Help Troy kick his anal cancer in the ass! ❤️‍

If you’re here, you know what’s going on. Squamous cell carcinoma of the bootie.

I had a cancer scare a few years ago after a routine colonoscopy, and I’ve been scanned and examined regularly ever since. I’ve been feeling miserable for the past few months, losing sleep and weight and sanity, sometimes on the verge of suicidal ideation. Last Thursday I had a biopsy done on a suspect area that they’ve been monitoring and it’s become a 3” tumor that grew rapidly since my last scan in October near my anal canal and rectum.

I got the pathology results back yesterday, and it turns out to be invasive squamous cell carcinoma, which is actually ‘good’ news. It means it’s anal cancer, not rectal, and is 90% treatable with (so-called ‘light’) chemo and radiation without surgery. My oncologist laid all the possibilities out in our phone call on Friday. The doctor that performed the biopsy called to confirm it was cancer, which I already knew it was, and this was the best possible outcome.

I’ve been carrying around a black cloud of fear and anxiety about this for 3+ years, so I’m oddly relieved to finally have something to target and eradicate. It feels weird to say I’m relieved to have anal cancer, but I’m SO RELIEVED.

I’m so lucky to have Catherine in my life for so many reasons - she’s been keeping me alive - and it’s been hell for her living with me for the past few months, but now we can finally move forward and I can’t wait to start feeling better.