Des Moines Woman | October 2011 by Des Moines Register

Des Moines

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WOMAN

October 2011

higher learning 2 women answer calling to teach

autumn glow healthy skin for winter

A fall TO REMEMBER WARMER PALeTTES FOR COOL-WEATHER DRESSING

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table of contents |

October 2011 I’M A DES MOINES WOMAN

Mary Jane Sharp, marathon runner ................................................ 7

SHOP

The gold standard ............................................................................... 8

TEACHERS

Kelly Schulte, Irish dance teaacher .................................................14 Sandi Hoover, yoga instructor .........................................................16

careers

Loose the job stress............................................................................18

fashion

What to wear this fall .........................................................................20

beauty

Prime your skin for winter’s wrath ..................................................28

health

One woman’s get-fit routine ............................................................30

Editor Sarah Dose

Designer Amanda Holladay

Fashion Editor Sarah Dose

Presentation Editor Nathan Groepper

Photographers Mary Chind Justin Hayworth Andrea Melendez Bill Neibergall Eric Rowley Rodney White

Copy Editors Charles Flesher, Kimberly Isburg, Darla Adair-Petroski

Staff Writers Patt Johnson Jennifer Miller

Des Moines Register Magazine Division

To subscribe to Des Moines Woman, call (515) 284-8060.

Vice President, Content Rick Green

President and Publisher Laura Hollingsworth

On the cover: Ruthie Duncan wears a printed top by BB Dakota ($52), Neesh by D.A.R. cardigan ($135) and Groceries skirt ($35) from Back Country Outfitters. Shopping information, page 26. 4 Des Moines WOMAN | October 2011

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I’m a Des Moines Woman Mary Jane Sharp by Sarah Dose • photo by Bill Neibergall

Age: 45 Lives iN: Norwalk What you do for a living: Manager of Coffee Via Cart, a traveling gourmet coffee company, and fitness instructor for Norwalk Parks & Recreation Department, and Beach Body coach. Family: I’ve been married for 24 years to my husband, Ryan, and we have three kids —Reece (20), Erin (16) and Bailey (11). What makes you a Des Moines Woman? I think I am just like any other woman trying to raise a family, work, run to kids’ events and try to fit time in for working out. How many marathons have you run? This will be my first. I have done several half-marathons and some triathlons but never a full marathon. I have always wanted to do a marathon but never thought I could do it. Then I lost 40 pounds and decided it was time. Why do you run? It gives me time to relax, to relieve stress, and stay in shape.

IMT Des Moines Marathon When: Oct. 16 Info: You can register up until the day of the race. Or, you can watch. The race begins and ends in Nollen Plaza in downtown Des Moines. For race maps to plot out your best place to watch, go to desmoinesmarathon.com.

What else do you do for exercise? I teach step bench aerobics, body sculpting classes, water aerobics and also have done the home videos p90x and Insanity (which I also sell). Favorite trail or place to run in D.M.: I joined the Des Moines Marathon running club and every Saturday we do long runs. I really enjoy running through the Gray’s Lake area and even some of the pretty neighborhoods. What’s on your running playlist? A huge mix of rock, country and some rap. What running shoes do you prefer? Asics are my favorite. How will you celebrate after finishing the marathon? I’m not sure yet, but it will be with family and friends and a nice cold beverage.

Des Moines WOMAN | October 2011 7

shop

Go for

GOLD

buck the sILVEr standard — gold takes any outfit from meh to modern. by SARAH DOSE • photos by ERIC ROWELY

Burnished gold and rhinestones make a dramatic statement necklace ($44). Zumi.

8 Des Moines WOMAN | October 2011

These snake-like chains can be bent and manipulated in several ways. Make them belts, necklaces or bracelets. Long chain ($32) and short chain ($22), Zumi.

Stretchy leather belts are perfect for topping off a tunic and skinny jeans. Bottom belt ($22) and top belt ($16), Mainstream Boutique.

Go shopping

Accents and Interiors 2733 86th St., Urbandale; 276-7201. Mainstream Boutique 114 Fifth St., West Des Moines; 277-4117. Younkers Several Des Moines locations; younkers.com. Zumi 1141 42nd St.; 277-4629.

