Shawn Michael, 48, from Springfield, Missouri, was stunned to learn he had stage four colorectal cancer that had begun spreading to other organs. Despite this, doctors remain optimistic about his recovery due to his overall good health. His story, shared on The Patient Story YouTube channel, has gained nearly 100,000 views.

Michael’s only warning sign was bowel issues, which he initially thought were constipation. Over-the-counter remedies didn’t help, leading him to seek urgent care. After taking what he called “napalm for your intestines,” his symptoms eased, but he still felt something was wrong. “Two days later I could still physically feel something inside of me. It hurt so bad,” he recalled.

A CT scan revealed a mass in his colon, requiring immediate surgery. Surgeons removed part of his colon and found tumors on his omentum. “[The surgeon] was absolutely shocked that it hadn’t ruptured yet,” Michael said, noting the fatty tissue slowed the cancer’s spread.

While surgery removed most of the cancer, some remains. Michael will undergo three months of chemotherapy and remains hopeful for recovery.