Testimonials

TRUDI LAMOND

Friday, February 8, 2008, started out like any other day in ‘my busy world’. The clock alarmed at 4:40am and I arrived at the YMCA shortly after 5am. After a good workout and shower, I headed north on I77 toward work in Davidson at Ingersoll Rand. Fortunately, I was running ahead of schedule, so I stopped off at AutoBell for a quick carwash before my 8am appointment.

 

 The car wash is only minutes from the medical center, so I arrived on time for my mammogram. I was happy to see the waiting room empty, because I had 5 back-to-back meetings scheduled at work beginning at 9:30. With ‘my busy world’ on my mind, I went thru the motions of the mammogram, and then ultrasound (both due to a 6 month follow-up).Then, in an instant, my busy world was shaken. “When can you be available for a biopsy?”, I was asked.  Needless to say I called work and cancelled all 5 meetings, then called my husband, Brian.

 

The following Monday, February 11 was a day full of anxiety…..trying to fit Friday’s meetings into an already busy schedule while constantly monitoring my phone for a call with the biopsy results. Around 5:10pm, I left work, giving up on the dreaded phone call. Then at 5:42pm, a call came and I didn’t recognize the number. “Since you’re driving, can you call me once you get home?” my doctor asked. I already knew the results and finally convinced her to just tell me. “The biopsy indicates breast cancer,” she said. This time, “my shaken world” was devastated. I hung up, parked my car, and called Brian and then in a dazed state, walked into the school, received the usual hugs and kisses from our 5 and 7 year old daughters and drove home. With tears in my eyes, I joined our little girls as they sang “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” for the 15 minute ride. That night, Brian and I learned more than we ever wanted to know about breast cancer from my doctor.

 

The next day, all havoc broke loose. Breaking the news to my family and Brian’s family, none of whom are in the Charlotte area.  Juggling previously scheduled conference calls for work.  Scheduling oncologist and surgeon appointments, a breast MRI, CT scan, bone scan, cardiogram…the list goes on. Then, as if it wasn’t chaotic enough, I received a call from Ingersoll Rand’s corporate physician suggesting I go to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in NY. He indicated that he could get me an appointment within a week as opposed to their standard 8- to 10-week lead time. Although my devastated world was hectic enough, I couldn’t pass up this opportunity that literally landed in my lap. You see….I had already lost my grandmother or ‘nanny’ as we called her to colon cancer. She was 53. And only 2 years prior to my diagnosis, I lost my mom to pancreatic cancer. She was 63. Therefore, I had a standing promise to myself that if cancer came my way, most likely at age 73 continuing the family trend, I would take it on – utilizing every available resource.

 

So, Brian and I together left our little girls for the first time ever and traveled to NY for yet more appointments and scans, including a PET and another biopsy. Then on March 5, we met with the oncologist . That’s when our devastated world…stopped. “You have metastatic disease, Mrs. Lamond, stage IV breast cancer.” Neither Brian nor I could get those words out of our heads as we flew back to Charlotte. How could this be?  I was healthy and 43-- not 73. I began annual mammograms at age 40. We have small children. Why??? My mind was all over the place.  I couldn’t think straight, couldn’t eat, couldn’t tell my dad everything – he was still coping with losing my mom, I wouldn’t let my husband out of my sight, and I couldn’t look at my beautiful little girls without getting a huge lump in my throat. All I knew was that I was starting at the point which more than 70% of the breast cancer population never even reaches. I was starting at the end.

 

Typically, we’re good at overcoming obstacles, navigating our way through any situation, and landing on our feet. So, since our old world had stopped, we knew it was time to begin building our ‘new world’, we just didn’t know how to facilitate it. Thankfully we have been blessed with an abundance of support and help …from family, friends, neighbors, Ingersoll Rand, teachers at our girls’ school: Winget Park Elementary, our church: Good Shepherd United Methodist,  my doctors both in Charlotte and NY, and the list goes on…..But we were still having a hard time putting the pieces of our new world together.

 

Russ Greenfield picked up on this immediately when I met with him and in turn referred me to Myra Johnston of the Health Guidance Center. During our initial phone conversation, Myra was warm, compassionate, personable and professional. And for those of you who know Myra…let me add that she was also energetic and fun-loving.  I was instantly drawn to her. She reminded me---- of me-- in my “old world”. Myra explained that the Health Guidance Center wasn’t really ‘open’ yet, but that she wanted to help me regardless. So I went to her office which was ‘under construction’. The painter let me. Myra’s office was cozy but certainly unfinished. It had a chair, a sofa, and the sun shining thru the window – nothing else was needed. Instantly, we talked, laughed, cried, and bonded. The painter couldn’t have interrupted if he had tried. Three hours later, as we hugged, Myra assured me that the Health Guidance Center was committed to be a resource in my ‘new world’.

 

The next day, she began following through on her commitment. First off, we reviewed my diagnosis and treatment plan with other oncologists. Next, Myra connected us with a financial advisor regarding our accounts, insurance, life insurance, and my company’s disability policy.

On an internal level, Myra persuaded me to get back to the YMCA which was always a positive‘norm’ in my world , and to begin massage therapy –this one was an easy sell. Then on the family front, we decided that it would be gratifying for me to volunteer in my daughters’ classrooms regularly. This is something I never had time for in my old busy world.

 

 Several times, Myra has accompanied me to my oncologist appointments and has entertained me in the Infusion Room as I receive treatment. We tend to always have fun together and occasionally laugh too loud, but …. we haven’t been banned from the Infusion Room yet.

 

So this is our story, we’re more than a year into this crazy diagnosis that entails treatment for the rest of my life. And in case you don’t know, stage IV breast cancer carries a 2-3 year average rate of survival. In April, my scans indicated increased activity in my nodes and hips. I changed treatment, increased my focus on spiritual healing, and am hitting the gym harder than ever. Now I’m praying that my July scans show stable results. By the way, we’re taking our little girls to NY with us this time – they want to see the Statue of Liberty. The good news is that I feel well and can keep up with my kids and husband in most any activity. I am hopeful, but not naïve. During daytime hours, I live for today and when my family sleeps, I plan for tomorrow. Yes, any one of us could leave this room and be hit by a bus…..but the difference is….I see the bus. Therefore, I’m living well, strengthening my faith, and enjoying my family, all while molding values and creating memories for my little girls in their growing-up world. I also have a burning desire to help others and thru the Health Guidance Center and my church, I hope to give back by reaching out to others and serving as a positive influence on them. My ultimate time-related goal in my new world is to see Lilli and Ella thru high school. And if that happens, you bet I’ll be shooting for age 73. 

 

KATHLEEN WOOD

All aboard that’s going aboard– Health Guidance Center has left the basement and is heading for...there’s still time for you to jump on and be apart of it! I did!

Love, Kathleen