Part 1: Michael’s Bump in the Road: FAP, Surgery, Anxiety, and the Fight to Keep Going

At 18 years old, Michael Caprio was handed a diagnosis that changed everything: Familial Adenomatous Polyposis, a rare genetic condition tied to colorectal cancer risk. In this powerful Part 1 conversation, G-Rex and Dirty Skittles talk with Michael about fear, surgery, anxiety, family history, and what it really takes to keep going when life smacks you sideways. Awards & Downloads Line Sh!t That Goes On In Our Heads is a 2024 People’s Choice Podcast Award Winner (Best Health), 2024 Women in Podcasting Award Winner (Best Mental Health Podcast), 2026 Podcast Tonight Award Winner (Best Mental Health Podcast), and 2026 NYC Podcast Award Audience Choice Winner (Best Hosts), with over 4.5 million downloads and listened to in over 160 countries. Feedback Link Line We’d love to hear your thoughts! Leave us written or voice feedback here: https://castfeedback.com/67521f0bde0b101c7b10442a Mental Health Quote “Sometimes the bump in the road becomes the bridge that gets you back to yourself.” — Inspired by Michael Caprio Trigger Notice + 988 Crisis Reminder This episode includes discussion of serious illness, surgery, medical trauma, anxiety, depression, and moments of feeling like life was no longer worth living. Please listen with care. If you or someone you love is in crisis or thinking about self-harm, call or text 988 in the United States to connect with the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You are not a burden. You are not alone. Help is available right now. Episode Description At 18, Michael Caprio should have been worrying about senior year, friends, and what came next after high school. Instead, he was facing a rare genetic diagnosis called Familial Adenomatous Polyposis, or FAP, a condition that causes precancerous polyps to grow in the large intestine and dramatically raises colorectal cancer risk. What followed was fear, bloodwork, colonoscopies, life-changing surgery, an ostomy, and the emotional punch of realizing his body would never be the same. In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, Michael joins G-Rex and Dirty Skittles to talk honestly about what it felt like to be diagnosed so young, how his family history shaped his understanding of FAP, and why Googling symptoms can send your brain straight into a horror movie. He opens up about having his large intestine removed, living with an ostomy during recovery, and struggling with the mental health side of healing. This episode gets real about medical trauma, anxiety, identity, and the moments when Michael felt like a burden to the people who loved him most. But it also shows the power of support, honesty, perspective, and choosing to stay in the fight one painful day at a time. Keywords: Michael Caprio, FAP, Familial Adenomatous Polyposis, colorectal cancer awareness, rare disease, medical trauma, anxiety, ostomy recovery, colectomy, J pouch surgery, mental health, chronic illness, hereditary cancer, surgery recovery, emotional wellness Meet Our Guest — Michael Caprio Michael Caprio is an Author, advocate, and rare disease warrior who was diagnosed with Familial Adenomatous Polyposis at just 18 years old. He is the Author of A Bump in the Road: My Medical Journey over Potholes, Detours and the Bridge to Gratitude, a memoir about surviving serious illness, navigating medical trauma, and finding gratitude after life-changing surgery. Website: https://www.mikecaprioauthor.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mikecaprio_author/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/A-Bump-in-the-Road/100076302759044/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-caprio/ Key Takeaways A rare diagnosis can change your body, your future, and your mental health all at once. Medical trauma is not just physical; it can shake your identity, independence, and sense of safety. Support systems matter, especially when your brain tells you that you are a burden. Friends may show you who they really are during hard seasons, and that truth can hurt. Gratitude does not erase pain, but it can help you rebuild after it. Healing takes honesty, patience, and the courage to keep showing up. Actionable Items If you are facing a scary diagnosis, write down your questions before appointments so fear does