Hi – my name is Thomas, 45 years and a proud member of the ostomate-family.
GENERAL
I live in Norway and have two wonderful kids from an early marriage – Magnus (17) and Ingrid (15). We are living our life with my lovely Anne-Lise and her two wonderful kids – Mikael (15) and Nikolai (13). Together we are now building a new house for our big family in Drøbak, approx. 30 minutes south of Oslo.
I was born in Norway in 1973, and have had double set of ostomies since February 2015. I have also had a temporary ileostomy in the period of 1997-1999, but due to rectal cancer I had to be blessed with both permanent ileo- and urostomy to keep on living. Now I am in my 4th year and in the beginning of 2019 I am going through a “4-year test” to check if I am still symptomless. After 5 years I have a dream of getting the certificate of becoming cancer-free.
I have always been an active guy. I have played soccer all my life, and I have played in all national leagues from top and down to 5th division. In fact I was playing in top nation league with my temporary ileostomy back in 1999. I have never let the ostomy stop me from living the life the way I have wanted.
Now I have a full time job as head of growth and living conditions at Rade municipality, a small town in Norway with approx. 7.500 inhabitants. This job means the whole world to me. To be able to make a difference for families and their children – help them to be able to make the best out of their sometimes difficult situations.
YOU HAVE RECTAL CANCER
Back in 2014 when I was diagnosed with rectal cancer – the doctors words is still in my head as a photographic memory. I had to do a rectal amputation, remove my bladder and also remove my prostate. That would most surly make me impotent.
I was 41 years and could not believe the things I heard. I felt like my body totally collapsed – and I almost fainted just sitting there listening to the doctor. My life fell apart – like everybody who has experienced the as me. I was devastated and my life stopped just that minute.
I had to go through 25 treatments of radiation and chemotherapy before my operation. As I was doing these things I tried to tell myself that dying is no option. I have so much to live for and I have to stay on this planet for my kids and for my family.
THE WAY BACK
My operation went well, but I had some tough following months. I was knocked out from February to May, and my body totally collapsed. I had to re-start my body from zero by taking it literally step by step. I started my training by taking one daily walk from the coach to the other side of the living room – and back. About 25 steps each day. I still remember one special Monday – when I set the goal to be able to reach the mailbox outside within the following Sunday. I made the 2 x 30 meters walk already on Saturday, and from there I was making small steps every day.
In September I was able to return back to my job – with a gently start with a couple of days a week. Within October I was back full time.
Now I try to live my life to the max every day. I can still look in the mirror on the way to work in the morning – smile back to myself and feel the happiness of being able to go to work. To breathe, to live – to be a normal person without sickness, pain or worries. So far I have beaten the hell out of cancer – and I hope it will be like this for a long long time.