February 2, 2012 I The Lovell Chronicle I 15
Cancer victim finds strength Free oral
h,st0ry
in faith and her community workshop
you want to make
sure your family stories are
BY PATTI CARPENTER
A persistent and nag-
ging pain in her side and
encouragement by a friend
to see a doctor caused
45-year-old Lovell resident
Paula Verdetto to pay a
visit to her doctor. At first,
her doctor thought that
she had a urinary tract
infection and prescribed
a course of antibiotics to
treat the infection.
Two weeks later, when
the pain persisted and she
felt her energy dwindling,
Verdetto returned to her
doctor for more tests.
"I knew something was
wrong, I could just feel
it," said Verdetto. "A close
friend of mine was hon-
est with me and told me
she didn't think I looked
good and that I should go
back to the doctor. This
confirmed what I already
knew. Something was
wrong. So I took her advice
and returned to the doctor
the next day."
More tests, including
a CT Scan, showed a mass
in her uterus and a biop-
sy confirmed that she had
cancer.
"From this point for-
ward, my head was swim-
ming with every thought a
person goes through after
hearing the C-word," said
Verdetto.
A surgery was sched-
uled for Nov. 28 after tests
revealed it was endometri-
al cancer within her uterus
that had already spread to
one ovary and one fallopian
tube.
"Cancer does run in my
family, but who wants to
hear that diagnosis?" said
Verdetto. "I knew some-
thing was wrong."
Her husband Mike
asked the doctor the bold
question, "Is this a death
sentence?" The doctor an-
swered, "absolutely not,"
giving the couple the hope
and courage to face a treat-
ment program that would
not only include surgery
but chemotherapy and ra-
diation treatments, as well.
"That's my husband,"
explained Verdetto. "He's
very up front and he asked
the question that was go-
ing on in my head."
Within a few weeks of
the surgery Verdetto got
the good news that it had
not metastasized, but she
faced the realization that
this was only the beginning
of her fight against the dis-
ease.
Unfortunately, Verdet-
to doesn't have health in-
surance. The surgery bill
alone was $48,000 and bills
will surely mount as she
continues her treatments.
"I have to say that I
don't think I could have
gotten through this if it
wasn't for the people here
in this town," said Verdet-
to. "I don't claim to be a
very religious person, but
my husband and I are very
spiritual people, and I be-
lieve that somewhere down
COURTESY PHOTO
Lovell resident Paula Verdetto was diagnosed
with cancer in November. Verdetto is undergoing
treatments but doesn't have health insurance.
the road somebody is going
to be going through this
just like me, and I'll be able
to help them in some way."
Already, cancer survi-
vors from within the com-
munity have come forward
to offer support and people
of all religions have offered
to pray for her.
"We have had support
and prayers from people all
over the world actually,"
said Verdetto. "Even the
regular folks here in town
have come forward to pray
for us, and I can feel their
prayers."
Verdetto and her hus-
band Mike moved to Wyo-
ming close to 12 years ago,
settling in Lovell literal-
ly because their car broke
down and someone offered
to rent them a place to live
in Lovell. Since then they
have formed many last-
ing friendships in the com-
munity through their in-
volvement in the Masonic
Lodge, the Widows Sons
motorcycle group connect-
ed with the Masonic Lodge
and their bowling team.
"Wyoming has been
good to us, but most of all,
it's the people here who
have been good to us," said
Verdetto. "Both of us are
from big cities back east
and my family just can't be-
lieve how good people have
been to us through all this."
Verdetto says she is
overwhelmed by the sup-
port she's received from
people in the area.
"I don't want can-
cer to be my number one
thought," explained Ver-
detto. "I want to have a
normal life. Yes, I have
cancer. Yes, I'm receiving
treatments for it, but it's
not going to beat me. It's
not going to be the thing
that takes me out of this
world."
Editors note: A fund
has been set up for Paula
Verdetto, because she has
no health insurance. Do-
nations are being accept-
ed at http://dying to ride.
org/paula.htm and at the
First Bank of Wyoming in
Lovell.
not lost? Do you want to train
your students or volunteers
at a museum or school to con-
duct thorough interviews for
an oral history program?
