Cancer survivor Vaughn: Celebrate every day!

Elaine Vaughn’s breast cancer journey began 11 years ago.

Her longtime OB-GYN had retired, so she had put off her yearly exam and mammogram for a couple of months. While on a trip with friends, one of them recommended a doctor in Florence, so Vaughn scheduled an appointment.

The doctor called her back after the mammogram and asked her to come in for a second one.

“Then he said we needed a sonogram,” she said. “After that, he said we needed a biopsy.”

She had the biopsy and the results confirmed she had breast cancer. Vaughn received the diagnosis July 29, 2014.

She had never thought of cancer as something that might happen to her. Even so, she said she never asked, “Why me?” Instead, she thought, “Why not me? I’m no different from anybody else.”

There was no history of breast cancer in her family.

Her first surgeon in Florence recommended a lumpectomy followed by radiation, and Vaughn thought that would take care of it.

Because triple negative breast cancer is fast growing, the approach changed.

Vaughn’s daughter was extremely concerned and arranged for her to see a doctor at Vanderbilt. She went to Vanderbilt, where doctors outlined a more aggressive treatment plan. They told her she would start with the chemotherapy commonly known as the Red Devil. After that, she would undergo another type of chemo, followed by a lumpectomy and then radiation.

Her first round of chemotherapy began on Sept. 2, 2014, with Red Devil.

Family and friends took turns driving her to treatments. She received the Red Devil every two weeks for eight weeks, followed by another chemotherapy once a week for 10 weeks.

After a three-week break, Vaughn had a lumpectomy. Three weeks later, she began 30 rounds of radiation. She completed treatment on April 29, 2015, and has been cancer free since.

She said the hardest part of her journey wasn’t the chemo or radiation but shingles, which she developed in the middle of treatment.

She described shingles as “really rough,” noting she had to miss a chemo treatment because of it.

Vaughn said she had always been very active, including playing tennis. She kept working through treatments, missing work only on the days she had chemo until her surgeries required her to be out longer. Her workplace was supportive.

CONTRIBUTED
During her cancer treatment, Elaine Vaughn’s friends and family wore special bracelets to show their support.

At the time, she was director of Child Nutrition Programs for Russellville City Schools. She stayed in the office rather than going to schools.

She said continuing to work during treatment helped her maintain a sense of normalcy. Her coworkers, she added, were “awesome.” If she ever felt weak, they made sure she got the care she needed.

“They even got me to the hospital twice for IV fluids,” Vaughn said. “They took care of me.”

Vaughn said giving up control was one of the hardest parts of her experience.

“I’m a control person,” she said. “It was out of my control, and I had to let go of it. It was in God’s hands.”

She said cancer showed her how vital a support system is. She had an “awesome support group” that included her family, church family, work family and friends.

Friends often drove her to Vanderbilt for chemo, spending the night with her so they could go first thing in the morning. She tried to think of those trips as a girls’ trip.

Her treatments took place in an individual room with a TV. She said she was cared for by “some of the best nurses.”

Ananimallover,Vaughn especially connected with “Nurse Linda,” who rescued older dogs — as many as 30 at a time — along with a donkey, a goat and other animals. “We talked about that a lot,” she said.

She said her treatment experience introduced her to many people she might never have met otherwise. “It was a journey, but you met so many great people.”

She remembered sitting in the lobby with other patients, then moving together into a smaller waiting room before treatment. They talked, shared stories and even swapped tips on how to style scarves after losing their hair.

Those conversations reminded her she wasn’t alone.

“I met so many different people,” Vaughn said. “One even wrote a book during her treatments. Most were very positive.”

After chemo, her hair eventually grew back a little curly.

These days, Vaughn keeps active playing tennis, pickleball, bridge and American mah-jongg. She enjoys them because they keep her mind sharp.

“It makes you think and try to figure out stuff,” she said.

Of all her activities, tennis remains her favorite because it keeps her active and offers plenty of social interaction. She has loved the sport since high school.

A graduate of Russellville High School, she was both a cheerleader and a member of the school’s first tennis team during her senior year.

Vaughn said she tries to support others facing cancer. Sometimes she puts together a care basket. She often fills the baskets with small but useful items — things like Gatorade, peanut butter crackers, a word search book, a blanket and a tote bag to carry it all in.

Other times she gives money directly to help with expenses “You’re usually sitting there for about three hours during treatment, so you need something to do,” Vaughn said. She sometimes adds little hats as well.

She is a strong advocate for regular screenings, admitting mammograms aren’t pleasant.

“I definitely believe you need to go for your mammograms,” she said. “I’m a big supporter of that. Just do it,” Vaughn said. “Hold your breath and go. It’s well worth it.”

She also believes in celebrating survivorship. Sometimes that means taking a trip, but often it’s simply finding joy in everyday life.

“Every day you should celebrate,” she said.

Now retired, Vaughn spends part of her time volunteering with Second Chance Canines.

Vaughn and her husband, Mike, her high school sweetheart, have been married 48 years. They dated for five and a half years before they got married and raised two children, both now married. They also have two grandchildren, a boy and a girl.

Looking ahead, Vaughn said she is excited about Mike’s upcoming retirement. A longtime banker, he will soon be able to spend more time with her.

After all she has been through, Vaughn said she tries to focus on what matters most — faith, family and making a difference where she can.

“I just want to be a light to somebody else,” she said.