Diagnosis

This may be “TMI” (and maybe even a little embarrassing to talk about), but it is part of the story that leads up to my diagnosis.  In late April I started to experience blood in my stool on a daily basis.  Toward the end of May, I was still experiencing the blood in my stool so I contacted my family doctor and he referred me to a gastroenterologist. 

A lot starts to happen now in a short amount of time…

I was first seen by the gastroenterologist on June 1.  During his examination he found an ulcer in my rectum so he scheduled me for a colonoscopy and biopsy the following Tuesday, June 9.  At the end of the procedure the doctor said he believed I had rectal cancel, but the biopsy results would tell us for sure.  The doctor called Friday morning, June 12 and confirmed that I did indeed have cancer.  He further explained that it was not rectal cancer as he had originally thought, but instead it was a rare form of cancer called a high-grade neuroendocrine carcinoma.