Dana Burkett
Memphis, TN
I am 43, and the mother of two children that are 4 & 5 1/2, and the wife of a great husband for 9 1/2 years. I have been a banker for 18 years. I love life each and every day!
This is not supposed to happen to a 39 year old, but it did. I had a new baby and a 2 year old at home. How could I do this. Well I did. We did. I got up every day even when I did not feel well. I decided if I kept putting one foot in front of the other, I would eventually feel better. My husband carried a lot of the weight both literally and figuratively since I could not lift my kids for 6 weeks after each surgery. Our life has changed, but we found a new normal and cherish each and every day!!
I had no history of cancer of any kind in my family. I was having a pain in my right side, but was due to have a baby any day. So, I assumed it was related. After the birth of my second child I was having extreme pelvic pain, but I am not sure that was related. I had severe abdominal pain that brought me to ask my ob/gyn. She sent me to have a CT scan. It was believed that I had an infection in my colon, and that diagnosis was likely due to age. After the antibiotics didn’t work, we proceeded with surgery.
I have been diagnosed twice. The first was in May of 2009 that included colon resection, a temporary colostomy, and six months of chemo. It was found again in January 2011 with another colon resection, and a few months of chemo again. I have been on vectibix for two years now. Thankfully I am cancer free!
To be diagnosed once it was difficult, and twice scary as hell. It has been life changing, and truly amazing. I would say it has even been powerful for me, my family, and likely the people around me. My family would say that when I felt strong, like I could conquer the world, they were scared beyond belief. My husband had a strong outward appearance when I was weak, but I know he was terrified to raise these two children without their mother.
I did not change a great deal about my diet or lifestyle after the first time. The second time prompted me to add more fruits and veggies each day. I try to limit my sugar, although some days I do not do that well since I have a sweet tooth. I think positively, and constantly visualize being healed.
I had a great group of doctors, fabulous chemo nurse, and support from family and friends!!! I feel that I had everything I needed and that nothing was missing.
I am a big fan of a book called Love Medicine and Miracles by Bernie Siegel. I believe that the power of positive thinking will go very far. There is ONLY one option, and that is to LIVE! I never saw myself as sick. I lived a very normal life. I chose to have chemo on a Thursday so that my bad day was Saturday and worked full time the whole time I went through chemo. I went to have a pedicure or did something for myself. You can’t shut down, you have to look and feel normal.