My name is Ângela Maria Rocha, I’m 54 years old, I’m from Brazil and I live in Minas Gerais, in the city of Belo Horizonte. I’m married, I have a daughter and a Yorkshire dog that helps me when I’m sad.
How were you diagnosed and how long did it take?
I was diagnosed at the age of 35 years old. I spent 6 years going to the emergency room with heavy abdominal pain, nausea and diarrhoea. Most of the time, when I went to the emergency room, I was howling in pain! I took several types of medicine at home, thinking it was something simple, but it wasn’t! Several times, in the emergency room, I had an abdominal ultrasound and doctors said it was only constipation, they gave me pain and constipation medicine and sent me back home.
After a few visits to the emergency room and some medical appointments (proctologist and gastroenterologist), I started searching on Google, and I believed that I had colon cancer (intestine), because blood started to come out in my stool. I told that to the doctors and they said: “No, you’re too young for that!”
So, when I was 35 years old I went to the emergency room again. But this last time was different: a resident attended me. He checked my file and said: “you’ve been in pain for many years, that’s not normal!” So this young guy called a surgeon and together they sent me to a CT scan right away. I went back the next day to get the result. So the doctors told me that it was cancer and that I should get help immediately. I remember that it happened at night, and I felt despair. Doctors could see that and gave me the phone number of a proctologist. She (proctologist) attended me and I had a surgery to remove part of the rectum and then she informed me that I had a lymph node with cancer, and that it could cause metastasis. Because of that, I was followed up by her until 2014, when I had a cancer recurrence in the rectum, it reached the intestine, and I had metastasis in the liver.
What treatment have you had and how did it affect you then and now?
I’ve had 9 surgeries due to cancer until now. In 2018, I had unsuccessful chemotherapy and radiotherapy. In 2019, after a lawsuit, I got an innovative treatment called Lutecio. Since then it has been part of the ANS treatments and I had excellent results until 2022, when the nodules (tumours) grew and I went back to chemo. I’m on palliative care at this moment. I feel a lot of pain in the coccyx and I have to take strong medication that affects my mind and emotions. I have neuropathy in my feet due to chemo (they hurt a lot, like there’s sand all the time and needles). I always listen to music and motivational talks to move away fear, anxiety, sadness and negative thoughts.
What impact has the diagnosis had on your personal life?
We (my family and I) had a financial impact. We had to reevaluate our lifestyle due to my follow up routine. At the time I was diagnosed, my husband and daughter, at the time she was 7 years old, we felt fear, sadness and it took me a while to accept that I had cancer.
What lessons have you learnt along the way (if any)?
I learned to love myself more, to avoid toxic people, to say no to others, asking for help when I need it and to wait. I became a more compassionate and empathic person. Nowadays, I see dirty dishes in the sink without blaming myself for not cleaning them. I have become a priority to myself. I learned that a puppy’s love has no limits. I have been valuing every minute of the day, being grateful, letting go, saying I love you. I understood the power of having a good diet and how powerful the mind could be. After 12 years of having the cancer diagnosis, I’m here with joy and gratitude to God: He is in charge of our lives.
Who’s been your hero? Perhaps it was you!
My heroine is my mother! A strong woman who got married at the age of 16 years old. She gave birth to 10 children and fought for each one of them. She bore an aggressive husband who was addicted to alcohol to raise us, their kids. She loved her children unconditionally.
Did you get any help from a patient organization during your journey?
I was supported by cancer Facebook groups and currently I’m in a Whatsapp dedicated to neuroendocrine tumours, where patients exchange experiences.
How are you now?
Today I feel stronger and more persistent. I love life and I’m valuing every minute of it. I keep trying to maintain my independence (driving, walking, remembrance, etc). I feel more connected with God. I feel loved and I am so grateful for the loving husband and devoted daughter I have: they are my two angels on earth. I’ve been through 12 years of treatment and I’m fine. If it weren’t for the coccyx pain, I wouldn’t feel anything. I know that God has a life purpose for each one of us and that complaining doesn’t help me. I know that for God nothing is impossible. I’m still strong, trying to do the best I can, with joy and gratitude.
