“My Voice” by Kyle Lovering
Kyle Lovering and His Family
My name is Kyle, I am twenty five years old. I am married to my beautiful wife Kaylee and we have two wonderful children. Kyler who is my son and is five, and Kylee who is my daughter and is almost three!
In February, around my birthday, I started having some strange bowel symptoms and slight pain. After visiting a G.I. doctor they found that I had a mass in my rectum. My G.I. doctor did a colonoscopy and biopsy and at first determined it was non-cancerous! But after visiting my surgeon and talking with him about the first biopsy results, he decided to get a better look. Thankfully he had me go and do another colonoscopy and biopsy and determined that indeed the mass was cancerous and actually progressed more than he first estimated it had. After meeting an Oncologist and Radiologist, they and my surgeon determined the best treatment for me would be Radiation, Chemotherapy and eventually Surgery. So after 26 treatments of Radiation and oral Chemotherapy the mass had shrunk significantly. With a surgery in late July my surgeon removed the mass and all the cancer but unfortunately had to remove my entire rectum leaving me with a permanent ileostomy. On my follow up appointment after my surgery, my oncologist informed me that two of my lymph nodes were involved with the mass and that they couldn’t say for sure if cancer cells had gotten through them or not.
With that diagnosis the best option was for me to start Chemotherapy again just in case any cells had snuck through the lymph nodes. My current Chemotherapy is every two weeks for two days with twelve treatments, putting me finishing around the end of January. So far the side effects are mild and mostly tolerable but very manageable and easy to deal with.
My fight against cancer has only been going on for about ten months, but within these past ten months I have learned ALOT of things about cancer.
1) I’ve learned that the most important thing in life is family. Knowing that family is around and there to help through thick and thin means so much. Without family I would have never been brave enough on my own to go through what I have gone through.
2) I’ve learned that just because you are diagnosed with cancer does NOT mean that it’s the end of the road. With today’s technology there are SO many procedures, studies and medicines to battle this terrible disease!
3) I’ve learned that there are numerous groups, foundations and societies out there that give so much support and advice through experience and are VERY helpful in times of need!
4) I’ve learned that keeping a positive attitude can make a major difference in the process of being diagnosed, treated and surviving this annoying disease! Keeping your morale up is a major way to get through the ups and downs of cancer.
and lastly…
5) I’ve learned that meeting other people with the same diagnosis and helping each other though the hard times is very important and makes the journey alot easier to cope with and gives you a good feeling knowing you can help make someones day a little better!
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