About Me

So who is Melinda? The voice behind the Colon Cancer blog?

I'm happy you asked and I'll be glad to tell you.

I'm a 3rd generation California girl, born in Martinez in Northern California (like Green Bay Packer Richard Rodgers, whom I've met in person and have a terrible crush on), raised in Sierra Madre and then Diamond Bar in Southern California. The thing about growing up in Southern California in the 1960's and 1970's is that you honestly believed there was no where else in the world as desirable or as wonderful a place to live. And why not? The Beach Boys lauded us, the Mamas and Papas dreamed of us, and the Eagles recorded our decadence and named us the place "You can check out any time you like / But you can never leave!" Oh, how wonderful to be in California then!

By 2005, I could no longer locate the California of my youth. Gridlocked highways, over-development and over-population, gang violence, drug violence, recessions, and the economics of decades of supporting a population of undocumented immigrants, had taken its toll on the Golden State. She no longer shined. My heart was broken. So I agreed to leave when a job opportunity arose in Westchester County, New York.

New York -- now that's a very different culture than Southern California. I can't say I thrived there, but I did love the scenery and the history, and I loved being on the much-more-cerebral East Coast. I remained there until 2011, when a new job was offered in De Pere, Wisconsin.

And that's where I am now, in northeast Wisconsin, also a unique culture, but much more palatable and enjoyable in many ways than life on the coasts.

It's in Wisconsin that I was first diagnosed with cancer in November 2011, the day before my 55th birthday. A tumor was blocking my colon, and I had begun to hemorrhage from my rectum. It was a trip to the emergency room, an MRI, a CT Scan, a colonoscopy, and colorectal surgery in December 2011 that identified me as Stage III-A colon cancer. After a botched surgery to implant the chemo port -- which I had been adamant I did not want in the first place but was harassed into submission by my oncologist to receive -- that I refused the FULFOX, changed oncologists, and agreed to oral chemo, Xeloda.

I survived and thrived and in February 2014 my oncologist proclaimed me cancer free.

Then, in September 2015, my CEA marker began to rise. An emergency CT Scan was performed, but nothing was noted. Over the ensuing 15 months, unable to continue to have my CEA marker monitored because I could not afford it or any subsequent procedures if the cancer had returned (my Obama Care deductible had increased to $6,000), it wasn't until November 2016, five days after my 60th birthday, that I was able to check my CEA marker again. By then it had raised to 217.

On January 5, 2017, a CT Scan revealed a tumor on my liver. A biopsy was subsequently performed, confirming the DNA was identical to my 2011 cancer -- I was now Stage IV-A metastatic colon cancer. I was told a regimen of chemo, surgery, and more chemo would be my only hope; otherwise, I would be dead before the end of 2017.

Against my heart and my intuition, I agreed to the Western Medicine regimen. I completed three rounds of chemotherapy -- which compromised the quality of my life so severely as to nearly incapacitate me. While on chemo and dreading the impending surgery, and with the ongoing support of a transformational coach, I began to learn about Radical Remission and the prospect of self-healing through radical changes in diet and lifestyle, a deepening of my relationship with God, and a commitment to emotional healing. I bought books on healing without Western Medicine, I joined Facebook pages, I sought out the testimonies of others who had healed. On March 7 I told my oncologist I would no longer receive chemo or agree to surgery.

The experience of taking control of my treatment has been empowering! I have also identified an oncologist who will work with me on my path of self-healing -- all without chemo, radiation, or surgery.

This blog is a open journal of my experiences with colon cancer and all that I've learned on this journey of self-healing, recovery, and discovery.

Thank you for stopping by! I invite you to join me on this interesting journey!