Something to smile about

Kris Hanson of West Union completed her last round of chemotherpy on June 27, 2014. Serveral family members met her outside the treatment center with cake and balloons ready to celebrate the end of the long journey. (Courtesy photo)

 

Something to smile about

 

 

By Megan Mohlis
Contributing Writer

 

 

It started in May of 2013. After a few missed mammograms Kris Hanson of rural West Union decided that just to be safe she had better schedule an appointment. With a decision as small as that her life was saved.

The initial results of the mammogram caused some concern amongst her doctors leading to two more mammograms and eventually a biopsy being scheduled for June 4, 2013. Only two days later on June 6, 2013, the West Union native’s battle with breast cancer began.

                  Found in a pea sized bump underneath the left breast, the exact diagnosis was Invasive Ductal Carcinoma. Wanting to get a jump on the disease, surgery was scheduled for later that month to remove the cancerous cells. However, upon further investigation of the biopsy it was found that the cancer was HER2-positive, meaning that the cancer was aggressive and rapidly spreading.

                 “If I hadn’t gone in for the mammogram and again cancelled it like I had several times, a couple of months would have made a huge difference,” Hanson recalled of her diagnosis.

                  Being told by doctors that they believed they had caught it in time was little condolence to Hanson as she had lost her mother, Corlinda “Elaine” Henry, to lung cancer less than a year prior to her own diagnosis. Shaken by the news and her mother’s battle still so fresh in her mind telling her father, Harry Henry, became almost harder than hearing it herself.

With her husband, Blaine, by her side the diagnosis was shared with the rest of the family, including their seven children Tim, Chris, Dusty, Cassey, Tami, Alyssa and Dan. Then, with overwhelming support from her family, the mom went to her next appointment ready to begin the fight for her life.

                  Due to the cancer being HER2-positive, it was decided to do several rounds of chemo prior to surgery to see if they could get a response. Using a new drug called Herceptin, which is proven to have an effect on HER2-positive cancer, chemo began.

Halfway through her first six chemo treatments, an ultrasound was done to check on the progression of the cancerous cells and the lump could not be found. Thrilled that the chemo seemed to be working, the next three rounds of chemo were given with high hopes. By the time the surgery took place on November 7, 2013, the cancer was completely gone and the only way doctors knew where to remove tissue was by locating the chip that had been put in place during the initial biopsy. Even though the cancer could no longer be detected, the fight was far from over.

                 Testing HER2-positive proved to be a battle all its own. Continuing chemo and eventually radiation would be necessary to assure that no strands of cancer were left behind. If a single cell of HER2 remained, it would take off and spread extremely fast.                  

Post-surgery, several more rounds of chemo took place before a month long radiation treatment began the day after Christmas. Traveling from West Union to Iowa City in the harsh winter weather became tasking and the cancer patient was lucky enough to be put up in Hope Lodge in Iowa City, making the process slightly more bearable.

Remarkably, just as Hanson had been a candidate for Herceptin during her chemo, she was now told she was a candidate for a harsher radiation. This allowed her treatment to be completed in only five weeks instead of six to eight. Nevertheless, needing to stay in Iowa City five days a week for daily treatment was exhausting, but she was never alone. Leaning once again on family, her older sister, Kelly (Henry) Milano, flew in from Colorado to stay with her at Hope Lodge. After her month-long radiation treatment, she was able to go home, returning to Iowa City regularly for checkups and chemotherapy.

                 “The day to day struggles were hard, but I was surviving. As long as I knew that I could do it,” admitted Hanson.

                 Throughout her treatment she was blessed with amazing support from friends, family and even complete strangers. While her kids were constantly able to put a smile on her face with their quirky humor, other family members and neighbors would bring over food and small gifts to help the family though the tough time. On October 19, 2013, the beloved mother, wife, aunt, grandma, cousin and friend received the most amazing gift of all. Without her knowing, her family had planned a benefit where nearly a hundred supporters showed up for a car cruise and auction to raise money for her treatments.

                  “It was a total surprise, I had no idea. I just couldn’t believe that someone would do that for me, it was a total shock and the turnout for that was just unbelievable,” Hanson recalled, still touched by overwhelming support she has received.                  

                 As her battle continued on, new challenges arrived. Losing her hair, extreme fatigue and overall aches and pains were unavoidable. Refusing to let that bring her down, she gave herself a new challenge; find something to smile about each and every day. No matter how bad her battle got, she reminded herself that it could always be worse. She would often find herself looking into the faces of other cancer victims and find the strength of warriors behind them, in turn allowing her to find the strength in herself.  

                 Finally, on June 27, 2014, the day that every cancer patient longs for took place. As she finished up her last round of chemo at the Holden Cancer Center in Iowa City, Dr. Alexandra Thomas declared her a success story. At long last she was able to say she was a survivor. With several of her children surprising her with cake and balloons as she walked out of the treatment center for the last time, excitement for her future once again flooded over her.

                  “I've a lot of living to do yet!  Lots of laughs to be had.  Memories to be made.  Simple as that. You can't give in to the fear, the doubts and the depression that feeling plain crappy can cause. You have to find that something to smile about,” closed the survivor, a genuine smile on her face. 

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