Busan Gosin University Hospital, which performed a successful colon cancer surgery.

This is a story about my mother. In 2020, during the height of COVID-19, she came to Changwon Gut Hospital because she noticed blood in her stool and thought it might be hemorrhoids. After an examination, the doctor said her hemorrhoids weren't severe, but I suggested doing a colonoscopy just in case. She had never had one in her 70 years, so we decided to do it this time. However, it turned out she had cancer in her rectum. Her family was shocked, and they looked into hospitals in Seoul, but since frequent trips for treatment would be difficult, we thought Busan would be better. We received a recommendation from the doctor at Gut Hospital and went to Gyeongsang National University Hospital in Busan for a second examination and diagnosis. They also took a PET scan, which showed a small lesion in her liver, but it was unclear whether it was cancer or not. We were advised to monitor the situation or remove it during colon cancer surgery, so we decided to remove everything in one surgery—both her liver and rectum. Ultimately, it was confirmed that the cancer had spread to her liver, and she was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. The tumor was just above the anus, and if it had been a little lower, they wouldn't have been able to preserve her anus and would have had to attach a stoma. It was the first time a family member was battling cancer, so we were quite overwhelmed, but I believe the right decisions were not going to Seoul for treatment and removing both the rectal and liver tumors at the same time. She struggled greatly during her recovery after surgery. Fortunately, she managed to overcome the subsequent chemotherapy for colon cancer quite well, but she found the wound healing process very difficult. The hospital told us she needed to continue chemotherapy because it was stage 4, but after about a year of chemo, we decided to stop. She was hospitalized every two weeks for chemo, which weakened her immune system, caused skin itching, numbness in her fingertips and toes, and various side effects, making her increasingly exhausted. However, the hospital couldn't tell us to stop; since the cancer had metastasized to her liver, they said new tumors could appear anywhere. When we asked how long she should continue, they only said, "It's best to keep going." Chemotherapy would continue until the cancer was detected, then surgery, then chemo again—an endless cycle. After more than a year of colon cancer surgery and chemo, she stayed with us at home, as I took full responsibility for her hospital visits, so I had a strong say in her treatment. I told her to stop chemo, explaining that her body was already very weak and that if another metastasis appeared, she wouldn't be able to endure surgery. She agreed, and now it has been three years since she stopped colon cancer chemo. Initially, she had CT scans every three months, but now she has scans every six months. Starting this year, she has been participating in senior employment programs and exercising, living healthily. Health issues can happen to anyone, so don't be too discouraged. If you take things step by step, you'll gradually improve. Medical technology has advanced greatly these days, and colon cancer chemo doesn't cause hair loss or vomiting as much as before, so she has managed it surprisingly well. Looking back, I can say that, but I am just grateful for her current healthy condition. I hope her upcoming CT results will be good as well.