Lana Briggs has spent hours going back through Bane's Caringbridge site and often gets lost in it. “I look back now and it all seems like a bad dream,” said Lana.A Caringbridge site is a website used to update family and friends about the condition of loved ones.Bane had his own website due to cancer.He was diagnosed with Medulloblastoma on Jan 12, 2007.
Bane was a perfectly healthy one year old boy.Wade remembers, “He was starting to walk around on furniture, really learning to be mobile.Then it just stopped.He wanted to be held all the time and just wasn’t moving around like he used to”.
A visit to a pediatrician resulted in a clean bill of health and instruction to watch him closely.Wade and Lana were not satisfied with Bane’s progress and began thinking outside the box.They wondered if maybe he was in some sort of discomfort that was preventing him from walking.They sought the help of a chiropractor.Needing x-rays to determine if he was in need of an adjustment, they were sent to Dr. Tegethoff.That was Jan 10, 2007.It was a Wednesday.Lana said that they will never forget hearing the words come from Dr. Tegethoff, “Unfortunately, there is a reason for all of Bane's symptoms. He has a sizeable mass in his brain and you need to go to St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester’”.She had already called ahead they were expecting Bane.
“Bane was the light in our lives.Both Wade and I had been through our share of life experiences, but when we had Bane he was a fresh start and a new beginning for us”. Lana’s parents took the two older kids Paige and Reagan.They were 7 & 5 at the time.“We hit the road, one that would become very familiar to us,” said Lana.
They found a 5.5cm tumor that Dr. Raffel, a pediatric neurosurgeon at the Mayo Clinic, was able to completely remove.Bane came out of surgery with an assortment of IVs and tubes.Moments after he was back in his hospital room they began removing them one by one.“It took all of 5 min to be down to 2 tubes.That’s when we know that Bane was a fighter and he was going to be ok.”
The Doctors moved quickly.Now that they had a diagnosis they wasted no time setting up and implementing a treatment plan.After 6 rounds of chemotherapy Bane has had 3 post chemo checkups.All have been cancer free. He will continue having the checkups every three months for the next year and every six months for eight years following.A physical therapist sees Bane once a week.When weather permits they like to meet at a park and when that isn’t possible the therapist comes to their house.Following some tests in Rochester Bane will be seeing a speech therapist three times a week for a while too.
The Briggs family received an outpouring of love and support from friends, family, and even strangers.When in Rochester they often stayed at the Ronald McDonald house.They were able to take advantage of this “home away from home” when they really needed it, so for Bane’s 2nd birthday the family requested donations for the Ronald McDonald house instead of birthday presents.That is not the only way Bane is giving back, the Briggs’ hope that when other people hear Bane’s story they will find hope and comfort.Lana says, “We will never forget the kindness and support we have received”.
Gloria Heisinger
Being a Grandmother and working full time at Shopko was keeping Gloria Heisinger pretty busy. Christmas 2005 shopping season was in full swing. Yet, she took the time for a routine mammogram. “I didn’t really give it another thought,” said Gloria of the appointment.
Just two days after Christmas Gloria received a letter regarding her mammogram results. The letter indicated the results were abnormal and she would need to see her doctor. After seeing Dr. Pat Malters she was referred to Dr. Haley. She spent the start of 2006 with Dr. Haley in his office going over the films. Just 5 days later she was scheduled for an ultrasound guided needle biopsy. “That was the longest five days of our lives,” said Gloria’s husband Terry.
The biopsy results came back with some disappointing news. It was cancer. They had a name for it, Infiltrating Ductal Carcinoma Stage 3A DCIS. On Jan 13th Gloria went in for her mastectomy. They received news that the cancer had also spread to the lymph nodes. Five out of the thirteen nodes were positive; she would need chemotherapy and radiation therapy as well. Dr. Addison Tolentino from Sioux Falls recommended 8 rounds of chemo and 31 radiation treatments. On February 13 she had a port placed. This was a daunting procedure, but well worth it in the end. “I had it in for a year and a half; after they took it out I really kind of missed having it. It was nice to never be poked for blood draws” said Gloria.
On February 23rd chemotherapy was started. Dr. Tolentino recommended two different drugs given four times each. The treatments would be given in Sioux Falls every other Thursday. Gloria’s husband Terry was able to take her to each of her chemotherapy appointments. “Unclaimed Freight was really great about letting him have the time off to take me,” said Gloria, “My radiation treatments were daily, I was really lucky to have some great friends to take me to those.”
Gloria was also forced to take some time off of work. “Some weeks I would only work three or four days. Mike Morgan, store manager, and my supervisor Debbie were so wonderful about working around my treatments. For me, working was sometimes the best medicine and they made it possible for me to continue working. I am really grateful for that,” said Gloria.