Des Moines WOMAN | October 2011 9

shop Tribal inspiration can make your accessories pop. Chain choker ($32), long necklace with pendant ($44), copper earrings with blue glass ($29), Zumi. Link bracelet ($115), Accents and Interiors.

10 Des Moines WOMAN | October 2011

Brown belts with gold details liven up a look. Belts ($22-$28) by Rolfs from Younkers.

Des Moines WOMAN | October 2011 11

shop

Dramatic bangles can make a drab outfit dazzling. Leather and metal bracelet ($24) and copper bracelet ($18), Zumi.

Bangles set ($27), Mainstream Boutique.

12 Des Moines WOMAN | October 2011

Shiny metals are hot for fall. Clockwise, from top left: Stretch bracelet ($46), Mainstream Boutique; gold pendant ($120), Accents and Interiors; stacked rings ($32), Younkers; rectangular copper earrings ($26), Zumi; matte gold chain necklace ($139), Accents and Interiors; beaded earrings ($38 in a set that includes a necklace), Zumi; gold San Benito necklace ($220), butterfly ring ($180), Accents and Interiors; copper and wool earrings ($24), Zumi. Des Moines WOMAN | October 2011 13

interesting woman

Lady of the dance

Kelly Schulte shares her passion for her Irish heritage and step dance.

Kelly Schulte enjoys a beautiful afternoon at home with her daughter Quinnlyn, 2.

by Patt Johnson photos by mARY cHIND

elly Schulte’s 2½-year-old daughter, Quinnlyn, was often soothed as a tiny baby by Irish music. Not always the sweet melodic tunes, but often rousing jigs and reels. After all, Quinnlyn had been hearing the traditional Irish music in utero and often since she was born. Her mother plays the music while choreographing and teaching Irish dance to a clan of eager young step dancers. “She now has her own little tap shoes,” says Schulte, who operates the Foy School of Traditional Irish Dance in Des Moines. There’s a good chance Quinnlyn will be a member of an Irish dance troupe when she’s older, following her mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.

dance fits in really well.”

back to my heritage.”

It’s a lineage Schulte is proud of. And while she doesn’t dance anymore (“I’m old; I can’t do some of the fancy jumps anymore”) except to demonstrate steps to her students, Schulte said Irish dance is an important part of her life.

Schulte lives in Johnston with her husband, Kevin, and daughter. She juggles two part-time jobs — as a consultant with the Iowa Department of Public Health’s early childhood program and for Lutheran Social Services — and teaching the art of Irish dance to about 50 students.

“My passion is people, especially children,” says Schulte, 32. “Whatever work I do is connected to that. And

“I started dancing when I was 5,” she says. “It was something I enjoyed doing and it was a source of pride that it tied

Growing up in Batavia, a western suburb of Chicago, her aunts, cousins, mom and others were involved in Irish dance. “It was common in Chicago,” she says. She would wear the traditional costume — a decorative, high-necked, full-skirted dress, mid-calf white Poodle socks, dance shoes and a head full of curls that bounced in rhythm to the music as she danced.

14 Des Moines WOMAN | October 2011

Schulte danced competitively with the

Irish dance teacher Kelly Schulte watches students rehearse at the Grace Ballet and Gymnastics Studio.

Foy School of Traditional Irish Dance in Chicago through high school before giving it up to attend Iowa State University. She would occasionally return to Chicago to help teach classes or assist at competitions. She met Kevin at ISU. After they married in 2004, the couple settled in Beaverdale. Kevin taught at Johnston and Southeast Polk school districts before becoming assistant principal at Saydel High School. Schulte got her master’s degree in social work at the University of Iowa. “We loved Beaverdale. We knew we wanted to put down roots in Des Moines,” she says. It was pure happenstance that she got back into Irish dance. She was wandering through an Irish shop in Valley Junction, which has since closed, and was talking to a clerk about her recent trip to Ireland and her dance background. The clerk told her there were no local classes and urged her to start a dance school. “So I got in contact with a couple of people and began teaching in my basement,” she says. As her classes grew, she moved to rented space in the Thoreau Center on Kingman Boulevard

