Stories of Perseverance: Julie Heimer

Each year leading a handful of those in the community going through a cancer journey themselves or with a loved one share their story.  These are the people the efforts of Pink Arrow help in the community.  They’re friends and neighbors.  You may not even know how cancer has touched them.

This series of stories are written by the person you will read about or by someone on their behalf.  We thank them for sharing their story and the courage to battle cancer in some way.

If you are interested in volunteering for any upcoming Pink Arrow events please visit these sign-ups and claim a spot or two.  Help sell shirts at Peptalk sign up here.  To help at Community Day on August 17 sign up here.  Volunteer to sell shirts on game day September 8 by signing up here.  And if you’re interested in signing up to donate blood on Community Day select your spot here.  

The following is from Julie Heimer.  She owns and operates Jultra Salon in Lowell.  

Never in my life did I ever dream of having to rely on the kindness of the pink arrow pride and Gilda’s club.  I never thought I would ever see my name on a luminary bag for relay for life! I’m always the one walking in a relay or donating money for these causes. But here I am so never say never!

My name is Julie Heimer I am married to my husband Pete and the mother of 3 grown young men. I own and operate Jultara salon so you may know me from there. The day those words I have cancer came out of my mouth I couldn’t believe it myself and trying to be strong for them my family to hear those words was very hard also.

I was at my cleaning at my dentist office when the hygienist noticed something in my throat Dr. Jim Reagan came in and confirmed that there was something suspicious there and we would keep an eye on it. Well those who know me well knew I was like heck no I’m calling my family doctor. I’m not going to watch this. Dr Lixie got me in the very next week and within days of that I was at an ears nose and throat specialist Dr. Spoto. He wanted to do the biopsy that week but with good Friday being that day I was already booked with clients so we scheduled for the following Friday so I could be back to work on that Wednesday. Well that didn’t happen . I was off for a week and a half. So follow-up came and I asked Dr. Spoto. You got the right spot??? He said Julie trust me I did. I said I have cancer don’t I. And he confirmed yes you do. Now hearing those words and saying them out loud is crazy!!! I got a little prickly eyed but sucked it up and said ok what do we do from here?

Pet scan, what??? Ok now I’m a little nervous. What does that mean?? Well what that means is you get radio-active sugar that goes in your vein and goes to every where your cancer could be. Luckily my cancer was contained to the throat. The hard part of this test is you have to have a blood sugar below 200 and cannot have insulin 2 hours before the test. Did I mention I’m a type 1 diabetic? Ya.  So fail on the first test  cancelled til the following week. Pet scan confirmed stage 1 throat cancer.  I’m not a medical tech I can’t give you all the medical names if all of this but I’m like so that’s good right just cut it out and let’s move on, I’ve got things to do!!  Wrong ! Cutting it out would leave a huge hole in the top of my throat which would result in fluids coming out of my nose.  So onto radiation.

My friend Cliff said to me, cancer is not a journey. Cancer is boot camp, yep he is right. Not a picnic at all. I got all set up with radiation oncology at Metro Hospital. After Dr. Forstner and I met she consulted with the neck and head specialist at U of M and they came up with my plan. 30 radiation treatments, 5 days a week for 6 weeks.  Ok kind of a pain to drive out there everyday but ok I want this out of me. So I freak out in an elevator when people are to close and breathing on me, or I get caught trapped in my bed sheets, I knew I am claustrophobic. Oh my word am I ever claustrophobic!!!! I found out just how bad the day they made “the mask”!  For those of you who have experienced the mask know exactly what I’m talking about. I was like no way in this lifetime are you laying me on that table bolting that super tight mask to the table with me in it!!!! Well guess what? They did !!! ( with a little help of Valium). It will get easier they said. Nope!! I hadn’t really cried up until this point of making the mask and wearing the mask for the first time. Not because it hurt it was frustrating that I couldn’t control this if I wanted to beat this cancer this is what I have to do. There are lots of side effects to radiation. First of all I’m exhausted, I have a nice burn on my face and neck. I’m balding on that side of my head.my throat hurts like crazy. But the worse part is not eating!!! I refuse a feeding tube! I am able to eat instant oatmeal, Mrs. Grass chicken soup, sting cheese. Nothing hot and nothing cold. So your doctor gives you pain melds. But you can’t take them on an empty stomache cuz you get sick. Well guess what you do not , I repeat do not want to throw up when your throat and tongue have been scorched with a beam of radiation. After today I have 7 days of treatment left! I must say though I have met some great people at metro cancer center, in the waiting room other people like me facing these chemo and radiation treatments everyday just like me. I’ve
learned of their families, their jobs, their financial hardships, their cancer and unfortunately the clock is ticking very fast for some them.  So for myself I know I’m going to beat this and many do not. Recently I lost a  good friend  who fought a long time to stay here on this earth  to be with her husband and children and rest of her family. I will be attending her memorial in the next few days.  So when I’m feeling all down I just say her name “Shannon”.  I got this!!!

Now I need to thank some people. I want to thank the people at Pink Arrow and Gilda’s Club. Thank you Cliff and Julie for reaching out to me your support means more to me than you know, thank you to my friends and family for driving me to treatments Denise and Stacey, Ken and Sherry, Bonny, Deanna, Hailey, my boys and my niece Christa, the girls at work for taking up the slack for my being gone and just everyone for cards and meals phone calls etc. your all in my life for a reason and I appreciate each and every one of you.
Love Julie

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