Running Wild: More Than Scars

By Katherine Friese MSN APRN CNP

Running Wild: More Than Scars uses the analogy of an endurance event to depict the full scope of a cancer journey. An endurance event has a training phase, race, and recovery phase. Facing a cancer diagnosis and moving through it follows the same pattern. Katherine Friese conveys her personal experiences to offer hope and encouragement. She demonstrates life’s ability to equip us with tools to face our challenges. She shows that a cancer diagnosis reveals strength of character and the possibility of building back stronger than before. Running Wild: More Than Scars will be relatable not only to the cancer surviver and caregivers, but to anyone needing to know they can face challenges and thrive because of them.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Jul 29, 2020
• ISBN: 9781973696940

Katherine Friese MSN APRN CNP

Katherine Friese is a nurse practitioner and also a cancer survivor. From this unique position, she candidly speaks about her life before cancer, her cancer fight, and cancer’s impact. Through struggle she’s found that endurance, character, and hope grow. Her storytelling and no-nonsense writing style invites inquiry and thoughtfulness. You will be uplifted and encouraged by her wholehearted story.

Book preview

Copyright © 2020 Katherine Friese, MSN, APRN, CNP.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by

any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying,

recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system

without the written permission of the author except in the case of

brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

WestBow Press

A Division of Thomas Nelson & Zondervan

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Bloomington, IN 47403

www.westbowpress.com

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or

links contained in this book may have changed since publication and

may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those

of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher,

and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are

models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living

Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation.

Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, a Division of Tyndale

House Ministries, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-1-9736-9693-3 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-9736-9692-6 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-9736-9694-0 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2020912988

WestBow Press rev. date:    07/21/2020

Dedicated to the cancer warriors and

those who love and care for them.

In loving memory of Sarah Stelzner.

To Brad, Blake, and Norah: I love you.

Contents

Preface

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Section 1: Training

1    Wild

2    Flashbacks

3    Grit

4    Heartache

5    Neurofibromatosis Type 1

6    Screening

Section 2: The Race

1    Double D

2    I’m Writing a Book!

3    Wellness

4    Norms

5    Best Thing

6    The Nurse

7    Treatment

8    We’re in This Together

9    Everyone Has Their Stuff

10    Stuff

11    Parenting

12    Fargo

13    Humanity

14    Scars

15    Advice

16    Helping

17    The Finish Line

Section 3: Recovery

1    Rubble

2    Recovery

3    One Word

4    Live

5    Bridge

Final Thoughts

Bibliography

About the Author

Preface

T his is my story; you have your own. May this book offer inspiration, hope, and strength on your journey. I started writing immediately after my diagnosis of breast cancer just after my fortieth birthday. I had so much to say about my life leading up to this point and how it would help me beat cancer. In this book, I share significant life struggles to show how adversity develops endurance, strength of character, and hope. Running Wild: More Than Scars chronicles my cancer journey and observations along the way. My writing began as a mission to encourage and inform; it became a cornerstone to my healing. I strive to demonstrate that we are not defined by our challenges, but we are rather transformed by them.

I’m a health-care provider and am uniquely positioned to write this book as a professional and a cancer survivor. Please remember, this publication is not intended as a substitute for the advice of your health-care professionals.

Acknowledgments

T hank you to my health-care teams at Sanford Joe Lueken Cancer Center and Sanford Roger Maris Cancer Center, my family, my friends, WestBow Press for your guidance, Kirby Photography for cover images, Mary McCracken for your utmost encouragement, and author William Mohn for reading my work and referring me to WestBow Press. Your love and support has meant the world to me. I am truly grateful. Thank you also to creatives, musicians, and big brave thinkers. Your light inspires me.

Introduction

Running Wild

I ’m tempted not to tell you the full story. My strength is returning, and so is