LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 1, 2022) 鈥 鈥I am not a statistic. I am a survivor.鈥
Paul Johnson is grateful to say those words, but says his new mindset is taking some getting used to 鈥 after all, he initially thought his cancer diagnosis was a death sentence.
鈥淲hat do you do, you know? It鈥檚 very surreal,鈥 Johnson said. 鈥淲hen they told me I had cancer, all I could think is that I was going to die.鈥
Johnson鈥檚 cancer journey started in the spring of 2021.
Though he had experienced acid reflux for years, he never thought much of it. After mentioning his symptoms during a routine doctor appointment, to which his physician suggested he may have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). GERD happens when stomach acid and juices move back up into your esophagus, the tube that leads from the throat to the stomach. This can cause heartburn, ulcers, and pain and swelling in your esophagus.
Johnson managed his symptoms with over-the-counter medicine and went about his life, only occasionally crippled by persistent heartburn.
But in April of 2021, Johnson found himself choking more often while eating. That annoying heartburn turned into intense chest pain. He called his primary care physician who suggested he visit the emergency department.
鈥淚t got so bad that I 鈥 albeit reluctantly 鈥 went to the emergency department to make sure I wasn鈥檛 having a heart attack,鈥 he said.
Johnson was referred to a gastroenterologist at the for follow up. After an upper endoscopy, Johnson learned he had a cancerous tumor in his esophagus.
Diagnosed with stage II adenocarcinoma of the gastroesophageal (GE) junction, Johnson鈥檚 mind was racing, and he and his husband had plenty of questions. His first appointment was with Clinton Morgan, M.D., Ph.D., a thoracic surgeon and section chief of cardiothoracic surgery at the Lexington VA Hospital, who specializes in treating lung and esophageal cancer. Together, they decided to proceed with chemoradiation treatment before pursuing surgery.
With no spread or further development of Johnson鈥檚 tumor, he was set to start his chemotherapy regimen with Roger Fleischman, M.D., Ph.D., a hematological oncologist with the and section chief of hematology/oncology at the Lexington VA Hospital, and radiation with Ronald McGarry, M.D., Ph.D., a radiation oncologist at Markey.
鈥淚 could not have asked for better people to meet during the beginning of this whole process,鈥 Johnson said. 鈥淭hey were patient and answered each of my questions thoroughly and with compassion.鈥
Johnson says he tolerated chemo well but recovering from surgery was more of a challenge.
鈥淚 had to relearn how to eat after being on a feeding tube for six weeks,鈥 he said. 鈥淪urgery is a whole different journey in and of itself, but I could not have asked for a better team.鈥
He admits the surgery forced him to slow down 鈥 in a good way. He says his cancer journey has been transformative.
鈥淭his experience has slowed me down from the race I was on in life,鈥 he said. 鈥淓specially after my tumor removal surgery, I actually had more time to reflect on and appreciate the family that I have left and my 27-year relationship with my husband. It taught me to have patience 鈥 that this is a marathon, not a sprint."
Johnson learned that having a support system is essential, and he hopes to expand his support network with a group of other cancer survivors.
鈥淲e already have at least one thing in common,鈥 Johnson said. 鈥淔orging new friendships with others who can relate to you on a deeper level is powerful.鈥
Johnson, and other cancer survivors, patients and caregivers will have the opportunity to celebrate with the 好色先生 Markey Cancer Center this week, at the event on Friday, June 3.
The event will be held at the Longship Club at Kroger Field from 10:30 a.m.-2p.m. Georgetown native Coach A.W. Hamilton, the head men鈥檚 basketball coach at Eastern Kentucky University and , will give the keynote address.
Nearly one year after his cancer journey began, Johnson looks forward to the future.
鈥I don鈥檛 think it dawned on me until very recently that I am actually cancer-free,鈥 Johnson said.
He hopes his story will encourage others who may be experiencing similar symptoms to ask questions and seek further opinions, as there are no standard or routine screenings tests for esophageal cancer.
Most of all, he encourages those who may be at the start of their cancer journey to try their best to stay positive, and to seek assistance if they find themselves struggling.
鈥淔rom the very beginning, it was important to me that I keep a good spirit,鈥 Johnson said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 my nature. My family jokes a lot, sort of as a way of shielding ourselves, I think. Staying positive certainly helped me during this phase of my life. Remember, we are not statistics. We are warriors and survivors.鈥