Pat Camalliere worked for more than 40 years in health care, starting as a medical transcriptionist while earning a degree in biology. After graduation, she ran general surgery practices as a medical group administrator. Her job was to make sure the physicians and support staff provided the best care possible. Much of this care was for cancer patients.
During the last fifteen years of her career, she ran the general surgery practice at Rush Medical Center. The surgeons in her group treated cancer patients who were referred from around the world.
I was responsible for financial and staff management, as well as web content and other hands-on tasks. Our offices were across the hall from the Department of Oncology. I was in daily contact with cancer patients, both directly in my office and casually in hallways and restrooms. Yet, despite this contact, I rarely thought about the possibility that I could one day develop cancer myself.
A New Chapter: Mystery Writing and an Unexpected Diagnosis
After retiring in 2008, she started a new career as a novelist and published two historical mystery novels.
Life was good. I had the satisfaction of knowing I had spent most of my life doing important things for important people. In addition to my success as a writer, which felt like a dream come true, I loved singing in a classical chorus. I was well into writing my third novel and preparing to sing in a concert at Carnegie Hall—another dream. Then, in late 2017, at age 75, my life changed forever.
As is so often the case, Pat’s cancer came without warning and was discovered as an accidental finding while investigating another condition. She noticed a tender lump under her jaw, thinking it was a dental infection. Just to be sure, she checked with her doctors at Rush, who were suspicious and ordered a CT scan.
My otolaryngologist called me that evening to tell me the scan was suspicious for metastatic lymph and muscle disease on both sides of my neck. I had started that morning thinking I was being overly cautious by checking a minor dental infection and ended that night with a diagnosis of metastatic cancer.
After a biopsy of her tongue, a diagnosis of HPV-related squamous cell cancer was made.
Facing Treatment Head-On
Since the disease has a high cure rate, Pat was offered treatment through a research protocol. The treatment plan did not require surgery. She would receive thirty-five targeted radiation sessions and eight chemotherapy infusions of a chemotherapy agent that had fewer side effects.
Her first weeks of therapy were uneventful, but by the third week, she started to notice changes in her skin, appetite, and mouth. Later, Pat experienced significant pain and burning in her neck from radiation, and eating became very difficult.
I was grateful that I had a very supportive husband, family, and friends, as well as familiarity and complete trust in my medical providers and medical center. One of my two sons is a physician, and my daughter-in-law is an oncologist. Yet, a great deal was up to me. No matter how much I thought I knew, I didn’t really know until I faced the experience. It’s hard for someone who has been in a leadership position to know when to make their own decisions and when to let professionals do what they do.
Her day became a full schedule of not only treatments but exercises and medications to maximize her treatment and minimize side effects.
I remembered my mother’s complaint during her later years: ‘Staying alive is a lot of work!’ That was certainly true!
As a writer before being diagnosed with cancer, she published a weekly blog during treatment. She thought she could help others face cancer by writing about her own.
One tends to feel useless when under treatment. There was satisfaction not only in having accomplished something worthwhile but in the thanks I received from people my words had helped.
Life After Cancer
Eight years later, she is convinced she made the right decisions. She is cancer-free, but she does struggle with late effects such as lymphedema and neuropathy in her neck, coughing, and some difficulty swallowing.
Yes, I did sing with my chorus in Carnegie Hall in 2018 after treatment, but since then, I’ve had to give up singing because I cough too easily. Otherwise, I am leading a normal life, still writing novels, still speaking publicly on topics related to local history and novel writing, still enjoying family and most of my previous activities.
A Memoir of Strength and Survival
Recently, using notes from the blog, Pat has published a memoir about her cancer journey.
My memoir became my gift to the world. I understand the enormity of cancer. If I could help others through what I went through, I have to do it. Since there is little written about head and neck cancer, I wanted to put my story out there as a resource because I had the background. Most patients have a lot of fears, so it’s helpful to have someone who went through it as an example.
Cancer is not what people expect it to be. Every day changes as different effects take place when your body fights not only your disease but the treatment itself. I hope my memoir makes it easier for patients and gives them, their caregivers, and those who love them, a tool to see where they are at any given time and what to do about it.
Pat has her own website, where you can find more information about her work.
Staying Alive Is a Lot of Work: Me and My Cancer is both a practical guide to navigating life with cancer and a deeply personal memoir. It chronicles one individual’s journey, offering insight into the emotional and physical challenges of survival while highlighting the resilience needed to face adversity.
This inspiring book is available in both paperback and Kindle editions on Amazon, as well as through Eckhartz Press. You can find the paperback version of the book here: Staying Alive is a Lot of Work: Me and My Cancer
