Everyday Sioux-Per Heros: Melissa
The definition of a hero, per the Oxford Dictionary, is "a person who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities." Melissa, a local mom from Brandon, SD, embodies that definition. She is a full time mom who juggles breast cancer, homeschooling her three children, and managing and advocating for her daughter who has a heart condition. 
September 5, 2020 was a day that would forever change Melissa's life. A mammogram confirmed there was a mass in her breast and an ultrasound confirmed it was cancer. A biopsy confirmed that she was stage 3 her2+ invasive ductal carcinoma that had also spread to lymph nodes in her armpit. She endured 6 rounds of chemo while also battling intestinal infections and chemo side effects. On top of it all, Covid 19 was in full effect and she had to sit through every appointment and every chemo session alone. As a full time mom, hanging up her hat wasn't an option. She still had kids to raise, a family to run, kids to teach, and a daughter to medically manage. As any modern day super hero, she kept going and she kept fighting. Day in and day out. 
Chemo finally ended January 7th, 2021. She was given 6 weeks to recover from chemo before having a bilateral mastectomy with reconstruction where they also removed lymph nodes from her right armpit. The recovery was debilitating and slow. She had drains for 16 days and she was under a weight restriction for 12 weeks. Mind you, she was a stay at home mom of three. 12 weeks of not picking up her children and holding them or calming their fears. 12 weeks of not being able to take care of her family as she longed for. 12 grueling weeks of wanting to be more and do more, however, the pain was a constant reminder of her physical limitations. Her youngest was in and out of the hospital with health issues throughout Melissa's treatment. As any mother would, no matter how she felt, she was there for her. Day and night she was right next to her child and advocating for her daughters health despite fighting for her own life.
March 17 she began her first of 35 rounds of radiation everyday for 7 weeks. March 2021 she began immunotherapy every 3 weeks until September 2021. It had been a year of trials, tears, and perseverance. September 2021 she heard the words she had longed for so long, "Cancer free." Today, she is still doing follow up care every 6 months, as her type of cancer has the highest reoccurrence rate. She is scheduled for another revision surgery to be done for further repairs on her breast reconstruction. She is still homeschooling her children and raising three happy, healthy, and beautiful daughters. The best thing about Melissa is that no matter what she is going through, what trials life is putting her through, you will always find her with a smile. She is more than a good mother and a good women. She is a beautiful soul who carries a light in her smile and love in her bones. She was never prepared for half of what this life has thrown at her, but she got through it. And she always will. I hope that when she looks in the mirror she sees what everyone around her sees; a fighter.
Make sure to nominate your Sioux-Per Hero Of the Week to be featured on Macaroni KID Sioux Falls. Sioux-Per Heros will be chosen each week and be given TWO FREE drink cards from Dunn Brothers East Sioux Falls. These FREE drink cards allows for any beverage, of any size off of their menu.