and then to Grace United Methodist Church before landing recently in space at Grace Ballet and Gymnastics Studio in Saylorville. Her school is an affiliate of the Foy school in Chicago. Geraldine Foy created that school in 1974 and operates two satellite locations, one in Des Moines and the other in the Batavia area. Foy, who has special accreditation that allows her schools to compete nationally and internationally, said Schulte has always been a great teacher. “She is great with kids. She started classes in Des Moines with a small group that didn’t know anything and now she has some highly competitive dancers,” Foy says. Schulte also organizes a competition — feis as it’s called in the Irish dance world — in Des Moines each August that draws 400 dancers from the Midwest and one from Germany. The Two Rivers Féile is tons of work that Schulte says is made easier with the help of volunteers. Schulte promotes competitions as a way for advanced dancers to hone their skills. But she also teaches dancers that while it’s fun to win, it’s more important to do their best and congratulate

others on their victories. Mom Tonya Eaton of Clive says Schulte is extremely patient with her students. Her daughter, Nicole, 10, has taken Irish dance lessons for three years. “She knows her girls well. She knows Nicole’s personality and how to work with her,” Eaton says. And it’s not always all about dance. “She’ll tell the girls about being a mother and her career. She’s an excellent role model.” Schulte says she is sometime amazed that dance has come back into her life so fully. “In my life plan I didn’t think I’d be an Irish dance teacher,” she says. “But it’s always just been a part of my life.” Schulte says teaching dance has melded well with her passion for working as a child development specialist. “I believe every child should have opportunities in life. I have been blessed with what I had growing up. It was easy for me to turn out to be a good person,” she says. “I want to help promote a just and equal society in which children have the opportunity to make good choices.”

Des Moines WOMAN | October 2011 15

interesting woman

Rooted in With the opening of her own studio, Family Tree Yoga and Massage, yoga teacher Sandi Hoover found balance and happiness.

yoga

by Jennifer Miller photos by Andrea Melendez

hese days, it’s common for long-living Americans to have second — and even third — careers. Sandi Hoover is one of them — except she’s only 35. And lucky her, third time’s a charm. As it turns out, Hoover was born to be a yoga teacher. After a successful career as an oncology nurse, and a shorter one as a pharmaceutical sales rep, Hoover is now co-owner (with husband Zach) of Family Tree Yoga and Massage, which offers various types of yoga, Reiki and massage. Sandi is the head yoga instructor; Zach, head masseuse. It was Hoover’s nursing job that led her to yoga initially. “Working in oncology is high-stress; there’s lots of loss involved. I did plenty of cardiovascular exercise, but I needed something for my mind, too,” Hoover explains. Her first experience with yoga — a sort of one-size-fits-all, up-downmountain-tree-in-out, OK-bye session — was inauspicious. But her second class at a different studio stuck. It stuck through a brief second career as a pharmaceutical sales rep and two babies (Sullivan and Cohen, now 6 and 3). It stuck so tenaciously that in 2008, close to the nadir of the recession, Hoover and her husband, Zach, a chef, decided to start a new business. “After the birth of our second son,”

16 Des Moines WOMAN | October 2011

Hoover says, “Zach and I decided we needed to do something different. Zach needed to get out of the kitchen, and we needed to make a change, to work in a more family-friendly way.” So Zach trained in massage. Then he and Sandi, who had already been teaching yoga for other studios, found a charming old house on Ingersoll Avenue for the Family Tree.

To an observer, the timing of Family Tree’s opening is only surprising in that Hoover waited so long to make a real career of yoga and of teaching. Sitting across from her, it’s hard to imagine her as a suit-and-high-heelwearing pharmaceutical saleswoman trying to smooth-talk doctors into buying the drug du jour. She got into the business, she says, because she

