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Todd Colitti with his wife, Patti, and their children, Eugene, Megan and Todd Photo/Robin Gourd
An Impressive Ride
By Todd Colitti, Thomaston
There it was—the 12th annual Tour de Torrington, and I'd finished the 75-mile route on my bicycle. This doesn't sound too impressive, does it? Let me take you back a little.
I'm 37 years old, married with three children, and trying to adopt a fourth child. My story begins back in November of 1999, when I was diagnosed with colon cancer. I was being treated for a bleeding ulcer for two weeks before my doctor finally gave in to my desire to have a colonoscopy done. I went for the procedure and my worst nightmare became a reality—my colon was almost completely blocked by a malignant tumor. I was sent for the next step for cancer patients—a CT scan—when the news got worse … the cancer had spread to my liver as well. I had seven lesions on my liver, the largest being 2.5 cm. This was all happening just before Thanksgiving.
The Friday before Thanksgiving, I went to my surgeon, who told me the worst case scenario: He expected to open me up and find my abdomen full of cancer and, that being the case, he would resect my colon and send me for chemotherapy and hope for the best.
On the following Monday, six hours had passed since my surgery and I was in the ICU. When I was finally coherent enough to understand, my wife told me what had transpired. My abdomen was not full of cancer as was anticipated, and the news got better—not only had they removed half my colon and resected it, but I did not need to wear a colostomy bag. My surgeon was able to surgically remove a quarter to a third of my liver and the cancerous lesions, along with my gall bladder and appendix, since they were in close proximity to the affected area.
I was released from the hospital on December 6, and started my year of chemotherapy between the Christmas and New Year’s holidays. I endured the chemotherapy extremely well and had very few of the side effects that could have affected me. After five months I returned to full active duty as a firefighter for the City of Waterbury. During the summer of 2000, I heard of the Tour de Torrington and wanted to enter, but my continuing chemotherapy kept me from being able to train well enough for it—so I vowed to do the Tour the following year. The end of 2000 coincided with the end of my weekly chemotherapy treatments, and I was still cancer-free.
When the spring of 2001 rolled around I felt I had a new lease on life. I started riding my bike and calling about dates for the tour. I finally had the dates and all the inspiration I needed to train for and complete the 75-mile route. I was cancer-free, I felt good, and I watched as one of my heroes, Lance Armstrong (a cancer survivor himself), won his third straight Tour de France. I thought, if Lance could do that, I certainly could do 75 miles! I trained at work and on my bike around Litchfield County, and on the big day, I was able to achieve my goal and complete the Tour de Torrington’s 75-mile loop.
The only reason I believe my story to be so unusual is that nobody had given me much of a chance to beat cancer, but I did. I want everybody out there to know that cancer can be beaten, and is every day by people who aren't given much of a chance. If you can believe in yourself and stay positive, you can achieve anything you desire.
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