Your body is a beautiful manifestation powered by spirit. ~Mike Dolan,

Chapter 45 OMG Somehow, every year I have certain expectations. I am going to do better. I am going to focus on where I am going. Things will be amazing. And every year, specifically the last three, have yelled "plot twist" right in my face. So what do you do, you redirect. April 25th, I turned 45. I am approximately half way through my life, so I suppose a mid life crisis is due. At that time, I had been struggling with anemia for a year. My levels were pretty low. I was managing it (not well) with oral vitamins, iron injections and birth control. It was suggested that I get a hysterectomy. I honestly thought that was the stupidest thing I had ever heard. I really feel (even as I type this) that we should have better ways of correcting health than the old--I don't know what to do, so lets just get rid of it---theory. So I put it off as long as I could. During this time I was offered another job, that I just could not refuse. I was asked to be the athletic trainer for Gillette's professional indoor football team, the Mustangs. Working both jobs, with super low iron, just didn't work. I was able to schedule the hysterectomy for June and would be back to full work duties by the time I needed to be back for fall season at Campbell County High School. The surgery went well. I healed quickly. I hadn't felt that good in a long time! I truely felt amazing. I was on track to get fit and have an amazing year at CCHS. I was so sure this was going to be my year, that I told my boss there was no way I was going to need any leave this year. I was so super wrong. I so totally cannot tell the future. A few weeks after my surgery I found out that I had uterine cancer. The type of cancer affects one in a million women. I was that one in a million. Fortunately, the treatment was a hysterectomy. So while I did everything a bit backwards, I was good to go. I did have to see an oncologist in Rapid City every so often to make sure it didn't spread or come back, but I was still healthy. I still felt great. I still had not ever had a mamogram, so I felt this was the time to start. And down another rabbit hole I go! I went in for the mamogram. There were some unclear/suspicious spots on the mamogram, so I went to ultrasound. Again the same thing. Apparently I have dence tissue and so they cannot see or make sence of much. I was referred to biopsy. The hospital in Gillette only has the ability to do two biopsies at one time. I needed four and to be honest, I think the doc would have done more! So I drove myself to Sheridan, had four biopsies and 20 samples removed, drove the hour and fourty five minutes back and went to work for the rest of the day. I would later find out that every sample came back as cancer. I was told to find a surgeon. Gillette does have good doctors, even though I am aware that everyone has a problem with someone. However, Gillette does not have a breast surgeon. I needed to decide where to go. All of my options were out of state, Montana, Colorado were the ones recomended. I have spent so much time in out of state hospitals, that I just was not interested in the same experiences I previously had. So I chose Mayo Clinic. I just felt I would have so much more freedom there, with knowing the people, family, friends etc. Mayo took my case, but was full, so it still took a bit of time to get a plan. Mayo actually suggested that I go to Denver so that I could get seen quickly. I was so frustrated! Not being able to get in when I wanted. Not being able to get a plan. I felt like I had been trying to work towards being healthy. I felt great, but felt like everyone was telling me that I should not be feeling great. Talk about a buzzkill! But like I said, I chose Mayo for a reason and knowing people that know people is helpful. So thankful for my sister in law! I was diagnosed with stage three invasive carsinoma. I spent nearly three weeks during the month of September in Minnesota getting tested and eventually getting a plan.