thought it would be a chance to teach. “I remember talking to a drug rep [while working as a nurse] and thinking it sounded like a great job. I thought I could really talk to the doctors and share with them everything I knew about this or that drug,” Hoover says. Turns out the job was more about sitting in waiting rooms and there wasn’t much of that “teaching” time she craved. “I did love it for a couple of years,” Hoover says. “But yoga kept calling me back. And it came so easily to me — it was just natural.” Indeed. Body lithe and toned, spirit light and happy, eyes bright and untroubled — and looking like she was born to wear yoga pants (a rare talent) — Hoover exudes yoga-ness. Her aura is one of kindness and patience and calm — all wrapped around an awesome core of strength. She calls the Family Tree — and her teaching self — a work in progress. When the studio first opened, Hoover taught mostly group classes, but found that sometimes unsatisfying. “It’s challenging to help everyone work at their own level, to get to everyone,” Hoover says. But, on the other hand, she says, “I’m stimulated by the challenge, by trying to figure out how to reach everyone.” Hoover does still offer group classes but finds herself moving more and more toward private lessons. “Yoga,” Hoover says, “was originally something that was handed down, one on one, from teacher to student in an oral tradition. Group classes are efficient, but I feel like something gets lost.” And so she encourages new students to start with one-on-one sessions and spend some time practicing at home before going to group classes. “I’m trying to be more effective and not so much efficient.” The personal sessions suit Hoover’s intimate style of interaction, and she says, “they seem to attract the right people to me. It’s so rewarding to watch someone grow and heal. It’s a huge privilege and blessing to be a part of that.” Natalie Caldwell has been going to the Family Tree for about a year, and started with Hoover’s private sessions. “In a one-

Sandi Hoover teaches a yoga class at Family Tree Yoga to Sule Karama, Linda Tyler and Merryl Diebel.

on-one session, all the focus is on you. If you’re not aligned right, the teacher can help get you aligned. You get more personalized corrections,” she says. Caldwell, a runner who lives near the Family Tree, ran by the studio every day, and one day finally decided to investigate. “I had tried yoga videos, but didn’t like them,” she says. “And I was getting injured a lot. I thought maybe learning yoga would help with that.” And it has. Caldwell says she hasn’t been injured since she started going to the Family Tree. Hoover the business owner says she is constantly thinking ahead and refining — polishing, she calls it. The next step is becoming certified as a regional prenatal yoga instructor, which would include training prenatal yoga instructors, an opportunity that Hoover finds especially appealing. “I have a special place in my heart for it. It’s special and sacred to teach prenatal yoga, and it needs to be taught carefully

and compassionately.” Really, though, Hoover just wants to teach and has found that her passion, her abilities and the everyday reality of making a living have happily intersected — it’s tempting to call it a harmonic convergence — in the Family Tree. Caldwell feels the rightness of the fit, too. “Sandi is very comforting to be around, very grounded and down to Earth. She understands me and knows that I need to be pushed; she knows I lack upper-body strength and that I want to be taken right up to that edge of uncomfortableness. She just seems to know what people need.” Whatever forces in the universe — and within Hoover herself — have led up to this point, Hoover is obviously where she was meant to be. “I just feel really … grateful,” Hoover says quietly, nodding to herself at her word choice. “Every day is new, and I’m way happier than I’ve ever been. I would pay someone to let me teach.”

Des Moines WOMAN | October 2011 17

Careers&money Katy Hill is a flight nurse at Iowa Methodist Medical Center.

Lose the job stress Therapist recommends ways to deal with the pressures of stressful work. by Patt Johnson photos by Mary Chind

18 Des Moines WOMAN | October 2011

merican workers are more stressed than ever at their jobs. They worry about having to do more work with fewer resources, job security and stagnant or declining wages. About 30 percent of workers surveyed in a recent Gallup Poll were worried they were going to lose their jobs soon. Another 30 percent believed their hours were going to be cut and another 33 percent worried their wages would be cut.

All this can lead to anxiety, depression, nervousness, insomnia and health issues, says Linda Ream, a Des Moines therapist.

for about 14 years. She takes care of critically ill patients who are being transferred from a trauma scene or from another hospital to Methodist.

“About 25 percent of my clients come in complaining about job stress,” she says. “Most are feeling there is too much work to do and not enough time to do it.”

“It’s very stressful and intense at times,” she says. “The piece you never know is what you’re going to encounter. It can be a newborn or a trauma patient.”

Some jobs are naturally more stressful.

The hardest and most stressful times are transporting a child near the same age as Hill’s own children. “It puts you in

Katy Hill of Des Moines has worked as a Life Flight nurse

The camaraderie helps you get through the stress of the job. the shoes of that mother and it’s very hard,” she says. Hill copes with stress on the job by being prepared and seeking out co-workers who can relate to the situation. “We use dark humor sometimes to get us through especially stressful situations,” she says. It’s not meant to be disrespectful, but to help relieve the tension of a particularly stressful flight. “The camaraderie helps you get through the stress of the job.” The hospital also offers opportunities for health care workers to talk with professionals about particularly tough situations they encounter. “We can come back from a flight and debrief and talk about what happened,” she says. There’s also the stress of flying often, Hill says. “The risk part of the job can be stressful. It’s important to have confidence working with aircraft personnel.”

