RIP Marco - I will love you forever!

littlejulie
littlejulie Member Posts: 311
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
Hi there,

I haven't posted in awhile and I always enjoy the time away. Away from reality. Some of you already know my story but for those who don't I'll give you a bit of history.

My uncle died from Colon Cancer in 2000, my mother was diagnosed in 2004 with Stage 3 Colon Cancer and is still doing well today. Four months ago my cousin Marco (son of my uncle who died) was diagnosed with Stage 4 Colon Cancer that was already throughout his liver. He was told he was inoperable but still tried chemo to slow it down. He died last Thursday. My worst day was when he was diagnosed and today, I'm having a hard time with this. He was 33 years old. He would have been 34 on September 24th. The reason why I am posting this message is for the caregiver and relatives - you all need to get checked, NO MATTER WHAT YOUR AGE!!!! If there is family history, you need to be checked. Marco's age worked against him because no doctor was concerned he was ill until it was too late. He's too young to be sick...

My family is still in shock. I don't know how my aunt is going to recover from this. Losing her husband was hard enough but I would imagine her son is going to be even harder. I love Marco and he will always be in my heart. He was a honest, sincere, talented, funny, unique and he will be deeply deeply missed. I still can't believe I'm going to have to deal with missing him. I hurt but I know he doesn't anymore. He is in a better place and he was looking forward to meeting up with his father again.

Julie

Comments

  • usakat
    usakat Member Posts: 610 Member
    #2
    My Condolences, Julie
    Julie,

    Reading your post is absolutely heartbreaking...my thoughts and prayers go out to you and your family. Sending you, your aunt and your entire family many blessings for comfort, healing and peace.

    Katie
  • Melanie781
    Melanie781 Member Posts: 33
    #3
    Julie,
    I am extremely sorry
    Julie,
    I am extremely sorry to hear about your loss. Thanks for thinking of others and telling us details that may help someone get checked out sooner, rather than later. My husband waited too long and thought the bleeding was from hemorroids (sp?). By the time he was checked, he had a huge tumor that forced the surgeon to remove his rectum and he now has a permanent colostomy. If he had been checked out at age 50, they would have caught it much earlier. Everyone should be more informed. Thanks for doing your part.
    My prayers are with you and your family,
    ~Melanie
  • kristasplace
    kristasplace Member Posts: 957 Member
    #4
    Too young for this
    Hi Julie, thank you for posting your story. It breaks my heart to hear of anyone dying of this disease, especially someone so young. I had a similar problem getting diagnosed because of my age too. Even when i was bleeding puddles of blood and finally got my consult with the gastroenterologist and described my symptoms he said it was unlikely to be cancer because of my age.

    At least he didn't make me wait a month to have the procedure, and gave me the colonoscopy two days later. I could tell how horrible he felt having to give me my diagnosis after telling me how unlikely cancer was.

    My sad story is that i had been symptomatic for two full years before my diagnosis, in-and-out of the ER that whole time, and no one ever checked for cancer. A simple CEA test would have alerted them (not a good indicator for some, but good for me).

    My family history was two GREAT uncles with colon cancer, one who succumbed to lung mets. No one was concerned that i had two great uncles with it...too distant for them to acknowledge it. This is another area that needs to be challenged. ANY FAMILY HISTORY...AT ALL! I guess they figure genes aren't passed along beyond your Mother and Father! lol!

    Julie, you and your family are in my thoughts and I pray that you all can find some peace from this tragedy.

    Many hugs,
    Krista
  • lfondots63
    lfondots63 Member Posts: 818 Member
    #5
    My sympathy
    I'm so sorry to hear about your loss. I will keep you and your family in my prayers.

    I agree that any family member of a colon cancer survivor needs to be checked. I actually nagged my younger sister to get checked and even went with her. She is just fine. My oldest daughter (19 at the time) was having bowel issues and I kind of freaked on the doctors and made them give her a colonoscopy. I started having issues with my bowels in my early 20's and it was almost like deja vu. She is also clean as a whistle. My mother is 71 and has always had issues and never done a colonoscopy. She was in the hospital for other problems and I talked the doctors into giving her one while she was there to rule out colon cancer. Thank goodness all my family is fine. Her sister and my cousin have also gone through colonoscopies and you better believe my younger kids will get them at age 30 as is recommended because I was dx at 42.