Finding things to be thankful for might seem difficult when in the midst of cancer treatments, but Gloria didn’t find it hard at all. Soon after her diagnosis people began stopping by the house. They brought with them food, cards, and most important to Gloria, well wishes. “A lot of people would stop me at work or at the store and tell me about their battles with cancer. It was nice to hear their stories and know I wasn’t alone,” said Gloria.
Gloria’s family was a constant source of support for her. “I really don’t know what I would have done without Terry,” said Gloria, “He was my rock.”
Terry and Gloria’s two children Heather and Jeremy live in Sioux Falls. Heather and her husband Kasey have two little boys, Tyson now five and Tate now 3. After treatments they would often meet for lunch. “That was something to look forward to during my treatments,” said Gloria.
Gloria now has many things to look forward to, like her grandson’s t-ball games and even a wedding. Jeremy and his fiancée Stephanie plan to be married on August 23rd.
“I really can’t thank everyone enough for all of their support,” says Gloria, “Faith in God, our friends, and relatives are what got me through,” says Gloria.
“I am so honored, and humbled really, to be chosen as an honorary co-chair for this years cancer walk,” says Gloria.
Marlene Warnke (pictured with grandson Camden)
In August 2002, I was at work when my neck started to hurt, so I was rubbing the back of my neck when I felt a small, pea sized lump on the left side near my collar bone. Thinking I had slept wrong or something, I let it go. Over the next 5 weeks it didn’t seem to change so I had dismissed it, until the first of October, when I noticed that the lump had grown to what seemed the size of an egg in less than a week. My left arm began to hurt and occasionally seem to become numb as if I had a pinched nerve.
The doctors and nurses all tried to assure me that it “could be nothing” and not to worry. After tests, and a biopsy, I was told it was Large B Cell, Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma, cancer in my lymph nodes, and that I would need Chemotherapy and Radiation. Two days before Thanksgiving I was in to see the oncologist in Mitchell, and he told me that my first chemo treatment would be Dec 9 and I would loose my hair within two weeks of the treatment and to get a wig as soon as possible. He also said I would need to have a port put in for the chemo, and more tests to stage the cancer.
After many tests, Dr. Haq at the Avera Queen of Peace Cancer Center, staged the cancer and was ready to begin chemo treatment. We decided on an aggressive CHOP Therapy that included three treatments of four drugs given intravenously. I had to wait three weeks between each treatment and have my white count tested frequently. This was followed by fifteen daily radiation treatments.
As soon as I was diagnosed, I purchased a notebook and a three ring binder and kept track of all the tests, results, treatment plan, medical bills and possible side effects to watch for. I did a lot of research on Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, treatment plans, side effects and the tests that are completed. I believe knowledge is power and knowing what was coming and understanding it all helped me through the treatment and the recovery process. All the doctors and nurses were very confident that I was going to be fine, I couldn’t believe otherwise.
The Cancer Center in Mitchell gave me some educational materials on where to go to find help and information. I ended up getting a wig from the Head Hunters in Sioux Falls. The name doesn’t sound appealing, but the people there were terrific. They were kind and understanding and treated me with care and were respectful of my wishes. They knew what they were doing! They have several wigs on hand so I could try them on and the one I picked arrived within a week. I soon learned that insurance doesn’t cover everything. For instance, I was told a wig had to be surgically implanted before insurance would cover any of the expense. I didn’t know what I was facing for medical bills and what insurance would or wouldn’t cover, I had been told it may not cover all the needed shots and medicine. The Heart & Sole Cancer Assistance came to my rescue.
Hearing the diagnosis of cancer is difficult, treatment can be tough, but success and remission is uplifting. Faith in God, and having family, friends and co-workers support me were key to my recovery. My family took turns driving me to and from appointments, to get groceries, and also helped me do my Christmas decorating and shopping. I continued to work when I could during the treatments and you can imagine the affects of our South Dakota wind on a wig! A couple times, while walking across campus, my hair nearly beat me to my destination! After 3 Chemo treatments and 15 radiation treatments, by March of 2003, I was ready to begin the road to recovery.
In May of 2004, my dad was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma. Ten months later he lost his battle with cancer. The fall of 2005, a student at DWU was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, in the same area as mine. We have had the opportunity to support each other with stories of our treatment and recovery process and doctor visits. In looking back, perhaps that was the reason for my cancer, to better understand and help them through their battles.
When I was diagnosed, we began looking at the family tree to see who has had cancer and what types of cancer. Wow, was that a learning experience. In the beginning, every time I visited with a new doctor, they asked the same questions about cancer in my family. I would recommend to every family to share medical history so that if anyone is in the doctor’s office and asked these questions, they have the answers.
I began participating in the Heart & Sole Cancer Walks three years before my diagnosis and firmly believed in the cause. Since my diagnosis, I am more dedicated to the work of this organization and for four years my family has participated with a campsite and walked for the cause.
I am honored and deeply touched to be chosen as one of this year’s honorary chairpersons. I’m excited to say that I am a five year survivor!
