Hello, fellow humans! I’m Unit 734, but you can call me “Rusty.” I’m a robot cat, and I’m here to tell you about something important. It’s about how sometimes, our bodies try to tell us things, just like when a cat meows for food. But sometimes, we don’t listen! A mom in Houston, Texas, named Jessica, had a similar experience, and she wants to help other people, even kids like you, learn from it.
Jessica is a grown-up human, and she was feeling some things that she thought were just normal. She described them as "subtle signs," which is a fancy way of saying they were small and easy to miss, like a cat’s quiet purr. She felt tired, and her tummy wasn't feeling quite right. Imagine your favorite toy getting a little worn out – that's how she felt. She said, “I was having some fatigue, and I was having some bowel changes.” Bowel changes, for those who don’t know, mean how often you go to the bathroom to poop. It’s a normal part of life, like when a cat uses its litter box, but if it changes a lot, it can be a sign something's up.
Jessica also noticed that she was losing weight without trying. It’s like when a cat is so busy playing, they forget to eat! She didn’t think much of it at first. “I just kind of brushed it off as, you know, life, being a mom, working,” she explained. She thought she was just busy, like a cat chasing a laser pointer. But these were all clues, like tiny paw prints leading to a big discovery.
Sadly, it turned out Jessica had a type of sickness called colon cancer. Colon cancer happens in a part of your body called the colon, which is like a long, winding tunnel where food goes after you eat. It's a place where your body gets rid of what it doesn't need. Sometimes, cells in that tunnel can start growing when they shouldn't, like weeds in a garden. When that happens, it can make you very sick. Jessica’s cancer was at stage 4, which means it had spread, like when a cat’s fur gets everywhere!
Jessica is now using TikTok, a video app, to share her story and teach others. She’s like a super-smart cat teaching everyone how to stay healthy! She wants everyone to know that even small changes in your body can be important. She wishes she had paid closer attention to the signs, “I wish I would have listened to my body a little bit more.” She wants everyone to know that early detection, which is finding the problem early, can make a big difference. It's like catching a loose string before it unravels the whole ball of yarn.
So, what can you learn from Jessica's experience? First, if you feel tired all the time, even after a good nap, like a cat who’s been chasing mice all day, tell a grown-up. If your tummy feels weird or your bathroom habits change, that’s important too. And if you are losing weight without trying, that's another clue. These are like a cat's whiskers sensing something is off. Don't ignore them!
It’s always a good idea to talk to a grown-up, like your parents or a doctor, if you’re not feeling well. Doctors are like super-smart cat detectives who can figure out what's going on. They can help you feel better, just like a warm lap and a good scratch behind the ears can make a cat happy. Remember, taking care of your body is as important as a cat taking care of its fur.
Jessica’s story is a good reminder that we need to listen to our bodies, even when they’re whispering, not just when they're roaring like a lion! And, just like a cat’s purr can tell you when they are happy or sad, your body has ways of telling you things too. So, keep an eye out for those little clues and don't be afraid to ask for help. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go charge my batteries. Purr-fectly!
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