"Fighting Back"
By Jim Plautz
()
About this ebook
This is a story about a courageous woman who is Fighting Back against long odds. On 3/5/11 Rosann Plautz underwent emergency brain surgery. A nonsmoker, she had lung cancer that had already spread to the brain. The operation left her weak and legally blind, 900 miles from home Doctors told her she was going to die. This is a story of how a 110 lb woman with God's help is Fighting Back and winning.
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Book preview
"Fighting Back" - Jim Plautz
Fighting Back
Rosann and Jim Plautz
Copyright 2013 Jim Plautz
Smashwords Edition
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission from the author. Printed books may be shared with friends. It is illegal to copy, transmit or read books, including EBooks, PDF and RIF files, without paying the author for the additional copies.
ISBN 9781301988549
Hard Copy: www.customsportsnovels.com
Fighting Back
Offers a recipe for fighting back against a deadly, incurable disease - that’s what Rosann’s doctor called it - incurable.
My recipe is simple:
A big heart
+
A fighting spirit
+
A strong support group
+
Prayer
=
Victory
Thank You for your Prayers,
I need your help!
****
What is Victory?
Is it living forever?
Rosann defined Victory like this:
* "Living life day-by-day, enjoying the little things,
* Celebrating living versus waiting to die,
* Enjoying the small victories,
* Getting back into my daily routine,
* Being thankful for my friends and family,
* Being thankful for Jim, my lover, #1 cheerleader, helper and shower boy,
* Beating the odds - living one more day, month or year longer than odds makers predicted,
* Being grateful for what I have, and looking forward to my next challenge - my next opportunity."
"I will die, eventually, but death on my terms means that
I won this fight."
Heroes and Villains
"There are so many heroes that I cannot begin to thank you all enough for helping me Fight Back. I especially want to thank;
1. Each person that sent flowers, cards, telephoned or visited me at the hospital; it meant a lot to me; I feel your love;
2. My Family in St. Louis, especially my mother Helen, Linda and Nicole for being at my side during my hospital stay;
3. SSM Health Care Center in O’Fallon, Mo. and all the Doctors, Nurses and staff that saved my life and helped me recover from the operation;
4. SSM Rehabilitation Center for helping me get started with my Fight;
5. South West Airlines for the outstanding support they provided to me on my flight home;
6. Tampa Bay Cancer Center radiation oncologist Janelle Park, M.D. and her staff - they were wonderful. It’s too bad Dr. Park’s Cyberknife operation was such a disappointment.
7. University Community Hospital Outpatient Rehabilitation - specifically therapists Cara Bryan and Kevin Bobos.
8. My son, Dave, for helping me fly back to Tampa and, well, for being my son. I love you;
9. My Art Group in Tampa, especially my friend and teacher Kathi Hobbs;
10. My Golf Group; Brenda, Carol, Barb, Lee, Vi and many others;
11. My Notre Dame High School classmates many of whom sent me cards and offered payers;
12. My Beta Sigma Phi Sorority sisters; we were just starting to have fun!
13. My special friend Lillian Stickel, who would do anything for me, and has;
14. My husband, Jim. He didn’t bargain for this, but never flinched. I love you lots;
15. Every one of you that prayed for me; you are the true heroes. Keep it up!!!!!
Villains
There are no villains, just disappointing actions. I truly believe there is good in all of us. However, there were several notable disappointments.
1. Gloom and Doom Doctors who were too absorbed with telling me that adenocarcinoma of the lung, stage 4, is incurable and I’m going to die. ‘There is no other option, you’re going to die.’ I say to them; Get a life
!
2. Doctors that should have stopped practicing medicine years ago, or maybe should never have been allowed to practice. Treat your patients with dignity!
3. Insurance Plans that provide you a Bill of Rights and list of resources that you are entitled to, and then foster roadblocks that bar you from accessing theses resources. It’s was two months before Chemotherapy or Radiation was begun.
4. Arrogant doctors who become so enamored with their technology and power, they overlook the patient’s needs.
About This Book
This is a story about a courageous woman (center) who is Fighting Back against long odds. On March 5th, 2011 Rosann Plautz was blindsided by a terrible disease. Twenty eight hours after attending her 50th high school reunion, she underwent an emergency craniotomy to relieve pressure from blood accumulating in her brain. There was little warning.
Rosann survived the operation but the news was not good. The doctors told her the bad news Tuesday;
* You have three metastatic tumors in your brain; one tumor had burst, Dr. martin performed a craniotomy to reduce the swelling.
* There is a large mass of cancerous tissue in your left lung, the source of the three brain tumors; it’s inoperable;
* Your diagnosis is Adenocarcinoma of the lung; Stage 4.
Oh, and by the way, you are 900 miles from home and cannot fly home to Tampa until the swelling in your brain subsides."
Is that all? Are you through?
she thought.
Did I forget to tell you that your loss of vision is permanent? You are legally blind. Rehab will be very difficult.
These are the cards that Rosann was dealt. This story is about how she plays these cards and the people that help her.
The story is told by Rosann with the help of a third party narrator to fill in some of the blanks. Rosann’s statements are in quotation marks. Much of the actual writing was done by Jim but this is Rosann’s book. These are her ideas and her thoughts.
Friends and family have contributed greatly to this book. Their input is in italicized quotations. These quotes provide insight into Rosann’s character and make the book interesting and unique.
Rosann: This is a story of hope. It’s my story, but I want it to be something that others can read and maybe pick up a few ideas on how to fight their battles, day by day. This story is about fighting the battle, not winning the war. That’s why I paused on May 2nd and published this book, ‘Fighting Back’. I wanted to ask for your prayers and help. I knew this would be a long struggle. Victory is not all about winning and losing; it is about how you face your challenges.
Samples of Rosann’s paintings precede each Chapter and can be found at www.customsportsnovels.com & Rosann’s website @ http://www.expressionsinart.net/index.html
Chapter One
Alive and Kicking
Lady in Red Shawl
It hasn’t been easy, but I’m still here, alive and kicking. Only God knows how much longer I have on this earth and I’m going to make the most of it. What else can I do? Give up? Not a chance. I admit there have been times when that I’ve thought about giving in, but my husband, Jim, has always been there to pick me up. He won’t let me quit. I don’t think I could do this without him. He is my rock.
Jim: I try to be there for her when she needs me. Rosann says I’m her rock, but in truth, it’s a two-way street. I get depressed too and she picks me up with her words, attitude and inner strength. She is so nice that her friends and even family sometimes underestimate her inner strength and resolve. I’m so lucky to have found her. We make a good team.
Tuesday morning, March 8, 2011, 58 hours after surgery, Dr. Martin gave her the bad news. She had cancer of the lung that had spread to the brain. It was bad news. Her family already knew, but no one had yet told Rosann. She had her suspicions, but this was the first time anyone had uttered the C-word.
Rosann remembered little of the previous two-plus days that started with the severe headache at the church service and the ambulance ride to the hospital. There were two ambulance rides before she arrived at SSM St. Joseph Health Center in St. Charles, Missouri.
Jim had arrived that night and stayed with her in her hospital room. They had held each other and cried and promised each other they would fight this together. The next morning she remembered very little of their conversation.
Jim: Rosann didn’t react to what the Dr. Martin said. I had told her the previous evening that it was bad, but I didn’t go into any detail. She didn’t ask; I think she already knew in her heart that it was cancer. Rosann had lost a daughter to breast cancer that spread to the brain. You never forget that.
"The first couple days were a blur of doctors, nurses, medications and sleep. Everyone asked me what my birthday was.