No I am not dead from cancer , But some think I am

We would rather talk about dying from Cancer but not talk about the fact some of us who are stage IV do survive it.

By Nick Markowitz Jr. Stage IV Colo-rectal Cancer Survivor

Yes a stage IV diagnosis of cancer means your cancer is terminal you will eventually die from cancer the cancer has spread from a localized area to another organ. Not necessarily in days or weeks but it can be many years off and some have survived 30 plus with out a recurrence. Very rare but yes it does happen. People do live to lead long fulfilling lives despite having a death clock put on them. The 2-3% of us long terms survivors depending on the type of cancer you have are in a very exclusive club and if you think we do not feel survivor’s guilt you would be wrong. And even thou we survive the clock is ticking as to how long we will be here be it a cancer recurrence that kills us or accident or other medical malady you may develop. In fact many people do not know stage IV is in fact survivable I have had people tell me I could not be stage 4 and be here almost 5 years after diagnosis. In fact many people have mistakenly thought I was dead because when you hear stage IV it usually does mean the end. Yet there are hands full of us each year who continue to survive and who are studied to find out why because cancer is a very personnel experience with each individual as to how we will take to treatments. Let alone the news you only have days, weeks, months or years. I have had many people turn white and almost faint after seeing me on the street believing I had died from cancer.It was like they where seeing a ghost. I feel like John Wayne in the Movie Big Jake where everyone thought he was dead some days. Some times its funny lately it is getting very aggravating.

Just the shock factor alone is enough to put people into a mindset they will die. I have seen those diagnosed stage II-A- dead with in a year while others as bad as I was still here.
Of course what the Dr. has to say and when the Good Lord in heaven says it is time to go has a lot to do with it also.

It also depends how well people follow doctor’s orders and follow thru on procedures and life style changes. And how personnel they are with there doctors in disclosing everything.

While being treated for cancer after my major surgery to remove part of my liver and colon my dad wheeled me out side one afternoon to get some fresh air and there other patients sitting in there wheelchairs all hooked up with tubes and on the verge of dying are still smoking away Oh well there going to die anyways they tell me they did not even make an effort to live the Dr. says there going to die so they die.

I found the whole thing infuriating. But that is there choice my choice is to keep fighting and now that I have put the monster in the box making sure the monster stays there forever and eventually dies.

For more information on Colon cancer got to www.thecolonclub.com