An oral history train-
ing workshop with historian
Linda Orrell, will be held on
Thursday, Feb. 2, from 2 to 4
p.m. at the Park County Li-
brary in Cody. The workshop
is free and open to the pub-
lic. This workshop is open to
anyone, professional or ama-
teur, to learn how to capture
critical histories.
Orrell's oral history ca-
reer began with Pearl Har-
bor survivors in Atlanta, Ga.
Her goal was to bring history
alive in her American Stud-
ies classroom. As a result,
she received a grant to inter-
view Pearl Harbor survivors
at Pearl Harbor.
For more information,
call the Homesteader Mu-
seum at 754-9481 or Park
County Archives at 527-
8530.
Correction:
School makes
honor roll fix
In last week's Chron-
icle, Cole Simmons' grade
point average was listed in-
correctly. Rocky Mountain
Middle School has corrected
his average. It should have
been reported as a grade
point average of 4.0.
......
:: Slop in and ask about memberships,
gel o lour of our facility
Mon.-Thurs., 4:30-6:30 p.m.
or call 548-2639 for more information.
'Nortf/'B '>/,rn qspital'District. .
North Big Horn Hospital Clinic
1115 Lane 12, Lovell
MARY FREUND, NP-C
Special Interests:
Geriatrics & Women's Health
Monday-Friday • Sam-5pm and Saturday 9am-noon
Appointments: 307-548-5201
www.nbhh,com
Call Stormy, 548-2217, to advertise your
business in our local business guide.
qorth Sit! g-[onl '}ospit alDistrict
North Big Horn Hospital Clinic .:
1115 Lane 12, Lovell
Deborah Brackett, MD
Special Interests:
Women's Health, Pediatrics & Geriatrics
Monday-Friday • 8am-5pm and Saturday Sam-noon
Appointments: 307-548-5201
www.nbhh,com
I
,rth Biq 'orr '2ospital'©istrict
North Big Horn Hospital Clinic
1115 Lane 12, Lovell
KEN FERBRACHE, MPAS, PA-C
Special Interests:
Family Medicine & Cardiac
Monday-Friday • 8am-5pm and Saturday 9am-noon
Appointments: 307-548-5201
www, nbhh,com
'N0rtfi '_8it (Horn 'ffo.pital'District
North Big Horn Hospital Clinic
1115 Lane 12, Lovell
DAVID E. HOFFMAN, MD
Special Interests:
Endoscopy & Laparoscopy Surgery
Monday-Friday • 8am-5pm and Saturday 9am-noon
Appointments: 307-548-5201
www.nbhh,com
'N'ortti Biq 'H,rn q-/md'_r)istrict
North Big Horn Hospital Clinic
1115 Lane 12, Lovell
JACK CARPENTER, MHS, PA-C
Special Interests:
Emergency Medicine & Family Practice
Monday-Friday • 8am-5pm and Saturday 9am-noon
Appointments: 307-548-5201
www, nbhh,com
LOVELL
CHIROPRACTIC
Oliver Mitchell, D.C.
CRA - Muscle Testing
After hour appointments available
Monday - Friday
9 am - 5 pm
203 Park Ave., Lovell
548-7020
'fforth Big -ton g4"ospita['District
North Big Horn Hospital Clinic
1115 Lane 12, Lovell
TROY J. CALDWELL, MD
Special Interest:
Pediatrics & General Medicine
Monday-Friday • Sam-5pm and Saturday Sam-noon
Appointments: 307-548-5201
www.nbhh.com
Peripheral Artery
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For more information please call
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1115 Lane 12, Love/I, WY 82431
8 a.m. - 4 p.m., 24-Hour Emergency Call
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Big Horn County Public Health
Immunizations, Adult Health Visits, Emergency Preparedness
Offices located at the Senior Centers A,,%g
417 S. 2nd St. 757 Great Western '"
Greybull,WY Lovell,WY 'K./,'-
765-2371 548-6591 \\;
Programs and services for families \\;
Breasffeeding support, infant growth and development- Health
coverage for kids with special health or genetic conditions • Medicali
and Kid Care applications • Infant and childhood immunizations •
Commit to your health lifestyle information
Dr. Jomes C ,ristiansen,
D.D.S.
James Christiansen, D.D.S.
Welch Family Dentistry
Office hours by appointment
307-548-7501
84 Park Ave., Lovell, WY
This space available
for only $15/week
(3 month min.)
Call 548-2217
for more details
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