Marcus Wendling strengthened a half ironman-a exhausting triathlon consisting of a 1.2 mile swimming, a 56-mile bike ride and a 13.1 mile run-just less than six hours.
He thought the May 2023 race was his biggest physical challenge – until he was diagnosed with rectum cancer at 3 months later at the age of 47.
“I eat a healthy diet. I exercise six days a week. I’ve always been at the top of my health,” Wendling, who lives in Dayton, Ohio, told The Post. “So by that time, you feel like you have this feeling of invincibility.”
Rectum cancer is becoming more common in people under 50 – although doctors are not exactly sure why. Wendling hopes to share his story encourages others to seek medical help if something seems wrong, so they do not face a teasing battle.
The father of three children, who owns a small manufacturing company, was surprised to see blood on his bench in the first months of 2023. He had no other symptoms.
“I’ve never had a medical issue or a diagnosis,” said Wendling, now 48 years old.
“I went for a complete physique, and everything – all the blood work and numbers – it turned out great,” he continued, “but I said that doctor in Dayton, I said,” Hey, I have to get a colonoscope. I am seeing blood at my moment in the excrement, and this is what led to the colonoscopy in November 2023. “”
This was Wendling’s first colonoscopy. Just as he returned 45 years in 2021, the US Task Force Task Force reduced the recommended age to begin examining from 50 to 45 for medium -risk adults.
Wendling does not have a family history of colorectal cancer and was not experiencing symptoms, so he without any reason to have one at the time.
When his doctor ordered one in the fall of 2023, he was understandable nervous.
A biopsy discovered a benign polyp in the colon. A large polyp was removed from his lower rectum – he tested positive for cancer.
“Over the next three months, I went through various tests,” Wendling recalled. “There was an attempt to remove the remaining tissue through a minimal invasive procedure, and that was unsuccessful.”
Due to the tumor location, Wendling needed a lower anterior resection.
The five-plus-hour surgery, which involves removing part of the rectum and restoring the remaining healthy part in the colon, took place in March 2024 at the Comprehensive Cancer of the Ohio-Spital State University Cancer Cancer.
Three of the 12 lymph nodes removed during surgery were positively tested, so wendling rectum cancer was declared Phase 3.
Had this not been so bad, he had a rock hospital stay. He pulled out a fever, which turned out to be from a small flow to the surgical place that took four to five weeks to solve.
“Marcus had some bumps on the route of recovery, as can be the case with treatments, but in general he did great,” he told Dr. Matthew Kalady, wendling surgeon in osuccc-James. “He is physically capable and has an excellent attitude, which definitely helps.”
Wendling underwent 12 weeks of chemotherapy with minimal side effects and was taught in life with an ileostomie bag, a bag that collects waste.
“I was practicing with him, running with him,” shared wendling.
He finally threw the bag in September 2024 – and things seemed to return to normal for thanks.
“Marcus was smart in taking ownership of his health and to appreciate his symptoms early,” Kalady said. “The Thelli for the healing of colorectal cancer is his discovery and his treatment early, before spreading. His decision to make a colonoscope early saved his life.”
Wendling should have quarterly scans of his chest and abdomen area and annual colonoscopies for now, but the news has been good so far.
“I feel like I was very proactive with this,” Wendling said. “So the number 1 thing I would say is, try to stay on top of your general health because you never know when you will face something like that.”
He has even returned to training for a half ironman.
He will be on the start line in Florida next month to start a new chapter on his journey.
“The number 1 goal is to finish,” Wendling said. “Purpose No. 2 is to beat my time from 2023 – this is a kind of book closure last year.”
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Image Source : nypost.com