Survivor Spotlight: JOANNE D'ALTON : Breast Cancer Survivor
Summer, 2007

Survivor Spotlight: FRANK YINKO : Colon Cancer Survivor
April, 2007

Survivor Spotlight: NANCY LAARMAN : Ovarian Cancer Survivor
January, 2007

Survivor Spotlight on MIKE LEMAHIEU : Colon Cancer Survivor (with liver metastisis)
December, 2006

Survivor Spotlight on MARY LICHTERMAN : Breast Cancer Survivor
September, 2006

Survivor Spotlight: JIM HAMMERLING : Multiple Myeloma Survivor
July, 2006

Survivor Spotlight: LORI SCHULTZ : Breast Cancer Survivor
May, 2006

Survivor Spotlight Update: BOB SHAROT : Head & Neck Cancer Survivor
May, 2006

Survivor Spotlight on MATT RILEY : Medullablastoma Cancer Survivor
December, 2005

Survivor Spotlight on MARTY TEN PAS : Breast Cancer Survivor
September, 2005

Survivor Spotlight Update on RALPH LEMP : Prostate Cancer Survivor
September, 2005

Survivor Spotlight Update on SANDY AMWEG : Breast Cancer Survivor
June, 2005

Survivor Spotlight on STEVE PHILIPPS : Prostate Cancer Survivor
June, 2005

Survivor Spotlight on IONE HEINEN : Breast Cancer & Colo-Rectal Cancer Survivor
April, 2005

Survivor Spotlight Update: DON FICKETT : As Told By Caregiving Champion: LINDA FICKETT
March, 2005

Survivor Spotlight Update on AUDREY SWITA : Breast Cancer Survivor
January, 2005

Survivor Spotlight on BOB SHAROT : Head & Neck Cancer Survivor
January, 2005
Note from Tim: Bob and Linda are two amazing people… and yet they are no more (and surely no less) amazing than each and every cancer survivor and caregiver that has been highlighted in this newsletter. Bob calmly shared his thoughts and experiences with a unique CENTS of confidence and humility. He spoke little of the aggressive treatment he received, which included a difficult regimen of aggressive chemotherapy followed by concomitant chemotherapy/radiation and a surgical dissection. Instead, he chose to focus on the positives – like the power of attitude, the benefits of goals, and the support of Linda and others in his life. And his analogy between cancer and a race surely caught my attention!

HOW IT ALL STARTED

My wife Linda and I had just moved from Naples, FL back to Wisconsin after we found a lovely home in Black River. A few weeks before I had noticed a lump on my neck just below the ear while shaving in the morning. It didn’t seem like it was growing but it was something that I found myself thinking about. We moved in on a snowy day in early January 2004. Of course everyone asked us why we would want to move from Florida to Wisconsin in January when there is snow on the ground and we just told them that Wisconsin is our home and we felt this was where we belonged.

As we started getting settled in our new home I found myself getting more concerned about the lump. I hadn’t had a physical in about a year and a half and because we were new in town we didn’t have a family doctor. We called Dr. Kerpe who did a complete and thorough physical on March 8th. He commented that I was in “really good shape” and that I must be “eating and exercising right!” I try to. I exercise, ride my bike, and work hard at staying healthy – emotionally and physically. And I was feeling great! 110%!

Then he asked if there were any other problems. I mentioned the lump and he said, “Oh, I think we have a problem!” He set up an appointment for me to see Dr. Campbell who took a peek down my throat with a camera and noticed a spot about the size of a quarter just below my tongue. He also took a biopsy of the lump.

We found out it was squamous cell carcinoma. We left the office and broke down in tears not knowing at that point what we were in for. That window of time between when you first hear the words “You have cancer” to when a treatment plan is actually started is tough! All I could do was remind myself of this commercial on the radio that asks, “When are we going to find a cure for cancer?” and then answers it by saying, “We cure cancer every day!”

HAVE A POSITIVE ATTITUDE

The most important thing for me is staying positive! Anything that I can draw from the appointments with the doctors or the nurse practitioners that is positive is what I hang on to and feed off of. I really don’t want to hear the bad stuff, but of course, I know it’s there. Sometimes I think you’re better off not knowing how bad it could be and just letting things take their course.

