Rorrei Kennedy, 36, has no family history of cancer. It does not suffer from weight gain, and has always maintained a healthy lifestyle – a clean diet, regularly, not smoking or drinking.
So when he was diagnosed with colon cancer in the 3c stage last September, it was a shock, at the very least.
“I do not have a single colon cancer registration sign,” he told The Post. “There is no radical cause. They only said something in your body that something mutated.”
Everything began in 2022, when Kennedy suffered a week of black stools – which could be caused by anything ranging from digestive bleeding to eating a lot of wild grapes.
He went to an urgent care clinic, where he was told that it may be “ulcers” or some bacteria, with some medications, and sent to the house.
“I took [the drugs] “The symptoms seem to be eased next month, so I didn't think about it. I continued in my life. Everything was fine,” he said.
Flash forward to June 2024, when Kennedy saw “one hemorrhoid” – one of the most prominent signs of colon cancer – and decided to see a digestive disease specialist, especially as he was suffering from intermittent stomach pain – another common sign.
Kennedy said: “He immediately told me that if I had black stools, at the time, I should have a colonoscopy and the endoscopy immediately,” Kennedy said.
Although colon and rectal cancer can sometimes be without symptoms, Dr. Kindami Moddasani, employee surgeon in the colon and rectum surgical department at the Mount Sinai Medical Center, said that the change in bowel habits or stool caliber – in addition to rectal bleeding or weight loss – is among the most common symptoms.
“This is the reason that colonoscopy is the best way to discover and treat it earlier,” he said.
Once they perform these procedures on Kennedy, he heard a penalty that no one wants to hear.
He said: “This is when I was hit by the news brick:” You have a mass in your colon. “
What followed is the “intense” surgery at the Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami, during which 10 inches of colon, some small intestine, appendix, 45 lymph nodes were performed. The cancer was found in eight out of 45 lymphocytes, which led to the diagnosis of the 3c stage in September 2024.
He said: “There are messages involved because I think every step is a little worse. So, like 3A is not bad like 3B, which is not bad like 3C. 3C is the last message to stage 3.”
“So I am basically one away from stage 4.”
It was, at the very least, destroyed.
“Have you ever got a pizza burning? When you eat a hot pizza and burn the top of your mouth? Imagine this feeling everywhere.”
Rorre Kennedy
“I would like to say from the time I learned [the diagnosis] He said: “Along the way to admiration after a month, you are in a terrible head.
The chemotherapy, which affected his body.
“There are many side effects,” he said. “You feel nauseous, you cannot sleep because you are on the steroids in the first few days that are supposed to reduce nausea but are still nauseous, so you are taking birth control pills for that.”
Chemo weakens the immune system, which leads to frequent diseases – which means that it cannot be around his young son as he wants.
When he suffers from tears in his eyes, he burns-as well as his mouth, a less famous condition known as “chemistry mouth”.
He said: “Have you ever got a pizza burning? When you eat a hot pizza and burn the upper part of your mouth? Imagine this feeling everywhere – in your mouth, throat and in your throat.”
Even so, Kennedy believes that the most difficult part of cancer is uncertainty.
“The mentality is definitely the worst part because physical time heals,” he said.
“It is really difficult because all the scenarios are going in your mind. Oh my God, I will not see my child go to the kindergarten or I will not see him graduating from high school or marry or any of these things.
He is attributed to his wife, Facebook support groups for people with cancer, and his belief in obtaining it during the darkest days.
Sometimes, I wonder – when I had a black diameter [stools]I hope the doctor will tell me at the time, “Hey, I refer you to Gi.”
Rorre Kennedy
He said: “I am a Christian and say that he made me stronger Christian, made me more sincere.”
Through all the pain, the cancer gave him one silver lining – it made him mind.
He said: “On the good side, I was more present at the present time, because I don't know how many good moments I will face.”
Currently, Kennedy ends chemotherapy, after which he will undergo surveying and blood tests to check cancer. If the tests are clear, it will be in a remission, but it will get a chance to repeat 40-50 %.
If cancer-free for five years, it will be emptied-but he still faces a 10 % risk of repetition of life.
These days, he feels a great improvement, especially since the initial tests he conducted have shown clear. But if there is one thing that regrets it – he did not get colonoscopy sooner.
Sometimes, I wonder – when I had a black diameter [stools]I hope the doctor will tell me at the time, “Hey, I refer you to Gi.”
He decided to share his story in the hope of urging people to obtain colonoscopy, while emphasizing that colonoscopy is the only way to prevent colon cancer by removing benign tumors before cancer.
He also emphasized that – contrary to the common belief – the procedure is fast and painless (under anesthesia), and it is easy to recover from it. It is certain that it surpasses the alternative.
He said: “I do not want others to pass by.”
“I do not recommend cancer, it's not really fun. I prefer doing a colonoscopy in a row rather than going through the terrible Chemo.”
