This 36-year-old mom’s “crazy” feelings turned out to be cancer—are you ignoring these common signs?
- Replies 0
At The GrayVine, we know how vital it is to trust your gut—especially when it comes to your health.
Too often, symptoms are brushed aside, especially for women after childbirth.
But as Heather Barry’s story proves, early warning signs can’t be ignored.
Heather, a 36-year-old mom of three, sensed something was wrong after the birth of her third child.
But when she sought help, her concerns were waved off as typical postpartum symptoms.
She was told to eat more fiber, walk more, and take laxatives for persistent constipation and pain.
None of it helped. Instead of relief, her pain grew worse. Eventually, it became so painful to go to the bathroom that she began eating less.
Heather started losing weight—30 pounds in total. Still, doctors told her she was fine.
She recalls a colorectal surgeon telling her, “Hemorrhoids don’t lead to colorectal cancer, so you don’t need to worry.”
But Heather couldn’t shake the feeling something wasn’t right.
“If you Google symptoms of colorectal cancer, I had every single thing,” she said.
“But now it’s three doctors who have told me I’m OK. I was like, ‘Alright, I guess I’m just crazy.’”
Eventually, a colonoscopy revealed the truth: she had stage 3 rectal cancer.
“In an odd way, it was a relief because I knew I wasn’t crazy, and I felt like I was being made out to be crazy,” Heather stated.
“I was shocked, absolutely 110%. I will never forget that moment,” she added.
Also read: Three alarming headache symptoms a doctor warns could spell major trouble for your health—Find out what they are!
The tumor was nearly 2 inches and had almost completely obstructed her rectum.
Heather had no risk factors for colorectal cancer. She was active, healthy, and had no family history of the disease.
Her doctor, Dr. Ted Hong of Massachusetts General Hospital, was shocked. “There is still no obvious answer as to why we’re seeing this dramatic increase in young onset colorectal cancer,” he said.
He believes Heather’s pregnancy symptoms may have masked more serious signs. “While many women have blood in their stool postpartum, this can mask symptoms of a tumor,” Hong said.
“The pregnancy may have been a little bit of a distractor in that seeing blood in the stool is so common after pregnancy that it wasn’t sort of realized that there was something atypical about it,” he added.
Bleeding and rectal pain are common after childbirth, which made it easy to dismiss her concerns.
Heather was fitted with a colostomy bag so she could eat and relieve herself before starting treatment.
Also read: Are you at risk? Early symptoms of the H5N9 Bird Flu outbreak exposed!
She then underwent chemotherapy and radiation to her pelvis. In October 2024, she had surgery to remove her rectum and part of her colon.
Thankfully, her healthy colon was later reconnected, and her bowel function returned.
Today, Heather says she feels “stronger than I have ever been in my life.”
If you or someone you know is facing a similar health concern, you can reach out confidentially to the American Cancer Society at 1-800-227-2345 or through their 24/7 live chat.
Have you had a similar experience where your symptoms were ignored or misunderstood?
How do you advocate for yourself when doctors push back? Let’s talk in the comments below—your voice could help someone else finally be heard.
Read next: A mom of six ignored these 4 symptoms—what she learned about cancer could save lives
Too often, symptoms are brushed aside, especially for women after childbirth.
But as Heather Barry’s story proves, early warning signs can’t be ignored.
Heather, a 36-year-old mom of three, sensed something was wrong after the birth of her third child.
But when she sought help, her concerns were waved off as typical postpartum symptoms.
She was told to eat more fiber, walk more, and take laxatives for persistent constipation and pain.
None of it helped. Instead of relief, her pain grew worse. Eventually, it became so painful to go to the bathroom that she began eating less.
A 36-year-old mother sensed something was wrong after the birth of her third child. Image source: Stanford Health Care / YouTube
Heather started losing weight—30 pounds in total. Still, doctors told her she was fine.
She recalls a colorectal surgeon telling her, “Hemorrhoids don’t lead to colorectal cancer, so you don’t need to worry.”
But Heather couldn’t shake the feeling something wasn’t right.
“If you Google symptoms of colorectal cancer, I had every single thing,” she said.
“But now it’s three doctors who have told me I’m OK. I was like, ‘Alright, I guess I’m just crazy.’”
Eventually, a colonoscopy revealed the truth: she had stage 3 rectal cancer.
“In an odd way, it was a relief because I knew I wasn’t crazy, and I felt like I was being made out to be crazy,” Heather stated.
“I was shocked, absolutely 110%. I will never forget that moment,” she added.
Also read: Three alarming headache symptoms a doctor warns could spell major trouble for your health—Find out what they are!
The tumor was nearly 2 inches and had almost completely obstructed her rectum.
Heather had no risk factors for colorectal cancer. She was active, healthy, and had no family history of the disease.
Her doctor, Dr. Ted Hong of Massachusetts General Hospital, was shocked. “There is still no obvious answer as to why we’re seeing this dramatic increase in young onset colorectal cancer,” he said.
He believes Heather’s pregnancy symptoms may have masked more serious signs. “While many women have blood in their stool postpartum, this can mask symptoms of a tumor,” Hong said.
“The pregnancy may have been a little bit of a distractor in that seeing blood in the stool is so common after pregnancy that it wasn’t sort of realized that there was something atypical about it,” he added.
Bleeding and rectal pain are common after childbirth, which made it easy to dismiss her concerns.
Heather was fitted with a colostomy bag so she could eat and relieve herself before starting treatment.
Also read: Are you at risk? Early symptoms of the H5N9 Bird Flu outbreak exposed!
She then underwent chemotherapy and radiation to her pelvis. In October 2024, she had surgery to remove her rectum and part of her colon.
Thankfully, her healthy colon was later reconnected, and her bowel function returned.
Today, Heather says she feels “stronger than I have ever been in my life.”
If you or someone you know is facing a similar health concern, you can reach out confidentially to the American Cancer Society at 1-800-227-2345 or through their 24/7 live chat.
How do you advocate for yourself when doctors push back? Let’s talk in the comments below—your voice could help someone else finally be heard.
Read next: A mom of six ignored these 4 symptoms—what she learned about cancer could save lives
Last edited:
