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Words I never expected to hear… “You have cancer”.
I had done everything right. I ate healthy, got eight hours of sleep every night, was very active (6-7 days a week) and lived a very happy life (I always saw the best side of all situations). It was like having the rug pulled out from underneath me when I heard those words.
I had always been the caregiver and advocate for my patients, friends, and family members when there was a health crisis. Now I was the one who needed help and support. To complicate things, I had treatment when Covid first started in NY and was unable to see my friends and family during treatment (zoom only). The staff at the infusion center became my only human contact. They supported me through complications from my surgery, an anaphylactic reaction to my first chemo treatment and in finding an Oncologist to follow me in my new home in SW Florida. They even found a nurse that was a notary so I could submit my retirement papers.
When I got to Florida, I had four more months of treatment left. After I finish treatment, I wanted to go back to work but landed in the only job of my 37 yr nursing career that I didn’t love. After some soul-searching, I thought, who better to administer treatment and support a cancer patient than a cancer survivor? I had sat in that chair, had the mediport, lost my hair, and had endless doctors appointments. With the support of the nurses, doctors, and social workers at the infusion center, I kept my positive outlook and sense of humor which saw me through the most difficult time of my life.
I am grateful for the opportunity to pay it forward and make a positive difference in my patients journey. Although our diagnosis and prognosis may be different, there’s an immediate bond when they realize that I really do understand how they feel and the struggles that they may be facing. I’ve always believed that everything happens for a reason, even though you may not understand it at the time; I now know the reason for my diagnosis.
