I Choose To Be...A SURVIVOR
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We've created a project that will change 12 deserving women's lives during 2016.
We want women with amazing stories of giving, over coming advertisties and strenght. We want to inspire, empower and honor them.
Right now we are trying to raise $250 to go towards our January winner's clothing. This is the only area we have not been able to secure a definite sponsor for. We want Denise to be able to feel beautiful again.
Please read her story below:
In early January 2015, I met with a GI Specialist. In the many previous months, I'd suffered from chronic fatigue, excessive weight gain, stomach/lower back cramping, & abnormal bowel changes. As I met with the doctor, I remember saying, "It can't be cancer, right? People don't GAIN weight with cancer, right?" The doctor replied,"You're correct. I highly doubt it's cancer. Besides, you're quite young and have always been in good health." In the back of my mind, I recalled that my grandpa & uncle (on either side of my family) had died of colon cancer. After my GI scan showed clear, I was scheduled for a colonoscopy (which I almost canceled since the GI scan showed nothing abnormal).
On February 4th, 2015, I went in for my scheduled colonoscopy. Upon waking up, the nurse informed me that doctor saw something & wished to do a CT Scan as soon as possible. All the while, I could hear my best friend (aka Caregiver) & the nurse whispering behind the curtain. The ride home was awful quiet & I suggested to Barb that she was hiding something from me. I was scheduled to meet with the doctor, following that weekend, to discuss my colonoscopy.
On Friday, Barb phoned me at work & asked to take me out to lunch between my clients. As we sat down at the restaurant, she said,"I need to talk to you about your exam the other day." She preceded to tell me that as soon as the doctor inserted the scope probe, he immediately found a large MALIGNANT TUMOR, located right between the rectum & colon connection. WHAT??!!! I knew something was terribly wrong. I canceled my clients that remaining day & drank margaritas for hours, trying to process the news.
Fast Forward: After meeting with a colorectal surgeon (knowing that my CT scan showed a suspicious spot on my left ovary, a lymph node, as well as 2 spots on my left lung...(Many biopsies & different surgeons/ specialists later), my SURGERY was scheduled for March 5, 2015. It was decided that I would have 2 surgeons working together on me. I was to have a complete hysterectomy, surrounding lymph nodes, colon tumor removed & a port placed in my chest for future chemo treatments.
I believe the surgery lasted approximately 8.5 hrs. It was late that evening when I awoke. Dozens of friends & family surrounded my bed. Dr. Wallet had sat down with all of them in a conference room & explained that all went well & he got everything he could. He noted that the malignant colon tumor was the size of a baseball. I was expected to go home within a couple days.
By day 2, something was seriously wrong. My body was filling with poison & infection... High fever, blood counts off, etc. apparently, there was a leak at the point of where they reattached the colon to the rectum. I was rushed back into surgery. My people were frantic with worry. I was to be in that surgery for a couple hours, which exceeded 6 hours.
Sadly, following the second surgery, my body was still shutting down, indicating that there was still a leak. My surgeon transferred me to a different hospital via ambulance (located close to his office). The following day, I was rushed into a 3rd emergency surgery. They had no alternative but to bring my colon through my belly (colostomy). Then, the doctor informed me that they had detected spots on my liver, in addition to the existing ones on my lung. Just PERFECT.
The following 7 weeks (YES, 7 weeks), I endured hell on earth. A pain that is indescribable. I prayed to God to save me (whether HERE or THERE). Many times, I saw clouds around my bed. I cried, prayed, & begged Him... The multiple antibiotics caused renal failure (kidneys shut down). I had artificial pumps coming out different body parts. Sores & scars now covered my body. I underwent days of iron transfusions because I had become severely anemic. They wanted to put me on dialysis & I declined (heck NO!).
I finally returned home by the beginning of May, & have remained since. I've battled & survived all of my necessary chemo treatments, etc. My kidneys repaired themselves (thank God!). My days consist of chemo meds, tests, & doctor appointments... But, I'M HERE! I'M ALIVE, only by the grace of God.
I didn't have the choice to GIVE UP. My children lost their father to a heart attack 17 mths prior to my cancer diagnosis. I am ALL they have. Though my prognosis was quite grim (3-5yrs survival rate), my most recent CT Scans have showed all metastasizing tumors have dissolved (other than 1 sm one in lung) & NO active cancer lights up!! It's a God thing!
I will likely remain on chemo for the rest of my life, but, that's ok! I manage the meds well & I'm HAPPY. On the exterior, I have changed drastically. On the interior, I am more beautiful than ever. I Choose To Be a SURVIVOR, not a victim.
