Meet Traci: Librarian, Warrior, Survivor
Traci is the loyal librarian that doubles as the woman in the room with the best laugh and sense of humor. She is a woman of faith, a mother, a wife, and most recently, a breast cancer survivor.
Have you ever known that something was coming, but even when it did, you were still shocked by it? Imagine that scenario with breast cancer – you can almost anticipate the doctors to say, “You have breast cancer,” yet you’re still sitting there in a state of disbelief. This was Traci’s reality.
She could sense something was wrong. Though she had no genetic predisposition, upon a self-exam, her skin appeared thicker than normal, and then she felt it – abnormally thick skin, part of inflammatory breast cancer. This discovery she felt sent worried signals to her brain, and while she prepared herself for the very real outcome of what it seemed to be, it wasn’t until she was sitting in a surgeon’s office that she was definitively told she had stage 3 inflammatory breast cancer.
Her life became a whirlwind after that. How do I tell my daughters? How do I tell the rest of my family? What will happen with my job? How will my life change? How will the children at school see me?
The local librarian’s calendar suddenly became booked with chemotherapy appointments as she was catapulted into her new breast cancer reality. The roller coaster emotions, the lists of questions and developing a plan to move forward were all subjects on the table. She and her husband, Craig, dove in head first. Traci’s diagnosis was in late July 2019 with chemotherapy beginning just a few weeks later in August.
Her chemotherapy operated on about a 21-day cycle, where she would receive treatment on Thursday, and by the following Sunday, she had recovered and regained strength to be at work. Her most poignant memory is Halloween 2019--her fifth chemotherapy treatment. She had been keeping track of her fitness and daily steps with a watch, which acts as a step counter. On that day of chemotherapy, she took 17 steps. Chemotherapy’s grueling nature took such a toll on her life that she still associates certain smells, tastes, and sounds with it. Because that’s the thing about breast cancer: it doesn’t stop after treatment stops.
Traci never let her cancer get the best of her. She found ways to persevere and maintain personal dignity throughout. One way was through wearing something that might make you look twice to make sure you’re not looking at a linebacker – in other words, she wore a cold cap.
First chemo!
Chemotherapy for breast cancer usually causes hair loss, but, for some, that can be avoided with scalp cooling. The cold cap was invented to reduce the scalp temperature before, during, and after chemotherapy administration. She feared that with hair loss, others would perceive her differently. With little victories like keeping her hair, Traci was able to see a light in the darkness. Chemotherapy might have knocked her down a bit, but certainly not out.
In December 2019, her pathology report showed no evidence of disease. She muddled through more immunotherapy treatment finishing up in July 2020, and is ecstatic to now be cancer-free. And despite the chaos of Coronavirus, Traci has been able to enjoy getaways in western Maryland with her husband, trips to the Poconos, and spending time with her daughters.
Her support system, comprised of old high school friends to close family, showed her the power of togetherness. From prayers and words of affirmation to gift baskets and coloring books, Traci knows the importance of having people in your corner to lean. “People are good,” she says, “and they want to help. Some offer advice, some cook meals. They’re there for you.”
Traci stresses it’s important to be proactive, take care of yourself, and see a doctor with any concerns. Speak up for yourself if you think something is being dismissed, and if you are not fully confident with what someone may be telling you, seek out a second opinion. After all, this is your health, and your life.
Above everything: pray, pray, pray.
