LAURA LOWE

Survivor Since: Nov. 1, 2005
Home Town: Lubbock
Age: 42
Occupation: Clinical Exercise Specialist in Cardiac Rehabilitation
Family: Husband Richard; Daughter Madelyn,
Hobbies: Exercising, camping and outdoor activities, cheering on both TCU and Tech athletics, and going to Jimmy Buffett concerts.

"Today I am Centered on Living in the Moment!"

'I live life to its fullest'

It was the fall of 2005. Looking back over the last two years, I had gone through in vitro fertilization and a successful pregnancy. My baby had just started sleeping through the night and her colic had subsided. I was tired but happy as my dream of starting a family had come true.

At work, open enrollment for benefits was upcoming; I decided to discontinue my Critical Illness Cancer policy. I was 39 and thought it was silly that I had taken the policy a few years ago. What did I need a cancer policy in my 30s? I was a due a mammogram anyway, so I decided to get one before I cancelled the policy. I did the mammogram that was followed by a biopsy on Oct. 31.

November 1st, 2005, I received the call from my surgeon, Dr. Teb Thames, and he told me that I had "Ductal Carcinoma In Situ." Pretty much foreign words to me at that time, and I wished something would have been wrong with my heart instead. I at least understood the cardiac terminology better because I worked in with heart patients. This was breast cancer and I knew nothing about cancer. He and I scheduled a visit to discuss my options. Then it all felt like a really bad dream.

A fellow breast cancer survivor and acquaintance, Margaret Elbow, lent me one of the greatest resources - "The Breast Book" by Susan Love. It was an excellent tool to help me navigate through this new chapter in my life. The first thing I needed was a lumpectomy. This was taking the cancer tissue out with surgery, but preserving the rest of my tissue and eliminating the need for a mastectomy. I had to do the unusual and put off my surgery for six weeks. I did have a 10-month-old baby and I need help if I were to have surgery. My Mom would be in Lubbock over the Christmas holidays, so I scheduled my surgery then and waited. A few days after my daughter's second birthday, I had my lumpectomy and was relieved that nothing was found in the "sential" lymph node and headed toward the new year of 2006.

In January, I went to Covenant's Joe Arrington Cancer Center. I learned there that when you have cancer, you get two doctors. I was under the care of a medical oncologist and a radiology oncologist. I was started on Tamoxifen. Radiation was going to be eight weeks, every day. Then came hope, as Dr. Paul Anderson told me about a national study in which I could participate. If I did agree to be in the study, I would be given the chance to try a new radiation therapy protocol in which I would do two radiation treatments a day for one week. I wanted to participate in any study that would help the care of the breast cancer patient. I was very thankful for the women who had gone before me and participated in studies and saved me from having to consider a mastectomy.

I was starting to realize how lucky I was to be living in Lubbock and not having to travel far for my care as many women that live in West Texas and Eastern New Mexico must do. I hope that this study I was in would show promise, as these women may be more likely to be compliant to radiation if they had radiation only five days compared to eight weeks!! I completed the radiation treatments and continued to work during that week. What a week! Then I started to dream of my future.

The cancer chapter in my life was full of learning, pain and blessings. I was fortunate to be on so many prayer chains. Covenant Hospital, where I had worked 13 years, gave me great care. My husband, parents and friends helped me be strong. My daughter was my constant reminder of life. I want to show her how to white water raft, climb mountains and swim in the oceans. I want to show her how to live her dreams. Now that I caught my cancer early, I can do this.

I am now an ambassador for early detection and mammograms. My cancer was deep along my rib cage, and if I had waited to find it with self exams, the cancer would have been very progressed. My daughter is 4-years-old now. I walk for the cure every year and hope to see the day when breast cancer will be stopped. Since my breast cancer, I thank God for my life and family every day and do not take anything for granted.

I live life to its fullest and remember these words from a Jimmy Buffett song:
      "Take it all in.. as big as it seems
      Count all your blessings
      Remember your dreams"

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