Marcus Wendling hardened half Ironman – An exhausting triathlon which consists of a 1.2 mile swimming, a 56 -mile bicycle ride and a 13.1 miles encounter just under six hours.
He thought that the career of May 2023 was his greatest physical challenge, until he was diagnosed 3 rectal cancer internship Months later at the age of 47.
“Like a healthy diet. I do six days a week. I always have my leg on my health,” said Wendling, who lives in Dayton, Ohio, to the post. “Until that time, you feel that you have this feeling of invincibility.”
Rectal cancer is Increasingly common In people under 50 – They thought that doctors are not exactly sure why. Wendling hopes that sharing its story encourages others to seek medical help if something seems bad, so they don’t face an unbearable battle.
The father of three children, owner of a small manufacturing company, was surprised to see blood in their feces in the first months of 2023. He had no other symptoms.
“I’ve never had a medical problem or a diagnosis,” Wendling said, now 48 years old.
“I went for a complete physicist, and everything, the whole blood test and the number, was great,” he continued, “but I told that doctor in Dayton, I said:” Hey, I need to get a colonoscopy. I’M LED to Times Stool, and that Stool, and that Stool, and That Stool, and that Stool, and that Stool, and that Stool, and that Stool, and that stool, and that stool, and that stool, and that stool, and thot stool, and thattt stool, and That Stool, and that Stool, and that Stool, and that Stool, and thatt Stool, and thatt Stool, and that of Stool, and that stool, and that of the feces and thatt 2023 “.”
That was Wendling’s first colonoscopy. Just when he turned 45 in 2021, the US Preventive Services Task Force. UU. The recommended age to start evaluating 50 to 45 for adults with average risk.
Wendling does not have a Family history of colorectal cancer And they were experimental symptoms, so he saw no reason to have one at that time.
When the doctor ordered one in the fall of 2023, he was nervous.
A biopsy revealed a benign polyp in its colon. A large polyp was eliminated from his lower rectum: he tested positive for cancer.
“Around the next three months, I get flying tests,” Wendling recalled. “There was an attempt to eliminate the remuneration fabric through a minimally invasive procedure, and that was not successful.”
Due to the tumor location, Wendling needed a lower anterior resection.
Surgery of more than five hours, which implies eliminating part of the rectum and re -placing the healthy and remunerated part of the colon, was performed in March 2024 in The Integral Cancer Center of the State University of Ohio – James Cancer Hospital.
Three of the 12 lymph nodes eliminated the positive duration, so that Wendling’s rectal cancer was declared in stage 3.
As if that were not bad enough, he had a stay at the Rocoso hospital. He increased a fever, which turned out to be a small leak in the surgical site that plays four to five weeks to resolve.
“Marcus had some potholes on the road to recovery, as can happen with treatments, but in general, hey, he did very well,” Dr. Matthew KaladyWendling’s surgeon in the Osucc-JamesHe told the post. “It is physically fit and has a great attitude, which definitely helps.”
Wendling underwent 12 weeks of chemotherapy with minimum side effects and got used to life with a bag of ileostomy, a bag that collects waste.
“I was exercising with him, running with him,” Wendling shared.
He finally launched the bag in September 2024, and things seemed to return to normal around Thanksgiving.
“Marcus was intelligent to take possession of his health and evaluate his early symptoms,” Kalady said. “The key to healing colorectal cancer is to detect and classify it early, before it spreads. Your decision of Get a colonoscopy The early probably saved his life. “
Wendling has to have quarterly scans from his chest and abdominal area and annual colonoscopies for now, but the news has been good so far.
“I feel it was very proactive with this,” said Wendling. “Then, the thing not. 1 I would say is that I try to keep up to your general health because you never know when you will face something like this.”
I just train again for half Ironman.
He will be on the starting line in Florida next month to start a new chapter on his trip.
“Objective number 1 is to finish,” said Wendling. “Objective number 2 is to overcome my time since 2023, that is to close the book last year.”