Ream offers these tips for dealing with stress: Try not to take work home. Getting away mentally and physically can help reduce stress. Get your resume together and look for another job. “If you’re sitting in a room filled with asbestos, you wouldn’t stay. Why stay in a stressful job you don’t like?”

Take care of yourself. Get enough rest and exercise. Practice deep breathing and relaxing techniques to release some tension. Examine your work situation and concentrate on areas where you have strengths and skills.

There’s no denying that all jobs have some stress attached to them. Some jobs are inherently more stressful, according to Careercast.com, an online employment service: Commercial pilot. Protecting passengers, keeping flights on time and flying in inclement weather all add to pilot’s stress levels. Public relations officer. This highly competitive field with tight deadlines keeps stress at high levels. Senior corporate executives. They are responsible for formulating the policies and strategies for their companies, along with directing the operations. Photojournalists. They are usually in the thick of the action, capturing sometimes dangerous situations on film. Newscasters. It’s a constant battle to beat the competition with breaking news. But there’s hope. Careercast.com lists these low-stress jobs: Audiologist

Hill works as a flight nurse part time now. Her main job is as EMS Coordinator for Iowa Health, a less stressful position. “I still fly once a week because I love it.”

Dietitian

Not everyone handles job stress well, Ream says. Too much stress is not healthy, she says.

Philosopher

Software engineer Computer programmer Dental hygienist Speech pathologist Mathematician Occupational therapist Chiropractor

Des Moines WOMAN | October 2011 19

Fashion

The glow of autumn fall’s best looks include prints, rich tones and texture.

Circle T tunic ($92), Adriano Goldschmied skinny jeans in camel ($159), black stretch tank ($48), Blond Genius.

Fashion editor: Sarah Dose • Photographer: Eric Rowley • Art Director: Amanda Holladay 20 Des Moines WOMAN | October 2011

True Religion skinny jeans in wine ($159), Velvet flowered tunic ($130), braided belt ($136), Blond Genius.

Fashion

Kaktus sweater ($59), and longsleeve T-shirt ($29), pendant necklace ($24), Kut jeans ($86), Mainstream Boutique.

22 Des Moines WOMAN | October 2011

On Ruthie: Neesh by DAR “Melanie” skirt ($142), Lilla P faux-wrap tee ($60). On Teri: Indigenous jacket ($148), Dorin Bros. hat ($30), Henry & Belle bootcut jeans ($138). All from Back Country.

Luii belted jacket ($96), longsleeve T-shirt ($19), Tribal pants ($66), Mainstream Boutique.

24 Des Moines WOMAN | October 2011

Indigenous travel coat ($232), Groceries scoop tank ($22), BB Dakota skirt ($52) and necklace ($58), Back Country.

Fashion Go shopping

Back Country 2702 Beaver Ave. 453-8451; theoriginalbackcountry.com Blond Genius 165 S. Jordan Creek Parkway, Suite 130, West Des Moines. 223-9907; blondgenius.com. Mainstream Boutique 114 Fifth St., West Des Moines. 277-4117; mainstreamboutique.com. Saharâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 4100 Westown Parkway, West Des Moines. 225-7559; sahars.com.

172 Grams tunic ($112), Mainstream Boutique; James Jeans skinny jeans ($114), Blond Genius.

26 Des Moines WOMAN | October 2011

Nanette Lepore jacket ($628), pants ($278), and top ($278), Sahar’s.

Nougat Mimi print dress ($250), guava cardigan with brooch accent ($230), Sahar’s.

