From nurse, to patient, to nurse once again

A strong woman residing in Montoursville, Pennsylvania has been one year diagnosed with Breast Cancer, and has already conquered it. This woman who was a nurse for 7 years has recently come back from the experience that changed her life, and work ethic. Her name is Elise, and she was diagnosed with Breast Cancer invasive carcinoma in January of 2017. She was stage 1, grade 3 and has had 3 tumors removed.

Elise's chemotherapy started in February of 2017, where she was put on the harshest (best targeting) chemo treatment there was for her type of breast cancer. The patients in the local cancer treatment center all referred to it as 'The Red Devil'. Elise found herself dreading the treatment, becoming nauseous to the point where she hated going. The smell of the treatment when being inserted into her port made her want to vomit. She was unable to drive, so her husband Jamie would tenderly drive home on the back paths to prevent going over the bumpy roads of Williamsport. Her chemotherapy treatment was 20 weeks long, and after that she had Herseptin treatments for 52 weeks to make sure that the cancer wouldn't come back.

At the end of chemotherapy treatment it is well known in the 'cancer community' to ring a bell throughout the whole center to announce that you are finished with one of the hardest parts of cancer. Other patients going through it would stand up -to the best of their ability- and clap, and fellow nurses who helped support her through her medication time would follow her parade style.

 

Actual audio from her last chemo treatment.

At the end of 2017 she jumped back into action as a nurse at Geisinger Medical Health Center, explaining that even though she was just coming back from being a patient, she didn't feel any different. "I was always too sensitive," she comments. When asked if it was hard to transition back into her position after a year of exhausting chemotherapy, she shook her head. "It wasn't that hard, the only hard thing was the fatigue, I would just get tired from walking up the stairs so it was definitely something I had to work at. That, and I was suffering with separation anxiety. After my family took care of me that entire time- my angel husband and lovely children- I just wanted to spend all of the time that I could with them."

This mother of three shakily sighed and looked down at her hands. "I felt like such a burden, it felt so nice to know I was pulling my weight and supporting our family but all I wanted to do when I was at work was to go back to my family. They helped me so much," With this being said, she also mentions how she had always admired nurses. Admitting that when her third child was born 10 years ago she instantly knew in the hospital that she wanted to work as a nurse, also mentioning that she likes to be needed.

The hospital she had her third child, and also currently works at.

"I am so grateful to have my old life back. I started to run again, and last week (February 3rd, 2018) I had my second race since treatment. I learned to never take life for granted, and to work hard and run because I can- because I certainly don't enjoy working or running. Having the strength to do something gives me motivation and appreciation for my time here on Earth, because I never had that before my life-threatening illness." - Elise Peterson