She learned it's OK to lean
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on October 17, 2014 1:46 PM
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Phyllis Parrish fills out patient paperwork in her office at Wayne Radiation Oncology. Mrs. Parrish was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2006.
Medical office manager Phyllis Parrish had been working at Wayne Radiation Oncology for 17 years when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2006.
She was 51 years old.
"I never imagined that I would be the patient instead of the one helping the patients," she said. "Like most people, I never thought it would happen to me."
The timing was further complicated because her youngest daughter, Amie, was just two weeks from her wedding day and older daughter, Dana, was to be married in five months.
"So I made the decision to keep this information to myself until after Amie's wedding," she said. "While she was on her honeymoon, I had my biopsy, which confirmed the suspicions."
Three weeks later, she had a partial mastectomy, node dissection and total hysterectomy, followed by six weeks of radiation.
That all took place while Wayne County was gearing up for the annual Relay for Life, an effort she had been part of for several years -- as team captain and committee member. That year, she participated as a survivor.
She says she can still recall saying to Relay organizer Dr. Lee Adams that she was uncertain whether she qualified as a survivor, since she had not started treatments.
"His words to me were, 'You became a survivor the day you were diagnosed,'" she said. "So, for the past nine years, I have continued to participate as a team member, committee member, co-captain, but more importantly, as a survivor."
There was no family history of breast cancer, until recently, when her 90-year-old aunt was diagnosed.
The most difficult aspect at the outset, "without a doubt," was telling her family, she said, especially her daughters.
"We are an extremely close famly and this journey drew us even closer," she said. "I had always been the one that took care of others. Now I had to learn to let others take care of me."
She and her husband of 43 years, Danny, also have two "amazing grandsons" who are her pride and joy.
The experience of going through, and surviving, cancer, has made her even more empathetic to other patients walking through her office door. It has also provided her with valuable lessons.
"Even the strongest of us, sometimes has to lean on others," she said. "God is my greatest source of strength but it sure was good to have my family, co-workers and friends during this journey."
To others facing or undergoing a similar struggle, she offers encouragement.
"You are stronger than you think. Life is precious; don't take one minute of it for granted," she said. "If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it. I clung to this Bible verse in Jeremiah 29:4, 'For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'"