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beauty

Wintertime skin by Jennifer Miller • photos by Justin Hayworth

ou know how it is. The sun-kissed glow you had all summer has waned — and taken its toll. Your hands start to feel like sandpaper; your lips are chapped and sore; and your shins look like they have dandruff. It’s getting colder and drier and your skin does not like it AT ALL. Besides moving to the tropics, what’s an Iowan to do? We asked two experts. Jessica Burns, an esthetics instructor at the Iowa School of Beauty: Cleanse. Make sure your face is truly clean and exfoliated every day. Burns says you should wash your face twice a day. Exfoliation will not only help reduce some of the obvious signs of sun damage but allow your skin to absorb moisturizer. During the day, Burns says, “the skin is in defense mode, always fighting free radicals. Your skin rejuvenates 25 percent more when you’re sleeping.” So it’s important to use a thorough cleanser. Know your skin type and look for a cleanser with a chemical exfoliant that doesn’t dry you out too much. Protect. Use sunscreen or makeup with sunscreen in it through the winter. Moisturize. Look for products that contain vitamins and antioxidants to help fight the daily bombardment of free radicals. Use a moisturizer that not only adds moisture but seals it in, repairing the moisture barrier. Look for “noncomedegenic” (non pore-clogging) on the label. Don’t ignore your lips. Lips need to be exfoliated, too, Burns says. “An easy, cheap way to do that is to, a couple of times a week, use a soft toothbrush and brush your lips gently, moving in a circular pattern.” Finish with a good lip balm.

Jessica Burns, an esthetics instructor at the Iowa School of Beauty, does a microcurrent treatment on Tina Galvan, an estethics student at the school.

28 Des Moines WOMAN | October 2011

Undoing damage. There are treatments that can reduce the signs of damage you have accumulated over a summer’s worth of sun exposure. A glycolic peel or microdermabrasion can help minimize the hyperpigmentation that comes with sun exposure (think sun spots). A newer treatment is called microcurrent, which is an electrical current combined with LED light therapy. Over time and several treatments, microcurrent is effective at reducing the look of hyperpigmentation, acne and acne scars, Burns says.

Keep your skin healthy and hydrated through Iowa’s cold winter months. Dr. Roger Ceilly, a West Des Moines dermatologist: Back off the hot showers. “In the fall, humidity drops. And anytime it’s below 60 percent, your skin starts to lose moisture. And every time you wash, you strip the lipids that help keep moisture.” Ceilly suggests cutting showers to every other day. Switch to a gentle soap. If you use a strong deodorant soap, change to something milder for the cold-weather months. Find a lotion containing mineral oil, ceramides (lipids) or glycerin. These are all humectants, which help restore moisture. Apply lotion immediately after washing,

while skin is still damp. Use a retinoid. To reduce the signs of summer’s damage, Ceilly says, “use a product with a retinoid, which will help with age spots and fine lines. But, Ceilly cautions, use these products with care, because they can be drying. Protect your lips. Use a petroleumbased product and apply before bed, as well as any time you’ll be outside, to protect your lips from wind. Sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen. At least an SPF of 30, Ceilly says. And don’t try to extend your tan in the tanning bed.

Jessica Burns demonstrates a glycolic peel on Tina Galvan.

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health

Soul Survivors

These two women survived breast cancer — and changed themselves in the process. by SARAH DOSE • photos by Rodney White

Natalie Jenkins, 44 Natalie Jenkins, 44, was diagnosed with breast cancer just before her 27th birthday. She had no history of breast cancer in her family, and her doctor was skeptical of her concerns. About six months passed between the first time she saw a doctor about the lump she found during a self-exam and when she was diagnosed. Within a few weeks, she had her lump aspirated, had a mammogram, a biopsy and a mastectomy. After she recovered from those procedures, she began a round of chemotherapy. Because the cancer had only spread to two of her lymph nodes, she was able to avoid a radiation treatment as well. Jenkins has been cancer-free for 18 years. On her awareness of breast health ... “I had boobs early, so my breast health was always on my mind.” “I was giving myself a selfexam when I was 26 when I detected it. I went to the doctor, he said not to worry. He also said not to check it too much, that it would change with my menstrual cycle.”

Natalie Jenkins, breast cancer survivor

It made my whole life change. Now, I have zero tolerance for when I’m not happy.

30 Des Moines WOMAN | October 2011

“Something kept nagging me. I don’t like to go to the doctor, but over those six months, something kept me going back.” On chemotherapy ... “I was so sick. The doctors gave me anti-nausea medicine but it didn’t work too well.” “I’ve always gotten sick. Sick with all of my pregnancies, motion sickness. … It was all just a whirlwind.”

