Amy Dean is a fighter, and she's had enough of this cancer business. Her son Eric, almost 18, has faced Osteosarcoma since he was 14. He has dealt with everything from "operation salvage limb" in 2015 which resulted in what they call Eric's "bionic leg," to being injected with "blue goo" this fall after an allergic reaction to his chemo treatment was so severe that he coded. This fall, her husband Curtis was diagnosed with Stage III rectal colon cancer. So when people share their cancer journeys with her, she knows distinctly what they're facing. "We're cancer veterans, we got this," she explains with a confidence and sense of humor that keep her going.
Meanwhile, Eric is still recovering at home and has a homebound teacher. For nearly a year straight, he was in the hospital for treatment, Amy explains. Quickly tallying the nights he spent at home, she totals just six nights out of the first eight months of his most recent chemo treatment. Today, Eric has damaged but stable kidneys, which she says is a good sign, and continues treatment for cancerous spots on his lungs. He looks forward to getting back to his building maintenance program, where his classmates don't look at him as though he has a disability , but treat him normally, she adds.
For more on Eric's cancer journey, visit Erics Troopers on facebook.
A recent study suggests a link between financial distress and worse mortality rates.