Think of this as my PSA for the year-well, who knows, I may have another one! Anyhow, the following is an article my mom wrote for the church newsletter, hoping to get support for the local Madison county Relay for Life team.
It was early summer 2001 and my husband Jim and I were making plans to take a fishing trip. We had made our reservations at a beautiful lodge on the French River in Canada; private cabins, maid service, great meals (I don't do camping), peace and quiet and good fishing. We had been there before, but we enjoyed different routes; we were trying to figure out our travel plans when the phone rang. A doctor from Mt. Carmel was on the line-he very calmly told me that the biopsy I had showed cancer cells. I had had an ultrasound done for my yearly mammogram the past two years, but this time indicated a biopsy was necessary. He wanted to schedule surgery but Jim, being retired from OSU, wanted me to go to the James Cancer center. So instead of going fishing, an appointment was made with a surgeon and on August 14, a single mastectomy was performed. The team at Stoneridge James Care were wonderful as far as all the preparations for surgery was concerned. I felt completely confident about what would take place; we were thrilled to find out at the time of the surgery that the lymph nodes showed no cancer cells. However, after I had returned home, the surgeon called to say that the cancer cells had showed up in the lab specimen, so back to the hospital to have 15 more lymph nodes removed. Recovery went as it was suppose to and for the next 5 years, I saw the surgeon and oncologist ; alternating visits every three months. Due to the fact that I had suffered a heart attack in 1999, the oncologist did not want to prescribe chemotherapy. I began to take Tamoxifen and now take Aromasin. I now see the surgeon and oncologist once a year, six months apart for an annual check-up and count my blessings every day.
I know that from that summer of 2001 until today, I have lived my life on a great tide of prayers, love and support from my church, family and friends, as well as superior medical supervision. I am so grateful that my cancer was discovered; I had already had a wonderfully full life and it is heartbreaking to see the many young women receiving treatment today. Right now, though not perfect, mammograms and self-breast exams are so very important. Please, if you are able, support you local Madison county Relay for Life; we never know who will be blessed by our gifts.
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