Ruben Orozco’s Journey With Stomach Cancer

How support has helped Ruben’s healing process.

In March 2021, I was scheduled for surgery to repair my right knee. While recovering at home, I began experiencing severe stomach pain. I notified my doctor, and because of the medications I was taking, they initially treated me for constipation. After a couple of days, I was finally able to go to the restroom, but I noticed my stool was very dark. I contacted my doctor again and was told to come in immediately. The doctor examined me and indicated I was bleeding internally. A CT scan confirmed it.

The following week, I was scheduled for tests of my upper and lower GI tract. While in the recovery room, my wife and I were told that the bleeding was coming from a tumor and that it was cancerous. The following week, we met with my oncologist, Dr. Ruby, who confirmed the diagnosis: stage 4 stomach cancer. It had already spread to my liver and lymph nodes, and surgery was not an option.

Still in shock, I looked her in the eyes and asked how much time I had. She pointed her finger at me and said firmly, “We are not going to go there.”

A little history: Nine years earlier, my mother had passed away from stomach cancer. Her doctor was Dr. Ruby—the same doctor now standing in front of me. I told her that my mom had chosen her to take care of me too.

From the beginning, I leaned heavily on my faith. It gave me strength when fear wanted to take over, and it carried me through the moments when everything felt uncertain. I truly believe God placed the right people in my life at the right time, including Dr. Ruby.

Throughout this journey, my wife has been my rock. During COVID, when she wasn’t allowed to come inside with me, she never left my side emotionally. She waited for me, prayed for me, encouraged me, and supported me through the hardest moments. Going through treatments and appointments alone because of COVID restrictions was incredibly difficult—but knowing she was there, supporting me in every way she could, gave me strength. And when I couldn’t feel anyone near me, my faith reminded me that God was with me too.

Dr. Ruby immediately scheduled the procedure to insert a port and started me on chemo pills along with immunotherapy. A couple of weeks later, we added FOLFOX and continued immunotherapy. Early on, I was hospitalized for severe anemia and needed two blood transfusions plus iron. After a few days in the hospital, I was released, and we adjusted my chemo plan.

From then on, I settled into a routine: treatment every other week on Wednesday, then going home with my chemo ball for two days. Thankfully, things started improving. PET scans showed the tumor shrinking, and the cancer in my liver and lymph nodes began to disappear.

Three months later, another PET scan revealed there was no more cancer in my liver or lymph nodes and no signs of the tumor.

We continued with chemotherapy and immunotherapy. After 30 rounds of chemo and 105 rounds of immunotherapy, I was NED—no evidence of disease. I still receive immunotherapy every two weeks, and I’m grateful to say I feel great.

My faith continues to guide me, and my wife continues to be my strength here on Earth. Today, I share my story to give hope to everyone facing this fight. If my journey can inspire even one person to keep fighting, never give up, and have faith, then everything I’ve been through has meaning.

Whether you are a patient, survivor, caregiver, or loved one touched by cancer, your story can have an enormous impact. You can provide hope and inspiration to someone recently diagnosed with cancer or a patient undergoing therapy.

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