2021 PAINT THE PAPER PINK

2021 PAINT THE PAPER PINK LINCOLN DAILY NEWS Oct./Nov. 2021 Page 57 She also had a good support system at home. Nancy said that she and Mike had been sweethearts since she was 15 years old. He knew her family and her family history before they were married. He was with her through her sibling illnesses, and was most especially with her during her own battle. She said that she felt Mike probably went through the five stages of grief a little differently than she did, but they ended up in the same place, fight and win, that was all that mattered. Mike was with her for every procedure and almost all of her doctor appointments. He stood with her and held her up when she needed it. Her sons were also supportive and encouraging as she faced the disease. As she prepared for her surgery, Nancy said that she had consulted with her doctor and surgeon and they felt that they could remove the tumor without removing the breast, but they weren’t 100 percent certain. She decided that she would sign-off on the surgeon doing whatever needed to be done. She said she didn’t want to be awakened from surgery to learn that she was going to have to have another surgery. So, she had to prepare for the unknown. She didn’t know what she would have or not have when she came out of the recovery room. That was a hard fact to consider. She could come out with no breast, or she could just come out with no tumor. Either way, she had to mentally prepare for the outcome, and have faith that the doctors would do as they felt was best for her survival. When she awoke, she learned that the tumor had been removed, with no long term impact on the structure of her breast. And, the doctors felt confident that they had removed all the cancerous cells. None the less, there were constant checks for the next five years. Mammograms were conducted every three months, then six months, nine months, and finally one per year. Nancy said when she reached the five year mark with no recurrence, she felt like she could say she was over it, and when she reached the ten year mark that confidence grew. Nancy says that her concerns now rest more on her grandchildren and her nieces. Her son Andrew has three children, and they have inherited a family history that is conducive to cancer. She said that some of her nieces have had the DNA testing to determine their likelihood of cancer and the results are as certain as the family history. Those who spend any time with Nancy know that she is an upbeat, fun loving, friendly Continued n