Survivor Story: Stacy Ostenson

Stacy Ostenson

I turned 40 last October and thought that would be the worst thing to happen last year, since I was not looking forward to getting old!

Well in the beginning of September, I had taken my daughter to Chicago for the day with friends and felt a little weird but thought it was from being out in the sun all day and on the ferris wheel at Navy Pier. The next day when we were back in Michigan I took my daughter to the beach for the day and while we were there I had used the restroom and saw blood in my stool – I just thought maybe it was from drinking red pop the day earlier or from hemroids or an ulcer – I was also feeling light headed.

Later that night we went back to the beach for a cookout and I had passed more blood before we left there and was feeling even more weird. I called my friend that had work at the hosptial what I should do – she suggested going to the ER and just having it checked out.

So off to the ER I went and they determined that I did have internal bleeding somewhere, but not sure where so they ordered a colonscopy. I went in for one that week on a Thursday. I hated the prep and was glad it was over. They removed six polyps from inside and thought pretty much that it was nothing to worry about since I was young and pretty health. I am a little overweight but there is not history in my family anywhere of any cancer.

On Sept. 24th my cell rang while I was at work and I noticed it was the doctor’s office calling, they said the nurse would call when the test came back – so it shocked me right away when the doctor himself was on the phone – he said one polyp came back positive and I needed to have surgery – if I had not had the colonscopy till I turned 50 he said, like normal, I would of been dead before 50.

They took out 18 inches of my colon in October and one lymph node came back positive so I started chemo on November 24th. I am officially half way there as of this week and have my first CT scan, since all this started, tomorrow. I am hoping for some great results!! So my message to everyone is please, please do not ignore the symptoms you have – they could be the warning you need to save your life!!!