I’ve never felt comfortable around people that feel sorry for themselves or expound upon deficiencies or shortcomings or negative circumstances in their life. I’d much rather look at the positive things in my life and move forward. Things behind you, things in the past, are things you can’t do anything about. But as long as you are moving forward there are things you can do, things you can change.

This “cancer thing” was all new to me. So I relied on past experiences in other areas of my life. If it worked then… why wouldn’t it work now? We had a pretty successful business. We never really wanted for much but we did quite well for ourselves. I knew that if we did the best job possible we would be successful. We didn’t go out there and try to make money… but we focused on doing the best job possible. And, if we did that, not a problem! We’ll win the game and the money will come. And we’ll live happily ever after. That’s how I look at this cancer. I like to stay upbeat all of the time. As long as we all do the best job possible, we’ll win the game.

I’m not trying to de-emphasize either the importance or the seriousness of this at all. Each individual has to treat these things in their own way… and this is my way!

SETTING GOALS ARE IMPORTANT

When the gun goes off and they tell you that you have cancer you find yourself going through a lot of hurdles… just like in a race. You can’t be at the starting line and be thinking only of the finish line. Your mind has to be focused on how you’re going to get over that first hurdle. And when you get over it without knocking it over you have to think about the second one. Then the third, fourth, and fifth. Break it down into small, manageable, attainable increments instead of thinking only of the finish line. As you accomplish each goal it pushes you to the next.

As we progressed through all of this, and I say we because Linda lives with this from day to day as well, we’ve been taking it one step at a time. First, we looked at getting through the chemotherapy phase. When we did that, we started counting the 34 days of radiation until we checked off the last day. Then we prepared ourselves for surgery. Now I can focus on letting my body heal. Next I will work on getting my strength and conditioning back.

It was important to me to get through this without the need for a feeding tube. They told us that about 80% of the time with this kind of cancer and this kind of treatment there would be a need for one. I heard from enough people that a feeding tube isn’t a pleasant experience and I saw it as a digression, a step backwards. And I really didn’t want to put Linda through all of that. It always seemed to be an achievable goal and one we wanted to beat… and we did. It meant waking up each morning and telling myself that I just have to get those 2,000 calories by the end of the day… somehow! It meant shoving down as much food as possible. It meant Linda had to puree’ my food every day. It meant drinking at least five cans of Ensure® every day. Maybe it was my stubbornness… but it worked! And it was something positive for me to focus on!

HAVE SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO

As we progressed through treatment we always had something that we looked forward to. It might have been as simple as taking a trip down to Milwaukee and having lunch together. Then a few days later we might take a trip to Appleton to get the car serviced and spend the day at the mall. It was important for us to just get away from it for a little bit, clearing our heads. We tried to keep doing the things we normally would do.

LOVE & SUPPORT OF OTHERS

Linda went with me to every appointment that I had along the way. She lost her mom to cancer about ten years ago. She had a really strong relationship with her mom and went along with her to every chemo appointment and did whatever she could to comfort her so she’s seen some of the worst that cancer can do. So I think at first the diagnosis of cancer was much more difficult for her.

We have always had a strong relationship but it is certainly stronger now than it was nine months ago! She has been unbelievable! She has been with me every step of the way!

There are a lot of folks who, for one reason or another, have lost their spouse, have no family, and have to go through this alone. I can’t imagine that! I can’t imagine these past nine months without Linda.

And we have learned to appreciate the simpler things in life. Like just sitting down and listening to a Brewer game on the radio, which we did all season long. Or sitting down with just a couple candles, no light, and no TV and sharing time and thoughts with each other.

We have a lot of really nice things… and we are very appreciative and grateful for those things… but so many little things mean so much more to us today than nine months ago. I used to have to have all of these new golf shirts… but that’s not important anymore! I figure now, with all I’ve got, if I live long enough to use it all up I’m in great shape!

