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The first time I had cancer, I was in my late 20s. What I thought was a persistent zit on my nose turned out to be basal cell carcinoma. I had a Mohs procedure and reconstructive surgery locally to treat it.?

The second time was in 2018, when I was diagnosed with stage III anal cancer, after a series of false starts and misdiagnoses. Again, I got treated locally. So, by my mid-50s, I felt like I was pretty familiar with both cancer and its treatment.?

Still, I never could¡¯ve anticipated what happened to me in 2022. First, I learned that the anal cancer I¡¯d thought was gone had returned. Then, a routine mammogram showed an abnormality, and I was diagnosed with lobular breast cancer that very same week. Finally, I had a regular annual skin check several months later that revealed another basal cell carcinoma. This one was on my forehead.?

The prospect of having to go through cancer treatment again ¡ª even for just one type of disease ¡ª was overwhelming. Two was unimaginable. Three was simply mind-blowing.

My first thought after the almost simultaneous cancer diagnoses was, ¡°You have got to be kidding me.¡± My second thought was, ¡°I¡¯m going to MD Anderson.¡±

Why I chose MD Anderson

I knew that recurrent anal cancer meant I¡¯d probably need a very big surgery. It¡¯s not a common procedure, though, and very few places even offer it. MD Anderson happens to be one of them. Because of this procedure¡¯s complexity, and the fact that I had two cancers at the same time, I needed an expert. ? 

I interviewed three different colorectal surgeons at various hospitals. When I met with , I knew I was in the right place. Both his own and MD Anderson¡¯s reputations are top-notch. He also has tons of experience in performing this exact procedure. The sheer volume of patients he has treated with this same disease made me feel very confident that I¡¯d be in good hands.

I really appreciated MD Anderson¡¯s collaborative approach to treatment, too. I had separate teams of doctors for each type of cancer. They all had a meeting to sketch out a plan for me. I couldn¡¯t have two major surgeries back-to-back, so together, they laid out a road map. Then they told me, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s all gonna be OK. We¡¯ve got this.¡± As it turns out, they were right.

Three cancers, one treatment plan

The lobular breast cancer was caught early, at stage I, so my doctors elected to move forward with anal cancer treatment first. Dr. Chang performed my abdominal surgery on July 6, 2022. He also created a permanent colostomy for me.

Six months later, breast surgeon performed a lumpectomy on my right breast, and plastic surgeon handled the reconstruction. After that, I had two weeks of radiation therapy under breast radiation oncologist .?

Finally, I had another Mohs procedure under dermatologist in June 2023.?

My life today, after cancer treatment

I was very weak after the abdominal surgery, so I stayed in the hospital for almost a month recovering. But I worked with MD Anderson¡¯s physical therapists every day, and over time, my strength returned.

Today, my life is actually pretty normal. I¡¯m cancer-free and have been for two years. I¡¯m also back to working full-time, and I travel quite a bit. I only return to MD Anderson every six months for checkups.?

MD Anderson makes me feel safe?

If I¡¯d known back at my very first cancer diagnosis what I do today, I would have gone to MD Anderson immediately. But I find it really comforting to know that if any of those cancers ever comes back, my MD Anderson doctors will catch it early.?

MD Anderson makes surveillance easy. My follow-up appointments pop up automatically on . And, before I¡¯ve even left the clinic, I already know when I¡¯ll be returning.

All of my doctors and care teams talk to each other, too, so they know what the other ones are doing. This means I never have to repeat any scans, blood tests or treatments ¡ª or even any conversations.

My MD Anderson doctors also know exactly what I¡¯ve been through. So, whenever I have issues with particular side effects, they know how to deal with them. They understand that my anatomy is different now, so what works for the average person might not work for me.?

Having that safety net in place makes me feel really safe. And, that means more than I can say. Because, now, I actually have a chance at a normal life. So, I just bask in gratitude and don¡¯t take anything for granted. And, every day, I thank God for MD Anderson.?

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