At age 45, Scott Heysell, MD, discovered he had colon most cancers. The information got here final April after a routine colonoscopy. Heysell had no colon most cancers signs. He had no members of the family with colon most cancers.
Colon most cancers wasn’t one thing Heysell anticipated to face — and particularly not as a dad of two younger youngsters and on the peak of his profession as an infectious illness physician tackling well being points at residence and in Africa.
Throughout March, which is Colorectal Most cancers Consciousness month, Heysell took over our UVA Well being Instagram for a day. He was honored to do that for 3 causes, to:
Let you know extra about his story
Elevate consciousness of an all-too-common most cancers that’s preventable with screening
Categorical gratitude for the household, mates, colleagues, and medical groups that contributed to his present well being
Routine Screening Uncovers Colon Most cancers
Heysell knew that colorectal most cancers screening is now really helpful for everybody beginning at age 45. There is a good cause: Extra colon most cancers is going on in youthful individuals within the U.S. We don’t know precisely why, however UVA Well being researchers are in search of solutions.
Heysell shares: “When a knee harm introduced me to my main care physician’s workplace, we made a degree to atone for all my common preventive care, together with colon most cancers screening.”
“I scheduled my colonoscopy on a Friday afternoon. The process itself was actually easy. Dr. Dennis Kumral and the endoscopy staff are true professionals.”
“That day, I had simply mentioned goodbye to mates and colleagues visiting from Tanzania and Uganda. However as I awoke from the process, my consideration rapidly shifted from our work in infectious illnesses in east Africa to a brand new illness of my very own and a dreaded phrase, most cancers.”
Sharing the Information With His Kids
As Heysell ready for surgical procedure, he and his spouse needed to break the information to their two youngsters. Heysell’s spouse, Tania Thomas, MD, additionally works at UVA Well being. She too cares for individuals with infectious illnesses.
Heysell shares, “My daughter, Dahlia, was 13 and my son, Asher, was 9 after we needed to break the information.”
“Nobody desires to share the information of most cancers with their family members — loaded with connotations of demise, combat, and naturally, hair loss. Dahlia was introspective and affectionate, whereas Asher was fearful and inquisitive (no, Asher, I’d not want an ostomy bag).”
Dealing with Exhaustion & Numbness
Sook Hoang, MD, carried out Heysell’s colon most cancers surgical procedure. She eliminated a part of his proper colon, small gut, and 36 lymph nodes. “But, I used to be out of the hospital after two nights, and transferring sluggish, however transferring. Thanks, Dr. Hoang,” Heysell shares.
When Colon Most cancers Strikes
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One lymph node had most cancers. This meant Heysell’s colon most cancers was at a later stage. He wanted chemotherapy. He shares, “Whereas I knew chemotherapy was potential, I had actually wished to keep away from that half. My buddy and neighbor Dr. Tri Le took on a brand new position in our life: my oncologist. With nurse practitioner Jenna Campo and nurse Michelle Colley, I used to be in good arms for what can be an exhausting adjustment.”
Chemotherapy is life-saving when dealing with most cancers. Nevertheless it brings troublesome unwanted effects. Heysell confronted exhaustion and consuming turned a battle. He developed numbness in his ft.
“The fatigue was profound,” Heysell shares. “I needed to cease and relaxation with every flight of stairs, or take a break when strolling from my workplace to clinic … Chilly objects may style burning scorching, and it was months earlier than I may attain for one thing within the fridge.”
1 UVA Well being Division, 2 Medical doctors With Colon Most cancers
On Instagram, discover out what it was like for Heysell to be taught {that a} buddy and fellow infectious illnesses colleague, Amy Mathers, MD, additionally had colon most cancers.
“She credit the colonoscopy with saving her life,” Heysell shares. “So take it from us (medical doctors get sick, too), and create the moments that you just want to your personal wellness, with the intention to preserve going robust to your circle of relatives and group.”