HAVING FAITH

You look around and think, “Gee, we’re all pretty darn lucky just to be here!” Hopefully we will get through this, even though we know that some people will make it and some people won’t. But that’s not our call. Someone higher makes that decision for us! You have to have faith in the Lord that whatever is best will be best and that’s what will happen. Up until this particular point in my life, I never had to think in these terms before.

HAVING A TEAM OF CAREGIVERS

Knowing that I don’t have to fight this by myself and I have a team of people around me to help me go forward has given me a lot of strength. We have developed a very good relationship with Dr. Kerpe’s office, Dr. Campbell and his staff, Dr. Pao and the radiation staff, as well as Dr. Matthews and his staff, especially the gals in the chemo department. It is a relationship that we now have that we might not have had if we had gone to one of the larger clinics. Not that they wouldn’t have given us the best treatment possible but this is so much more personal. The staff here has become involved in our daily lives… beyond just the treatment!

If I had a choice to go anywhere in the world… I would stay right here. I feel that comfortable. I never once questioned whether or not I was getting the best treatment possible. With the professionalism and expertise of both Dr. Matthews and Dr. Campbell, we just know we’re getting the best treatment possible.

KNOWING WE’RE NOT ALONE

Then there is the bonding you have with other patients. It was very difficult going through chemo and being with so many people with so many different kinds of cancer. Each of them fighting it in their own way. But I developed a strong devotion and respect for each of them. There is a lot of bonding that takes place in the chemo room. You realize there are others in the same boat as you and you can feed off of one another. Just being with them and chitchatting about things not even related to cancer helps.

I was the Vice-Chairman at the Shark Shootout Golf Tournament recently in Florida and Paul Azinger, who was diagnosed with lymphoma in 1992, was golfing. Linda just happened to give him a ride from one hole to the next and mentioned that her husband was going through cancer treatment. They chatted for awhile. About an hour later I was on the 16th tee as Azinger was walking off the 15th green and he comes over to me and says, “I bet that you are Linda Sharot’s husband!” Wow! We started talking and he said he heard what I was going through and told me his story. To make a long story short, every single day he made a point to come over and talk to me. When the tournament was over, I was near the clubhouse and he came running over and said, “Bob, I just want to wish you luck and let you know I think you’re going to be just fine!” That meant a lot to me. I knew he had a tough time… but he looked great, he got through it, and now he’s more than twelve years out! It helps to see other folks who have gone through cancer, and recurrences, and have survived. He does a lot of charity work now for cancer… but just as important to me was that he took the time for me. Guess what? Now I’m a big fan of Paul Azinger!

ADVICE TO OTHERS

Take those negatives and turn them into big positives! Take it one day at a time. None of us knows how long we might have to live… a couple weeks, a couple months, a couple years so make the very most out of the day you are in. Rely on support from family, friends, or support groups. You may think you are the only one… but you’re not. Follow the prescribed plan that your doctor sets out for you and be sure that you know you are getting the best treatment possible. And find something worthwhile, something constructive to plan for and do each and every day, and then go out and do it!

Survivor Spotlights on DIANA BRAY & MARY SCHMEISER : Diana - Lung Cancer, Mary - Breast Cancer
October, 2004

Survivor Spotlight Update on GENE TE WINKLE : Melanoma Survivor
October, 2004

Survivor Spotlight Update on MARY ANN HAMMES : Breast Cancer Survivor
August, 2004

Survivor Spotlight on ART WESENER (Colon Cancer) : with Caregiving Champion JOANNE WESENER
August, 2004

Survivor Spotlight on JUDY FRIEDERICHS : Breast Cancer Survivor
June, 2004

Survivor Spotlight Update on PAT JENKINS : Breast Cancer & Hodgkin's Disease Survivor
June, 2004

Survivor Spotlight on: DR. PHIL WALKER : Prostate Cancer Survivor
March, 2004

Survivor Spotlight Update on: Rollie Huibregtse : Leukemia Survivor
March, 2004

Survivor Spotlight on: PEGGY KERR : Colon Cancer Survivor
January, 2004

Survivor Spotlight on EUGENE TEWINKLE : Melonoma Survivor
November, 2003

Survivor Spotlight Update on LINDA BURKART : Thymoma Cancer Survivor
November, 2003