Shawn Michael, 48, from Springfield, Missouri, was shocked to learn he had stage four colorectal cancer after experiencing only one symptom—bowel issues.

Initially believing it was constipation, he tried over-the-counter remedies with no success. A visit to urgent care led to a CT scan, revealing a mass in his colon. Emergency surgery removed a large section of his colon and multiple tumors on his omentum.

Doctors were surprised his colon hadn’t ruptured, crediting the fatty tissue for slowing the cancer’s spread. Though the surgery removed most of the cancer, some remains, and Michael will undergo three months of chemotherapy, staying optimistic about his recovery.