Blessings in Abundance,
Denise Hancz-Barron
We want women with amazing stories of giving, over coming advertisties and strenght. We want to inspire, empower and honor them.
Right now we are trying to raise $250 to go towards our January winner's clothing. This is the only area we have not been able to secure a definite sponsor for. We want Denise to be able to feel beautiful again.
Please read her story below:
In early January 2015, I met with a GI Specialist. In the many previous months, I'd suffered from chronic fatigue, excessive weight gain, stomach/lower back cramping, & abnormal bowel changes. As I met with the doctor, I remember saying, "It can't be cancer, right? People don't GAIN weight with cancer, right?" The doctor replied,"You're correct. I highly doubt it's cancer. Besides, you're quite young and have always been in good health." In the back of my mind, I recalled that my grandpa & uncle (on either side of my family) had died of colon cancer. After my GI scan showed clear, I was scheduled for a colonoscopy (which I almost canceled since the GI scan showed nothing abnormal).
On February 4th, 2015, I went in for my scheduled colonoscopy. Upon waking up, the nurse informed me that doctor saw something & wished to do a CT Scan as soon as possible. All the while, I could hear my best friend (aka Caregiver) & the nurse whispering behind the curtain. The ride home was awful quiet & I suggested to Barb that she was hiding something from me. I was scheduled to meet with the doctor, following that weekend, to discuss my colonoscopy.
On Friday, Barb phoned me at work & asked to take me out to lunch between my clients. As we sat down at the restaurant, she said,"I need to talk to you about your exam the other day." She preceded to tell me that as soon as the doctor inserted the scope probe, he immediately found a large MALIGNANT TUMOR, located right between the rectum & colon connection. WHAT??!!! I knew something was terribly wrong. I canceled my clients that remaining day & drank margaritas for hours, trying to process the news.
Fast Forward: After meeting with a colorectal surgeon (knowing that my CT scan showed a suspicious spot on my left ovary, a lymph node, as well as 2 spots on my left lung...(Many biopsies & different surgeons/ specialists later), my SURGERY was scheduled for March 5, 2015. It was decided that I would have 2 surgeons working together on me. I was to have a complete hysterectomy, surrounding lymph nodes, colon tumor removed & a port placed in my chest for future chemo treatments.
I believe the surgery lasted approximately 8.5 hrs. It was late that evening when I awoke. Dozens of friends & family surrounded my bed. Dr. Wallet had sat down with all of them in a conference room & explained that all went well & he got everything he could. He noted that the malignant colon tumor was the size of a baseball. I was expected to go home within a couple days.
By day 2, something was seriously wrong. My body was filling with poison & infection... High fever, blood counts off, etc. apparently, there was a leak at the point of where they reattached the colon to the rectum. I was rushed back into surgery. My people were frantic with worry. I was to be in that surgery for a couple hours, which exceeded 6 hours.
Sadly, following the second surgery, my body was still shutting down, indicating that there was still a leak. My surgeon transferred me to a different hospital via ambulance (located close to his office). The following day, I was rushed into a 3rd emergency surgery. They had no alternative but to bring my colon through my belly (colostomy). Then, the doctor informed me that they had detected spots on my liver, in addition to the existing ones on my lung. Just PERFECT.
The following 7 weeks (YES, 7 weeks), I endured hell on earth. A pain that is indescribable. I prayed to God to save me (whether HERE or THERE). Many times, I saw clouds around my bed. I cried, prayed, & begged Him... The multiple antibiotics caused renal failure (kidneys shut down). I had artificial pumps coming out different body parts. Sores & scars now covered my body. I underwent days of iron transfusions because I had become severely anemic. They wanted to put me on dialysis & I declined (heck NO!).
I finally returned home by the beginning of May, & have remained since. I've battled & survived all of my necessary chemo treatments, etc. My kidneys repaired themselves (thank God!). My days consist of chemo meds, tests, & doctor appointments... But, I'M HERE! I'M ALIVE, only by the grace of God.
I didn't have the choice to GIVE UP. My children lost their father to a heart attack 17 mths prior to my cancer diagnosis. I am ALL they have. Though my prognosis was quite grim (3-5yrs survival rate), my most recent CT Scans have showed all metastasizing tumors have dissolved (other than 1 sm one in lung) & NO active cancer lights up!! It's a God thing!
I will likely remain on chemo for the rest of my life, but, that's ok! I manage the meds well & I'm HAPPY. On the exterior, I have changed drastically. On the interior, I am more beautiful than ever. I Choose To Be a SURVIVOR, not a victim.
Blessings in Abundance,
Denise Hancz-Barron
Organizer and beneficiary
Casey Brothers
Organizer
Fort Wayne, IN
Denise Hancz-Barron
Beneficiary
