Hey friend! Welcome back to Thrive Through the Fire. If this is your first time here, I’m Alyssa Kilgore—a mom, a nurse, a believer, and someone who walked through the fire of a stage 3 colorectal cancer diagnosis.

Today’s episode is all about the things I wish I had known before my diagnosis. My goal? To help you feel prepared, not afraid.

In this episode, we’re talking about:

The emotional rollercoaster and why it’s okay to not be okay.

The things no one tells you about treatment and recovery.

How to prepare for the awkward, embarrassing, and weird parts of this journey.

How to advocate for yourself as a patient.

How faith and fear collide—and how God walks with us through it.

The health prevention and early detection steps I want you to take NOW.

It’s crazy how one moment can change everything.

One minute, I was a busy mom of four, feeling great, working hard, volunteering at school and church. The next? I had a cancer diagnosis and a permanent spot in a chemo chair.

I thought I had more time. I was 37 years old—I thought I had more time before I had to worry about my health. More time before I had to deal with a diagnosis that flipped my entire life upside down.

But cancer doesn’t wait until you’re ready.

One day, I was running errands, answering endless "Mom, can I have a snack?" questions, and making sure everyone else was taken care of. And the next? I was the one who needed taking care of.

I ignored my symptoms. My doctor dismissed them, too. That’s the problem with colorectal cancer in young adults—it’s easy to overlook.

When I finally saw a specialist and went through all the awkward, uncomfortable, and invasive tests (hello, camera up my butt), the truth came out.

Stage 3 colorectal cancer.

And suddenly? I wasn’t the caregiver. I was the patient. I was the one waiting for biopsy results, trying to make sense of scary medical terms, wondering if my body was about to betray me completely.

If you’ve ever had to wait for medical results, you know the anxiety that comes with it.

A funny story (which, by the way, means it’s totally a God thing—because I don’t believe in coincidences):

Before my diagnosis, I had hired a mindset coach for my business. (Either you think that’s super cool or you’re rolling your eyes—pretending you’re not rolling your eyes, thanks!)

She was amazing—and when I got my diagnosis, she asked if I wanted to pause our sessions.

I decided to keep going because I needed a distraction. Turns out? God had placed her in my life for a reason.

She had also had a cancer diagnosis at a young age, and she told me something I’ll never forget:

"Alyssa, the waiting is the worst part. Waiting for diagnoses, test results, second opinions—that's the hardest part. But once you have a plan, you just do the plan. Left foot, right foot, breathe."

Psalm 62:5 – "Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in Him."

I wish I had understood how much fear feeds on uncertainty. Looking back, the moments I had the most peace weren’t when I had all the...