By Schoolcraft 6th grade students Sophia Orton, Ariana Pillot, Lukas Rinderspacher, and Macalea Wagner
Have you ever wondered what people felt like when they had cancer? This article is about one woman battling cancer and showing herself and others that cancer can’t beat her. Here’s her story:
In 2013, Amy Seager was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. She was in utter shock. She could not believe that it was happening to her. When she got her first chemotherapy, she wasn’t even worrying about herself! “My biggest concern was my hair, because a) I’m a teacher and b) I have four kids. Now, I don’t know if you’ll admit it or not, but you and I both know that middle school is a time that even if you have the coolest parents, the last thing you want is a bald mom walking around,” Seager said.
Even after her chemotherapy, she kept going to work. But she ended up having to quit because the chemo was wearing her out. “I had a great big surgery, and after that it required me to take a year and a half off of work,” she said. “And when I tried to come back, I wasn’t able to because my body just still didn’t have the stamina or the energy.
“So I had to retire. I was forced to retire, and it wasn’t until just recently, this September, that I came back into the working environment part time, here in Schoolcraft.”
Seager has many emotions that she goes through with this. “It’s like riding a roller coaster, lots of different emotions. First and foremost, denial, that it can’t be happening to me. With it came surprise, shock, anger, frustration – all of those at various times.”
She is still dealing with cancer. She’s had cancer since she was diagnosed February 28, 2013. Since there is this special cell in her body, she will always have cancer.
She thinks of herself as strong, and here’s what she said: “I feel very strong. You know, one of my very favorite quotes, is ‘Sometimes we don’t know how strong we are, until strong is the only choice we have.’”
Seager is very grateful for her therapy dogs. “I have two golden retrievers. My therapy dogs were really important to me, because when I was at a really low point, after being really sick – and you know, feeling like I just didn’t want to get up off the couch, I just didn’t have the energy – they were so helpful. They made me get up off the couch to let them out. They made me get up to go feed them.”
One thing that she would love to share with everyone: “Live today; find your blessing in every day and live it and enjoy it.”