“It’s just amazing ... my mother made a huge schedule and people came to stay for a week at a time. My mom, my sisters, (husband) Mark’s brother and sister, my sister’s mother-in-law from Kentucky … I was lucky.” On losing her hair ... “I cut my hair short before chemotherapy. Once, my brother was staying with me, and he’s about the funniest guy I know. We’d be on the couch, and he’d look at me and point on his head where my hair was falling out. I wasn’t allowed in the kitchen because of the clumps of hair I had falling out everywhere.” On how her kids (who ranged in age from 2-8 at the time) felt when she was sick ...

“I felt like the sicker I was, that meant the medicine was working more.”

“My body hurt. The kids would come home from school and want hugs and I would just cringe when they hugged me. But you have to suck that up.”

On the support she got while she was sick ...

“At first, a couple of their friends were scared of me

because I had no hair. But they got used to it.” On getting cancer at such a young age ... “It changed my whole life and perspective. Getting cancer at such a young age was almost good. It made my whole life change. Now, I have zero tolerance for when I’m not happy. I’ve quit jobs just because I wasn’t truly happy. Life’s too short.” “Before (I got cancer), I tried to be perfect. I had such negative self-talk. I wanted to make other people happy instead of making myself happy.” On what other women can take from her story ... Be aware of your body. You know your body best. Don’t be embarrassed by selfexams — they’re the best way to spot something.” Her advice for women who are diagnosed with breast cancer ... “Live your life. If you beat cancer, live your life. No matter what.”

It would be easy to sit and feel sorry for myself, but I have too much to live for.

Support breast cancer awareness What: Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure When: 9 a.m. Oct. 22 on the State Capitol grounds Info: Find details on the event, volunteer information and more at komeniowa.org.

Britt Morris, 39 Britt Morris’ mother was 52 when she died of breast cancer. So when Morris detected a lump when she was 33, she didn’t hesitate to schedule a mammogram. Six months after the test that came out “inconclusive,” Morris had a bi-lateral mastectomy. She agreed to be part of a study for new cancer treatments and she drew the “dense dose” portion of the trial, and had eight sessions of chemotherapy over four months. Morris’s experience with the trial was debilitating. She got extremely sick – was barely able to walk or talk – and could barely stay awake. She has seen doctors who are baffled as to why she is still so exhausted and sick and is unable to get disability benefits because she has been labeled as “depressed.” At one point, she became so desperate to recover she went to visit her brothers-in-law in California, who are both chiropractors. With their help (and a little alternative medicine), she regained her walking and talking abilities and now is a believer in detoxifying foot baths to relieve her painful symptoms. Her family lost their house when her husband, Mark, didn’t have a job. The Morrises (Britt, Mark and their kids, Libbey and Buddy), now live in a condo in Grimes. On preparing for chemotherapy … “I tried to stay positive. I tried to joke. I didn’t know what to expect. I cut my hair short and got a nice wig.” On the pain and sickness she felt during chemo … “I cried through my kid’s kindergarten graduation. It hurt to sit. It felt like somebody was stabbing me. Before chemo, I never had migraines. Now I get them once or twice a month.” On her experience with the study she took part in … “I would never do it again. I got so sick. It got to where I couldn’t talk, or walk. I was sleeping 16 hours a day. I would almost fall asleep at the wheel.” “I didn’t know where I was going. Once I had to pull over on my way to work because I’d gotten lost. My husband (Mark) had to come and get me.” On how she feels now, after all the chemo is over … “I will never feel normal again. I have to

push myself every day if I want to hang out with my kids.” “I haven’t been to the doctor in months. We can’t afford it.” On the support she’s received … “My sister says I’m strong and courageous. But I don’t feel strong or courageous. I just feel like when things are hardest, you have to rely on God.” “One Sunday, we didn’t go to church. The members of (Crossroads Community Church) instead came to our house and prayed with us.” Despite her experiences … “I’m grateful for everything. I’m grateful for my life, my family.” “If you find out you have cancer, don’t panic. Trust your doctors because they want what’s best for you. Find a support system.” “It would be easy to sit and feel sorry for myself, but I have too much to live for. I hope to inspire others to see how important (breast cancer awareness) is.”

Britt Morris, breast cancer survivor.

I don’t feel strong or courageous. I just feel like when things are hardest, you have to rely on God.

Des Moines WOMAN | October 2011 31

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