Listen to Your Body: With The Community Behind Her, Carol Jackson Faces Up To The Challenge
By Mary Meldrum
Photo by Bernie LaFramboise
LONG TIME FERNDALE CHAMBER of Commerce member, animal rescue enthusiast and vegan; these are only a couple of the labels that fit Carol Jackson.
I am greeted at her door by a variety of cats. All told, she is fostering five from the Michigan Humane Society. They all have names. Cupid is her giant brindle greyhound from the Motor City Greyhound Rescue. Gentle and calm, he fits right in with all the felines and serves as the centerpiece on the couch in the fuzzy pile of lucky animals.
Originally from Michigan, Carol moved back from California, and she has been a homeowner in Ferndale for 14 years. “I started in the mortgage industry many years ago. I wanted to connect with the people in Ferndale, so I sought out the Ferndale Chamber of Commerce to do that,” shares Carol. That decision sparked the foundation of an accumulation of friends, neighbors and knowledge that has grown and lasted far beyond her aspirations as a mortgage broker. Through her work with the Chamber and through her own business, Bits ‘N Pieces Small Business Solutions, her warmth and ability to connect with the community has blossomed into a network of people who know her and care about her.
Carol had only received her diagnosis of Hodgkin’s Lymphoma three or four weeks before I interviewed her for this article. The massive shift she has had to make in all aspects of her life to accommodate cancer in that short amount of time is stunning. Carol was a long-time member of the Ferndale Chamber of Commerce until just recently. She has been a member for over ten years, and recently served as interim executive director for the Chamber three times over a two-year span.
“Two years ago when we lost our executive director at the Chamber, I was the only one with the flexibility in my schedule to take on the interim role while we looked for a new Executive Director. The person that we hired didn’t last long, so I took it over again. Once again, the newly-hired ED did not last long, so back in October (2015), I took over the Chamber again for six months.”
During the second time that Carol Jackson took over the reins at the Ferndale Chamber, she began to feel that something was “off” in terms of her health. Mostly, she felt tired. “Fortunately, I have two incredible doctors who listened to me and followed through to really figure out what was going on. I give a lot of credit to Dr. Joel Kahn, one of those doctors.” Dr. Kahn is a plant-based cardiologist, and was looking for heart-related issues with Carol’s symptoms, and ended up seeing something unusual in one of the tests that came back that led to her cancer diagnosis.
“Because he listened to me and he ordered these tests – if it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t even know I was sick. Listen to your body. If it feels weird, something is going on,” she said adamantly.
“I had my first chemo today,” Carol explains. “Once I got the diagnosis, I started the process of switching every-thing in my life completely around.”
Carol has already gone out and purchased bandanas for the inevitable loss of hair. She is also having a specialized hair replacement piece made by an organization in West Bloomfield called Raydiance for Women.
“I am going to transition that as softly as I can with a sense of humor,” expressed Carol with a smile. Carol understands what a difference it makes in her quality of life to have a full head of hair. “You cannot tell me that people do not treat you differently,” she emphasizes.
She wants people to see her as they have always seen her, but more than that, she wants to see herself. The hair piece will give her the opportunity to look in the mirror and see Carol. She doesn’t have to look at a reflection that only shows her cancer.
One of her biggest challenges is wondering if or when she can ever trust her body again. Other challenges include keeping her energy up, juggling her demanding vitamin schedule, being able to continue to work and earn a living, and of course, paying for all her medical expenses.
One of the most wonderful things that have come out of her diagnosis a few weeks ago is the outpouring of love and support from the community. Neighbors and friends are bringing her food and walking her dog. Upbeat messages and happy memories on her Facebook page lift her spirits.
What does Carol need? Sure, help walk her dog, Cupid; or better yet, go foster an animal from a shelter. She would probably like some meals delivered, but the biggest thing that she is looking for is positive messages and upbeat support. No upsetting words or stories about “incurable” cancer or sad stories of people who have died from cancer.
Carol’s is determined to have a happy ending with cancer, but in the meantime, she is looking for all the happy moments she can muster!
If slightly happened with our heartiness, we believe there is a solution to any maladies in a cure. What medicines do patients purchase online? Viagra which is used to treat impotency and other states coupled to erectile dysfunction. Learn more about “sildenafil“. What folk talk about “viagra stories“? The most vital aspect you must look for is “sildenafil citrate“. Such problems commonly signal other problems: low libido or erectile dysfunction can be the symptom a strong heartiness problem such as heart trouble. Causes of sexual malfunction include injury to the penis. Chronic disease, several medicaments, and a condition called Peyronie’s disease can also cause sexual dysfunction. Even though this medicine is not for use in women, it is not known whether this treatment passes into breast milk.
