Christensen battles the C-monster
Cheryl Christensen of Staples enjoyed attending a great Vikings home football game Oct. 14, with her daughter, Shannon Badger. The Vikes even came away with a win over the Arizona Cardinals.
“We’re such fans,” said Cheryl, noting that Shannon and her husband, Graeme, have season tickets.
The excitement of being able to attend the game, for most, let alone a win, keeps fans pumped up for weeks. Cheryl was also celebrating a more serious kind of win - one against cancer which she’s been battling for the past year.
Cheryl was selected to participate in the NFL’s “Crucial Catch Initiative” celebrating 100 individuals affected by cancer. The game celebrates the theme “We’re so much stronger than cancer” and features people who are in the battle for their life against the “C-monster”.
Shannon nominated her mom and they were selected as members of the breast cancer team, participating in an awareness walk on the U.S. Bank Stadium field during half-time of the game.
“It was amazing,” said Cheryl. “Some of the people there were on their second round with cancer,” she said. “That reality was not one I was ready for.”
In December 2017, Cheryl was scheduled for knee replacement surgery. In her pre-op, she realized she had forgotten to schedule her yearly mammogram. “Can you squeeze me in?” she asked and was able to complete the exam the day before knee surgery.
Cheryl’s a strong advocate for yearly mammograms and her 2017 exam was done with the new 3D mammography screening at Lakewood Health System, Staples.
Cheryl concentrated on recovering from knee replacement, checkups, physical therapy and at-home recovery. Lakewood Clinic called and wanted to schedule a second biopsy of her breasts.
“It was one week after my second biopsy when the doctor called me,” said Cheryl. “You know it’s serious when the doctor calls.”
Cheryl was told she had cancer. She went into a whirlwind of appointments and pre-op care, and on Dec. 31, 2017, she had lumpectomy surgery. Two weeks later a port was implanted for her to receive chemoththerapy treatments, later followed by radiation.
“I have the angry cancer,” said Cheryl. Twenty-one lymph nodes were removed. She, her oncologist and the medical staff became very close; along with the nurses at the infusion center. “Throughout this whole... bad thing...” said Cheryl, “they were wonderful; professional but caring, I think beyond...” Chemotherapy treatments were every three weeks.
“I’d have two bad weeks ... maybe one good week.. and then it’d start all over again,” she said. The chemo treatments were scheduled for 18 weeks - which took through June 13.
“Shannon and my husband, Ken, have been my rocks throughout this whole cancer thing,” she said, crediting her whole family for their support and listening ear. “Scared?” she said, “Yes, I’m scared - I still am.”
“I’m a positive person, always have been a positive, people person and that’s the first thing they tell you after you find out you have cancer... Be positive, remain upbeat,” she said.
Following several more treatments, Cheryl said she started feeling somewhat better in July. “It’s been one difficult summer,” she said, shaking her head. “Do you like my hair?” she asked. Instead of a bald head or wearing her wrap, her now silver colored hair had grown to nearly a half-inch long.
Usually active in nature, Cheryl bounced between continually feeling ill and totally fatigued. Cancer patients have to keep their white blood cell counts high and must be continually monitored. Avoiding public areas is recommended because of heightened chances of getting sick, something that could be devastating to an already highly taxed immune system. “In other words - don’t go out,” she said, at least while on chemo as the chance of picking up germs, no matter how careful someone is, is a risk.
In late summer and feeling better, Cheryl called her doctor and said, “I would like to do something and get out of the house. Can I?”
With doctor’s permission and the promise to stay away from the smoking section, Cheryl and Ken took a one hour drive to the casino. “We stayed about 45 minutes, and drove back home. It was so good to get out and the drive was beautiful.”
Following her short outing, Cheryl felt well enough to go on vacation. “We went camping,” she said. “We have an RV and drove, that way we could take our time and if I didn’t feel well, everything was there for me to rest.” The family traveled to the Apostle Islands in Wisconsin.
Two months later she was cleared to return to work at Home Depot, first going on four hour shifts and now to six hours.
In December, one year following her almost forgotten mammogram which detected her cancer, she will have a complete followup. She’s looking forward to it, however, “Ken and I have discussed the possibilities of the cancer coming back,” she said quietly. “But, I don’t need breasts to be a good person,” she said.
For now, her usual bubbly self is re-emerging as she increases her activities and looks positively towards the future and time spent with her family.
She’s excitedly looking forward to a grandson’s wedding in November; she has a new three week old great-grandson; the twins will be graduating; Shannon’s oldest will be graduating and next year, in September the Christensen’s are planning a family get-together to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary.
“Spaghetti for 50 - that’s what we’re calling it,” Cheryl said. “Spaghetti is my favorite food.” The event is being planned for outdoors under a tent where the Christsensen’s will renew their vows.
Cheryl’s work career has included owning her own day care, when they moved to Staples from Clarissa; working at the Southside Mini Mart; 10 years at El-Ray in Motley and 18-1/2 years at Home Depot in Baxter. Ken is a salesman at Sunnybrook Auto in Menahga.
Cheryl and Ken have four children, Jennifer Ganner, Big Lake; Ken, Staples; Benjamin, Holdingford and Shannon, Staples.Their children are all Staples graduates and grown with families of their own, which Cheryl plans on staying just as close with them as always.
