Wellness Guide: Colorectal Cancer
Colorectal Cancer Survivor: Barbara's Story
"I first noticed a pain in my hip. Since I am a firm believer in alternative medicine, I went to an acupuncturist. In fact, I went back three times because it never got better. The last time I went, the acupuncturist told me that I should go see a doctor before getting any more treatments, so I did. They discovered that I had colorectal cancer when I was 45.
"I have been a big girl all my life. Not really overweight but solid and
tall. I’ve been 6 feet tall since I was a teenager. I look healthy.
I always felt I was big and strong so I could take anything that came my
way. I could
tough it out. I think women are used to ignoring pain. We go through menstrual
cramps and other aches and pains and we are supposed to keep going and take
care of everyone else. It was really hard for me to ask people for help,
but I had to. 
I realized that it didn’t make me weak to ask for help.
"There is a lot of cancer in my family. If you have a family history of any kind of cancer, you should be screened earlier rather than later. Don’t get me wrong. The screening test for colorectal cancer is not fun, but the prep is worse than the test itself. In fact, the test is nothing. I found out that there are other ways to prep for the test, but you have to ask about them.
"I still get screened even though I am cancer free. I learned to take better care of myself. I feel really good, and really healthy. I am more willing to ask for what I need now, and take time for myself. I learned a lot about myself. The biggest think I learned is how to be strong on the inside as well as looking strong on the outside." – Barbara, age 52
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