Holiday is blessing for Miracle Survivor
Nancy with her sons Keith (left) and Kevin
I just returned from a little holiday shopping and feel one step closer to being done. My daughter reaps the rewards of coming from a multicultural household: eight presents at Hannukah, plus all the gifts under the Christmas tree. But it means a lot of shopping for me.
I’m not complaining. Again, I step back and remind myself how blessed I am to be here enjoying another holiday with my family.
Nancy Hamm, one of the Miracle Survivors in my book, is certainly counting her blessings this holiday season. Three years ago, she was wondering if that Christmas would be her last.
Less than a month after surgeons removed an 8.8 centimeter tumor from her liver, her cancer had come back full-force. Doctors did not give her much hope.
“On a bell curve, you have seven months to live,” they told me. “But you’re younger and healthier than most patients. You might live longer.” They said there were three measurable tumors, one of which had extended into the portal vein. The Houston oncologist enrolled me in a clinical trial that had a 20 percent success rate of shrinking some liver tumors.
I started the chemotherapy the day before Thanksgiving. The next day, I fixed a family dinner thinking deep down it would be my last.
We were devastated. I was so depressed that I couldn’t stop crying. I got my affairs in order and started giving away things to my family. But we didn’t give up hope.
I always believed people could heal themselves if they knew how to do it. During my treatments, I spent a lot of time visualizing that my “soldiers” were attacking the cancer. I also listened to relaxation tapes, healing music and prayed unceasingly.
Luckily Nancy’s son discovered on the Internet a micro-brachytherapy treatment for liver cancer that destroys cancer cells with only a minor impact on surrounding tissues. Thanks to the treatment and the miracle of prayer, her tumors disappeared. This made her eligible for liver transplant, which she had just a few weeks later.
Today Nancy is cancer-free and counts her blessings, especially her grandson Aiden, who inspired her to keep on fighting. Heck, she was even on TV this year, sharing her story on the show, The Doctors! Here’s to you, Nancy, and to more blessings in the coming year!
Debbe Rosenthal says:
Nancy,
You are an inspiration to all out there, I have always said: “where there is a will there is a way”! and you have proved that….bless you and your family!
Juli W says:
I know Nancy and share a very similar story. I was very scared and also too young to be doing this. When I met Nancy she was truly an inspiration and breadth of hope. Her story brought comfort where I carried much anxiety. I could then give my attention to becoming a survivor. I concentrated on my faith in God, the micro-brachy therapy and preparing for transplant. I made it through. I am nearly three months out of transplant and believe Nancy was very much responsible for a significant amount of my strength. Often during all of the cancer treatments, doctor’s visits, repeated tests, into transplant and recovery from transplant I would think to myself, “This is all so overwhelming; but Nancy made it through this, I can too. ” I have made it and I too can plan for a rebirth for myself.
I think, “I cannot believe this is my life, but I have a life. I am a survivor.”
Pam, friend of Peg says:
You go girl! Love this kind of story this time of year.
Keith says:
Nancy’s Story is not only one of hope and inspiration, but one of true determination. It wasn’t science, prayer, or her family that saved her it was all of the above and her desire to fight for what she wanted and to never give up. Now she is taking advantage of this second chance to inspire others with her story of hope. She is one of the warmest and caring souls I have ever known. When she enters the room it always seems a little brighter. I’m so thankful God saw fit to let us have her a little longer before he claimed her for himself.
-Keith (Nancy’s son)