Page 5 - July 2022 CW Magazine
P. 5
You see, this teenager was me. I was in the
throes of preparation for the Candidate Fitness
Test for the US Air Force Academy and
fulfilling my calling to a life in uniform except
for this health challenge. All I wanted was
assistance in managing the pain, and not to
have any procedure that was life-altering in an
area I didn’t even understand. My desire was to
focus on being part of the first decade of
women to attend this prestigious institution
and serve my country that had given me so
much. Truly, it was all that really mattered to
me in that moment.
As I pressed forward, I was blessed to
eventually fulfill this dream of attending and
receiving an officer commission from the Air
Force Academy that included parachuting, Behind door number one was an almost
flying airplanes and becoming a champion picture-perfect delivery – that was great!
athlete in two sports: powerlifting and rugby. Behind door two was an unexpected
This led to a career in military medicine and relationship break-up that devastated me and
training for a shot at the Olympics – the goal left me an instant single parent in the first few
was Weightlifting at the 2004 games in months of becoming a parent. This also made
Greece. Have you ever experienced an door three much more challenging to deal
interruption in your plan with a plot twist? with, as I learned that while the rest of the
pregnancy and delivery went very well
So, let’s go back to the young teenager who medically, there was undetected cervical and
was told that natural childbirth would not be ovarian cancer hiding inside. I was
in her cards. I was doing my rotation in OB- overwhelmed and in disbelief. My mind began
GYN in Wichita, Kansas, when I began to to race … “What about the Olympic dream?
experience symptoms similar to that earlier What about my military and medical career?
timeframe, and on that pivotal day when What next?” The questioning ran rampant in
about half of my beautiful, caramel brown hair my brain. I also had no idea this would be just
fell into my hands in the shower, I knew I a short stint in the overall journey.
needed to be seen as soon as possible.
Naturally, I was nervous and did not even After going through all necessary procedures
know what to think. Have you ever had a successfully in a relative short timeframe, I was
surprise that just “blew your socks off?” Well, declared cancer free – insert happy dance! A
get ready …I was expecting a baby! Yes, I was few short years would pass that included a
pregnant and about 6-months along! couple more military moves, the last to the
Absolutely crazy!! And, I was not prepared for Washington DC area, the adoption of another
all that was yet to come. miracle baby and a hope of new career
horizons that included entrepreneurship. All of
this before the real battle began.
Continued on Page 8
THE CONTEMPORARY WOMAN MAGAZINE www.thecontemporarywoman.com I 5
