always, Always, Always seek a second, or third opinion regarding the treatment of this type of disease, or any disease.
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