Ostomy: 87 Real Stories
87 stories match ostomy. 86 of them mention surgery.
Stage IV HR-Positive Invasive Lobular Carcinoma: Ann’s Patient Story
Ann was diagnosed in February 2017 with two large ER-positive, HER2-negative invasive lobular cancers in her right breast. The tumors had not been felt and had not appeared on mammograms, and cancer was found in 17 lymph nodes. She underwent right mastectomy…
Read this storyColorectal Cancer: Iris’s Survivor Story
Iris Niebling was 63 at the time of her interview and had been diagnosed with anal carcinoma at 47. She had not noticed bowel-cancer symptoms herself; the diagnosis began during a gynecologic checkup, when her doctor felt a nodule near the rectal area…
Read this storyColorectal Cancer: Klaus’s Survivor Story
Klaus Wippich was 64 when he described rectal cancer that began when he was 28. After moving to a new city, he noticed blood in his stool. He had previously thought his symptoms were hemorrhoids, but a new doctor diagnosed rectal cancer. Treatment moved…
Read this storyColorectal Cancer: Dieter’s Survivor Story
Dieter Loewe was 68 when he described rectal cancer diagnosed in 2006. He had pain during bowel movements, but an initial medical visit did not find anything abnormal. When the pain continued, his wife pushed him to seek care again. Colonoscopy found 2…
Read this storyColorectal Cancer: Bernhard’s Survivor Story
Bernhard Kleinstück was 76 when he described rectal cancer diagnosed more than 20 years earlier. Before the diagnosis, he worked as a teacher. His first warning signs were difficulty concentrating and heavy exhaustion that often hit him by midday. After a…
Read this storyColorectal Cancer: Henriette’s Survivor Story
Henriette Schiller was 44 when she described rectal cancer diagnosed 5 years earlier. For several months before diagnosis, she noticed that her stamina was lower. Then she developed digestive problems, pain while sitting, and blood in her stool. Her partner…
Read this storyColorectal Cancer: Sonja’s Survivor Story
Sonja Novotny was 58 when rectal cancer was found during a preventive colonoscopy recommended by her daughter, who worked in healthcare. Until then, Sonja had not noticed warning signs, so the diagnosis came as a complete surprise. She appreciated that her…
Read this storyStage IV Colorectal Cancer: Anna’s Patient Story
Anna Rusch was 71 when she described living with colon cancer and a permanent end stoma. About 3 years earlier, she noticed blood in her stool and went to a doctor, who first thought hemorrhoids were the cause. Only after a friend urged her to seek another…
Read this storyStage II Colorectal Cancer: Paul’s Survivor Story
Paul Reinauer was 73 when he reflected on colon cancer diagnosed at age 54. For a long time, he noticed blood in his stool and thought it might be hemorrhoids. When he finally saw a doctor, a tissue sample led to the diagnosis of bowel cancer. The news…
Read this storyStage IV Colorectal Cancer: Petra’s Patient Story
Petra Thomas was 32 when she described life 2 years after being diagnosed with Stage III rectal cancer. Blood in her stool first appeared about 9 months before diagnosis, but she was initially reassured that she was too young for cancer and probably had…
Read this storyStage III Colorectal Cancer: Laura’s Patient Story
Laura Filip was 34 when she was living through treatment for rectal cancer diagnosed in December 2022. Blood in her stool during summer 2022 led to testing, including a colonoscopy that found the tumor. A coronavirus infection delayed her hospital admission…
Read this storyColorectal Cancer: Clara’s Survivor Story
Clara Ott was 75 when she looked back on rectal cancer diagnosed at age 49 after many years of ulcerative colitis. She had been under regular medical observation since ulcerative colitis was found at age 25. When several examinations eventually showed rectal…
Read this storyColorectal Cancer: Joachim’s Survivor Story
Joachim Braun was 55 and married when he described an early rectal cancer found 5 years earlier. One day at age 50, he noticed blood in his stool. After waiting a few days and hoping it would stop, he went to a doctor, who immediately referred him for…
Read this storyStage IV Colorectal Cancer: Uwe’s Patient Story
Uwe Dierks was 63 when he shared the long-term effects of rectal cancer diagnosed in 2011. For about 1 year before diagnosis, he had worsening bowel problems, nighttime toilet trips, bleeding, and weight loss. Colonoscopy found a tumor, and his doctor was…
Read this storyColorectal Cancer: Jan’s Survivor Story
Jan Holgersson was 59 when he reflected on colorectal cancer diagnosed at age 55. He had lived with persistent diarrhea for more than 6 months but did not take it seriously until the symptoms worsened. Hospital testing found cancer, and he initially feared…
Read this storyStage IV Colorectal Cancer: Tim’s Patient Story
Tim Meier was 31 when he described living with rectal cancer that had repeatedly spread to the liver. In late 2020, depression, constant fatigue, fever episodes, and side pain led to medical testing. Ultrasound showed suspicious findings in the liver, and…
Read this storyColorectal Cancer: Holger’s Survivor Story
Holger Pfleger was 73 when he looked back on advanced rectal cancer diagnosed in 2004. Two years earlier, a screening colonoscopy had not found anything suspicious. Later he developed diarrhea and weight loss, and a second colonoscopy found a low rectal…
Read this storyColorectal Cancer: Lotte’s Survivor Story
Lotte Buchs was 72 and retired when she shared the story of a cancer diagnosed 10 years earlier. Blood in the stool over a longer period finally led her to a doctor, who performed a rectal examination and sent her directly to hospital. She was diagnosed with…
Read this storyColorectal Cancer: Matthias’s Survivor Story
Matthias Mitternich was 65 and 7 years past colon cancer treatment when he reflected on his experience. His first clue was a reddish change in his stool, which he initially blamed on eating beetroot. When the change continued despite diet adjustments, he saw…
Read this storyColorectal Cancer: Amalia’s Survivor Story
Amalia Spatz was 71 when rectal cancer entered a life already shaped by widowhood, family, and work behind her. She first noticed growing weakness and exhaustion and thought a medication might be the cause. After she was taken to hospital, many tests were…
Read this storyColorectal Cancer: Leon’s Patient Story
Leon Gerspacher was 20 when fatigue and digestive problems led to colonoscopy and CT scans that found rectal cancer. He was a science student and living with his girlfriend, and the diagnosis quickly changed his plans. Initial treatment used radiation therapy…
Read this storyColorectal Cancer: Ingrid’s Survivor Story
Ingrid Weis was 52, married, and raising 3 children when rectal cancer was found. Her first sign was blood in the toilet, which she initially thought might be hemorrhoids. Colonoscopy instead showed a tumor in the rectum. After further testing, treatment…
Read this storyColorectal Cancer: Annemarie’s Survivor Story
Annemarie Merscher was already used to close medical monitoring before colorectal cancer was found. Because of polyps, she had colonoscopies and rectoscopies every 6 months from 2006 to 2014. She also lived with a donor liver and immunosuppressive medication…
Read this storyColorectal Cancer: Julia’s Survivor Story
Julia Weithe was 29 when colorectal cancer was diagnosed in October 2022. For years, her bowel had reacted strongly to stress, but in 2022 she developed severe bloody stools that clearly felt different. Colonoscopy found malignant polyps, and surgery was able…
Read this story