Perseverance Story: Sandy Stauffer

Over the course of four weeks, members of the community will be sharing their story.  These stories are about individuals and their experience with cancer. They are the reason the Lowell community comes together for the Pink Arrow Football Game.  Each story is written by the person you will read about or by someone on their behalf. We thank them for sharing their story and courage.

Photo submitted by Sandy Stauffer.

If you are interested in helping out at Community Day (Thursday, Aug. 16) or game day (Thursday, Aug. 30) please contact Heather Eveland by calling 616-291-8907 or send an email to [email protected].  Heather will let you or your group know what help is needed to determine the best fit.  

The following is Sandy’s story about her current battle with cancer.

My first cancer journey began in October of 2007 when my husband, Dave, was diagnosed with lung cancer. He died only 3 weeks after being diagnosed. Dave was a wonderful husband and father. Myself and my children were devastated. Little did I ever imagine that I would have to face cancer myself, 10 years later.

My journey began in December of 2017. I was sitting at Spectrum Blodgett waiting for a friend to come back up to her room after undergoing knee replacement surgery. I developed chest pain and called my friend, Maureen Pawloski, at work. She is a cardiology nurse practitioner at Mercy Health. She told me that it did not sound cardiac in nature but since I was already at the hospital that I should go down to the emergency room. My daughters met me there.

A cardiac diagnosis was quickly ruled out. They told me it was musculoskeletal in nature and that I could be discharged to home. We were waiting for the discharge papers when Maureen walked in. She suggested that they do a CT scan just to be sure it was not an aneurysm since my dad and uncle both had aneurysms. They did the CT and they did not find an aneurysm but a mass was detected in my left lung. The pain was musculoskeletal but luckily the mass was found incidentally.

This led to a referral to the Spectrum pulmonary nodule clinic. I was told that my odds of lung cancer were very low since I have never smoked. I was seen in January at the pulmonary Nodule Clinic at Spectrum. I had an upper respiratory infection and was placed on an antibiotic. I then underwent a PET scan a few weeks later. The mass was still there. I was then scheduled for a biopsy. The biopsy was done. I returned to the clinic and was told that they were not able to obtain an adequate sample and I was scheduled for a surgical biopsy. Three days after the surgical biopsy, the doctor called telling me that it was cancer but that it was very curable. I would need to have a lobe of my lung removed but no chemo or radiation.

On March 1, I was seen by Dr Shabahang from Mercy Health. He had seen my husband for a bronchoscopy 10 years before.  He told me that I would need the left lower lobe of my lung removed but no chemo or radiation as it was a very slow growing cancer based on the pathology of the biopsy. I had surgery on March 12. Three days later, Dr Shabahang came in the room and told us that the biopsy had misdiagnosed the type of cancer. The biopsy done at the time of surgery determined that it was a very aggressive cancer. I would need chemo and radiation at the same time. He told me it would be hard but it would be life saving.

I have now completed radiation and my last chemotherapy was July 5. I have been very sick and hospitalized twice. I have needed IV support with taking in enough fluids. It has been harder than I ever thought it would be but I am doing it. I am doing it for my kids. They lost their dad and I do not want them to lose their mom. I am doing it for my grandkids. I want to see them grow up, graduate, and get married.

It has been a tough fight but my children and their spouses and two of my best friends, Maureen Pawloski and Dru Rooker have been with me every step of the way. I have the thoughts, prayers, and support from my family and friends. I am blessed that the mass was found incidentally. For all of this I am blessed.

 

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