Imagine suddenly being told by doctors that you have cancer that is already spreading to other organs after experiencing only a single symptom. This is what happened to a 48-year-old man from Missouri, Shawn Michael, after receiving his stage four cancer diagnosis. Shaun recently shared his story on YouTube, and the video has since been viewed almost 100,000 times.
Receiving A Stage Four Cancer Diagnosis
One would assume that a person dealing with stage four cancer would be exhibiting a range of different symptoms. This is why Shawn and his family were so shocked when he was diagnosed with colorectal cancer that had already started spreading to other organs. Up to that point, he had only really experienced one common symptom. Additionally, that symptom could potentially be caused by a number of different illnesses and conditions. In October 2024, Shawn started having bowel issues and found that he wasn’t effectively relieving himself. His initial thought was that he simply had constipation.
He tried several different over-the-counter medications from the pharmacy, yet nothing seemed to help at all. Shawn then went to an urgent care center, where they gave him something that helped relieve his constipation. Yet, he still felt that something was not right with his body. Shawn could still feel something inside of him a couple of days after going to the urgent care center, and it was very painful. He had to go back to the center to have a CT scan performed, which indicated that there was some sort of mass in his colon. He was then informed that he would have to immediately undergo surgery to have the blockage removed.
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More Concerning Masses
While they were operating, the doctors also discovered other masses that were cause for concern. While removing a large part of his colon, they discovered several massive tumors on the large yaer of fatty tissue surrounding the colon. The surgeon told Shawn that the mass they found was so big that they were very surprised it hadn’t ruptured yet. The good news was that he was actually lucky that the mass had attached to the fatty tissue where it had done so. This had helped slow down the progression of the cancer to other organs.
The doctors removed all of the cancer that they were able to find, however, some still remains in his body. He will now have to undergo three months of chemotherapy to try to kill off the rest of the cancer. While constipation was the only symptom that Shawn personally experienced, there are several other symptoms to be aware of. These include blood in your stool, abdominal pain, diarrhea, cramps, and unexpected weight loss. If you have any of these symptoms, it’s important to visit your doctor. They can then rule out other potential causes and get to the source of the problem.
The Bottom Line
Shawn story is an important reminder that even seemingly small symptoms can be indicators of something considerably more life-threatening. His experience demonstrates the importance of trusting your instincts and receiving medical attention when something doesn’t seem right. This is especially true if the symptoms persist or worsen. While we frequently overlook little changes in our health, early identification can make all the difference. If you are having unusual or recurring stomach problems, do not just disregard them. Book an appointment with your doctor so that they can determine how much of a risk it is to your health.
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