Burden of Colon Cancer Treatment

Hi, my name is Kayla Massey. I'm a 30 something or other, (33 as of the day posting this if you must know), and I just finished treatment for colon cancer for the second time in my life. I have a rare genetic disease, FAP (familial adenomatous polyposis), that pretty much guarantees colon cancer if left untreated.

The first time I got sick, I didn't realize this was a disease I carried. Once I knew what it was, I could trace my symptoms back way too long. But I had just gradually gotten more sick, and my body got used to it, before we reached a breaking point. I started to seek medical attention once I got down to 100 pounds, and was admitted to the hospital less than a month later weighing in at 60 pounds. From there it was teams of doctors trying to figure out what was happening until the culprit was found. I was referred to my amazing surgeon who I was lucky enough to have for each of my surgeries, and was put on the list as quickly as they could. I spent a month on TPN (Total Parenteral Nutrition) to get my vitals up before the surgery, and then had surgery near the end of August.

On my 22nd Birthday, after my first surgery, I received the confirmation call from my doctor that I tested positive for colon cancer, 2 spots, stage 2/3 (they couldn't quite make up their mind there). We decided to not do treatment but rather closely monitor the situation. I started with scans and blood work every 3 months, then 6, and then finally graduated to just once a year. I also got a GI doctor and continued to have yearly checkups with him because of the nature of my disease.

After 9 years, my oncologist talked with me about doing one more scan just to be safe, and I would be done after that, as the likelihood of that cancer returning would be slim to none, and while she was right about that, the disease had other plans.

21 days shy of my 10 year anniversary, as well as my 32nd birthday, I went in for a routine checkup with my GI doctor and it was not good news. I received confirmation the following day, and then all hell broke loose. It was a much different experience this time around because I had a diagnosis before treatment. I met with a slew of people over the course of 4 hours on the 22nd to talk about the plan.

This past year was not without its challenges, that goes without saying, but there were also some wonderful moments as well. I adopted my dog Echo to help get me through. I had been thinking about getting a dog for some time, and it felt like the right moment, and he was and is the perfect dog. I met incredible people. I got to travel to a new state and explore. I had recently started a new job who proved to be extremely understanding. While I did not tell many people, wanting to keep my life as normal as possible and to be able to simply focus on myself I had some amazing friends by my side who provided me unwavering support, and I will never be able to thank them enough.

I had my surgery a few months ago which was successful. While not completely the outcome I was hoping for, including a few setbacks, you will hear no complaints from me. I am finally able to focus on getting back to myself, slowly but surely.

However, through all of this, it has not been without its very real, very expensive price tag. I am not typically one to ask for help, and even as I write this I feel very conflicted with the idea, but the truth is I could use some. While I am incredibly grateful for my insurance, which saved me over $600,000 this year alone, there is a mountain of money that I still owe. If you find yourself with a little bit to share, no matter how large or small, know that it carries immense meaning and is truly appreciated.

Thank you for taking the time to let me share my story with you. If you have any questions, feel free to ask!