SUE STOCKTON
Survivor Since:
1995 - 13 years
Home Town:
Lubbock
Age: 66
Occupation: Housewife
Family: Husband Tommy; Daughter Rhonda; Son Shawn; 4 grandchildren
Hobbies: Grandchildren and travel
"Today I am Blessed and very thankful for God, my family and friends!"
'A bad experience that gave me hope'
In April 1995, I had a mammogram that showed no problems. However, in July 1995, I started to have pains in my left breast. I went to my family physicians who, after rereading the mammogram, diagnosed the knot in my breast as being a fatty tumor. Two weeks later I still had the pain and I decided to go back to the doctor. He then diagnosed my pain as being caused by shingles. A week later I still had the pain. I then went for a second opinion from a surgeon. The second doctor examined me and ordered and immediate biopsy at then St. Mary Hospital. The biopsy which was preformed on August 27, 1995, confirmed our worst fears, I had breast cancer. The doctor preformed a radical mastectomy on September 1, 1995, and referred me to an oncologist. He gave me a choice of which cancer center to use. I chose Joe Arrington Cancer Center because of the nursesí sincere concern for me when I had my biopsy. That is where started to become acquainted with Joe Arrington Cancer Center. The oncologist recommended six treatments of chemotherapy. When he described the side effects that would be associated with the chemotherapy, I left his office and went to buy a wig. (I remembered what my dad went through with his treatments for leukemia). I had the wig styled to exactly match my normal hair. I reasoned that even if I might not feel good, at least I could look good. Just because the body was not as good as before, I needed to do what I could to keep up my spirits. I did lose every bit of my hair, but I was prepared and wore several wigs during my hair loss. I had six treatments of chemotherapy that lasted a total of eight months. I was sick most of the time from the chemotherapy. My hair started growing back at the end of the eight months. To my surprise it came back a different color but as thick as before treatments.
The Chaplain at Joe Arrington Cancer Center recommended that I attend the Dialogue Cancer Support Group that met at the Cancer Center. The first meeting that I attended was a ìLook Good, Feel Betterî program sponsored by the American Cancer Society. They showed how to look natural and how makeup and wigs can help tremendously to lift your spirit. I have continued to be a member of the Cancer Survivors Support Group to this day. As my close friends can attest, the support group made a critical difference in my ability to cope with the challenge and develop a positive attitude about my future. I would learn latter that this positive attitude would be very important as I faced the side effects if chemotherapy. In fact, the strength that I gained from these encouragements helped me develop the mental toughness to keep working at my job. The support and encouragement that I received from veteran cancer patients made me want to reverse roles and try to help others.
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