Atlas Twp.- Mary Tison has found, and wrote, a happy ending to what was a horror story.
‘A Cancer Journey: Walking with God,? was published in March, detailing Tison’s battle with cancer following her diagnosis in December 1999.
She would endure a lumpectomy, chemotherapy, radiation, a mastectomy, more radiation that resulted in second and third-degree burns, a major chest infection, and finally a transplant of her own stem cells before defeating the disease, only to contract a new one, myelodysplasia, in October 2004.
The Citizen published Tison’s story last summer prior to a bone marrow transplant drive organized by her family and friends ( ‘Transplant next chapter to stave off cancer,? Aug. 22). The transplant was necessary to keep the myelodysplasia, a blood disease, from becoming acute leukemia.
More than 80 donor matches were found on the National Marrow Registry and a young male donor was selected as a perfect match.
Tison received a bone marrow transplant Nov. 1 at the Karmanos Cancer Center in Detroit.
‘It was rougher than the first (stem cell transplant),? says Tison, 60, who was hospitalized for more than a month and had kidney problems. ‘It was touch and go.?
She came home in time for Christmas but was very weak from being bed-ridden. In January, she was tested for cancer cells. There were none.
‘It was so fantastic to hear,? says Tison. ‘It felt finally over. If there were cancer cells, I don’t know what they would have done. The body can only take so much.?
The last few months, Tison says she is feeling better. She has more energy and is able to do housework and go grocery shopping again. She takes several medications, but it has been decreased, and now visits the doctor only once every two weeks instead of the three times a week she was going at first.
She is thankful to her donor, who will not be revealed for a year, and plans to send him a thank you letter. And, she is thankful to God.
‘It’s been almost a 7-year battle,? Tison says. ‘The doctors said I must be real strong, but I have a deep faith in God and he’s not going to let anything happen that’s not supposed to. I got through the darkest days on faith. It was really hard on my family. Everyone seems relieved I made it through and hopefully this is the end. I get stronger every week.?
Tison’s struggle has made her appreciate life and her friends and family more. She is grateful just to feel good and somewhat normal again and is enjoying life.
Now, she has shared the story of her fight with cancer in her book, which details her health struggles and her enduring faith to September 2002. The book does not cover her second battle with myelodysplasia, which began in October 2004. She explains she was too mentally exhausted to continue writing about it, although the end of the book gives an update.
‘A lot of people think it’s well-written,? says Tison of the 95-page paperback. ‘And that blows me away because I don’t know how to write… It’s really exciting. I feel like I accomplished something during that time (while sick). You want to be productive, even though you can’t do anything.?
Tison encourages people to read the inspirational book to show them they can get through anything, not just an illness, with a positive attitude and faith.
‘When people lose hope, that’s when it’s bad,? says Tison, who is looking forward this summer to parties, camping, and attending ballgames with her grandchildren. ‘You always have to have hope in your life.?
‘A Cancer Journey: Walking with God,? sells for $10. Copies are available through http://www.His2Overcome.org/cancer_journey.shtml