    Thank you for your post and hopefully we can get others to get checked so we beat this disease. The test is so easy to have done that it is a no brainer.

    Lisa F
  • krystiesq
    krystiesq Member Posts: 240 Member
    #6
    lfondots63 said:

    My sympathy
    I'm so sorry to hear about your loss. I will keep you and your family in my prayers.

    I agree that any family member of a colon cancer survivor needs to be checked. I actually nagged my younger sister to get checked and even went with her. She is just fine. My oldest daughter (19 at the time) was having bowel issues and I kind of freaked on the doctors and made them give her a colonoscopy. I started having issues with my bowels in my early 20's and it was almost like deja vu. She is also clean as a whistle. My mother is 71 and has always had issues and never done a colonoscopy. She was in the hospital for other problems and I talked the doctors into giving her one while she was there to rule out colon cancer. Thank goodness all my family is fine. Her sister and my cousin have also gone through colonoscopies and you better believe my younger kids will get them at age 30 as is recommended because I was dx at 42.

    Thank you for your post and hopefully we can get others to get checked so we beat this disease. The test is so easy to have done that it is a no brainer.

    Lisa F

    I will pray for you. I am
    I will pray for you. I am very touched by your story. I too, with a mother who has stage IV colon cancer have encouraged my two older brothers to get tested now. they are 34 and 30 but I don't want them to wait. I'm only 28 and I am already asking for a colonoscopy. I can echo, you are never too young to take your health in your hands and make demands.
  • msccolon
    msccolon Member Posts: 1,917 Member
    #7
    Your loss
    Julie, I am so sorry for your loss. I am sure you will miss Marco for some time, but hope you will be comforted knowing he is out of pain and with his father(as well as his Father!) again now. With so many family members dealing with this beast, i will pray for your continued strength and that you don't find yourself fighting the same battle in the future. Let us know how you are doing. Mary
  • mykidsmommy
    mykidsmommy Member Posts: 76
    #8
    Words Cannot Do Justice
    What a sad sad day for you and your family - you all have had more than your share of all of this cancer stuff! How very sad , and I am so sorry that you all have had to deal with such loss - We may never know why - but I hope you have strength and hope in God, and when you look at your son, you feel hope in the midst of sorrow. Your cousin was TOO young. What an important message to allof us with thi diagnosis in our lives to remind those we love to get checked. I will tell someone I love today - in memory of Marco.
    Honor
  • doris2657
    doris2657 Member Posts: 38
    #9
    Loss
    Hi Juli

    I'm sorry about your loss and will pray for you.I would like to say when I had my colon surgery my surgen told me he doesent take any symtoms likel,since a friend of his lost his 13 yr old son to colon cancer,cancer knows no age.


    God bless you

    Doris
  • Monicaemilia
    Monicaemilia Member Posts: 455 Member
    #10
    I'm so sorry for your loss
    Julie: First, I am so sorry for your loss. And you are absolutely right about reminding everyone, especially if there is history, to get checked out. I was 38, and 8 months pregnant, when it was discovered I had FAP, a genetic, familial form of colorectal cancer. Although there was no history in my family, I was always told I was too young to be worried about cancer. Yet here I am. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. Monica
  • jenalynet
    jenalynet Member Posts: 361 Member
    #11
    I'm sorry
    Please know that you and your family are in my thoughts and prayers. Hugs to you..Audrey.
  • frisco_seabiscuit
    frisco_seabiscuit Member Posts: 10
    #12
    TOO young
    I am so sorry to hear of your loss. My dad was diagnosed stage IV this summer, and he postponed his colonoscopy even though we have a family history. I had a colonoscopy two years ago because of constant rectal bleeding. They didn't find anything (but obviously this was before my dad's dx), now I don't have any medical insurance and I am worried about my health. I'm glad to know you will spread the word about getting a colon cancer screening REGARDLESS OF AGE when a relative is diagnosed. Thank you for sharing your story, my heart goes out to you.

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