Over an eight month period my weight dropped from 128 to 102. I experienced a shortness of breath and a lack of energy and appetite. On my last daily walk with my husband, Warren, I barely made it around the block.
“Get on the phone now with your ob/gyn,” he exclaimed.
The next two weeks were a hazy surrealistic blur: The discovery of a large tumor in my lower intestine, x-rays, a colonoscopy, blood work, waiting on the pathology report, and a meeting with Dr. Stan Smith, a surgeon.
And, ultimately – “Sandra, you have Stage 2 colon cancer.”
That six letter word, cancer, hit me in the pit of my stomach like a baseball bat. At that moment, however, I resolved to place my life in the hands of skilled physicians, God, and to take my journey one day at a time. I remembered some advice my grandmother gave me when I was eight or nine years old: “If my death will make a void, fill it with remembered joy.” And, so I did. I reflected on just how wonderful the last six decades of my life had been. I thought about my husband, my beloved daughters, and the unwavering support from friends and family. While I did not want to die, I viewed the possibility of death as a portal into the next life. A peace and serenity enveloped my body and my soul.
September 29, 1999 came and passed. The malignant tumor was removed and, once again, I was blessed beyond what I deserved. After a few days I returned home from the hospital. Even in sickness there is humor. Warren quipped that I was eating like a Tasmanian devil. My weight had dropped to 98 pounds and it took three weeks to reach 115. I had committed the sin of gluttony and it felt good.
I met with Dr. Kurt Tauer at The West Clinic who recommended an aggressive treatment of chemotherapy. The caring Wings volunteers and staff at The West Clinic gave me medicine for my soul while Dr. Tauer treated me medically and offered me encouraging and optimistic support. Co-founders of Wings Cancer Foundation, Sandy Patterson and Brenda Wiseman, were there for me in time of need.
People with Wings Cancer Foundation and The West Clinic have made an indelible and lasting footprint on my heart. I am fortunate to have been a hospital volunteer with Wings Cancer Foundation and to have offered hope to those facing an unknown journey.