After having an incredible amount of pain in her back plague her for years, Amanda Early decided that it was time to get checked out by a doctor. In October 2021, Early went to the emergency room because of the pain and found out that she had a tumor on her spine. Within two weeks of the diagnosis, she had her first of what would be three spinal surgeries.
“Within two weeks of being diagnosed, I had surgery to remove the tumor. About a month later, the doctors informed me that I had a really rare form of cancer; sarcoma. My body has been through so much. I have been through three spinal surgeries and two sets of radiation,” Early said.
Early, thankfully, had a huge amount of support through this time. Having friends and family by her side, the ordeal has been just a little less scary.
“I read books that keep me inspired on my journey. My friends and family are there for me whenever I need them, and I also utilize Facebook a lot. I participate in groups that are filled with people that are in the same situation as me. That is now my go-to thing since there are so many others going through similar situations,” Early said.
Early has been able to not only help herself through the situation but lots of others as well. Early started a group in Northwest Indiana full of young adults that are battling or have battled cancer.
“I’ve recently created a young adult cancer group here in Northwest Indiana. We meet about once a month, and it has been great so far. No one is meant to be alone on this journey,” Early said.
Because of this journey, Early has had to grow a lot; physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. She describes getting diagnosed with cancer as the best thing that’s ever happened to her because she was able to focus on herself more than she has ever been able to.
“I have grown emotionally and spiritually through this whole journey, and I will always be so thankful for that. My life has changed for the better, believe it or not. I put my mental and physical health first. I’ve lost weight, I exercise, I go to therapy, I spend time in nature often, I speak up about my feelings, and I have pushed myself out of my comfort zone. I’ve found a true love for holistic health, and I’ve grown spiritually and become closer to my family. I realized that all the small things that society stresses over aren’t really worth it. That’s the silver lining of cancer,” Early said.
Early has been dealing with her cancer diagnosis for nearly two years and has learned so many new things that she wouldn’t have thought possible. She learned that maintaining your mind and body and valuing your relationships are extremely important. She has also had to adapt to being a new mom and a wife in the middle of all of this.
“My toddler really doesn’t understand what is happening because of her age, but my older daughter definitely does, and she has been the best sister and helper that I could ask for. I am so blessed to have such amazing girls. My husband is a registered nurse, so he has been able to help a lot with medical terminology and research. He’s been a great support too,” Early said.
Most importantly, Early wants everyone to take away just one thing from her experience.
“Advocate for yourself and always listen to your intuition. It’s there for a reason,” Early said.