God, family and personality key in local woman’s battle with breast cancer
Mitzi Merkel of Benton has been on an emotional rollercoaster after being diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer in mid-february.
In February, Merkel, 45, discovered a lump in her right breast and, after a mammogram at Saline Memorial, was referred to CARTI due to the large size of the lump.
“The part that kills me – it’s not 100 percent guaranteed – but if I had just started my mammograms at 40, I might have caught it,” said Merkel.
Merkel’s biopsy revealed metastatic breast cancer, an estrogen-positive disease driven by hormones.
“When I got the call, and of course, I was working – to confirm that I was positive for cancer, I called my husband, and I had a 10-minute meltdown on my break,” she said, before finishing the work day.
Merkel, who works for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program section of the Central Arkansas Development Council, has shown resilience throughout her battle with cancer.
Everywhere she goes,
Merkel carries a Willow Tree Angel of Comfort, which she previously gave to a friend who was facing lung cancer and had lost her dog. When her friend passed away, the angel was returned to Merkel, who has carried it with her since her own diagnosis.
Originally from Kansas,
Merkel and her family moved to Saline County 14 years ago to be closer to her husband’s children from a previous marriage. Merkel said she refers to them as her “bonus kids” and loves them like her own two biological daughters.
Merkel’s treatment plan consisted of three phases. The first was chemotherapy, with two sets of chemo, including going in every 15 days for a dose of the “red devil,” known for its intense color and side effects that led to the loss of Merkel’s own red hair.
Following the “red devil” was another series of Taxol treatments that Merkel, a selfdescribed “go-getter” took as quickly as she could, despite the negative side effects.
“Amongst all of this, we’re trying to live as normal as possible,” said Merkel, maintaining her sense of humor, and finding joy in the support of her family and community.
Merkel’s husband and daughters have been by her side throughout, even helping her shave her head after her hair loss due to chemo.
“One of the most humbling experiences I have had is my daughter, Miranda, taking me to a couple of my chemo treatments and helping me during my surgery recovery. She would bathe me and do anything I needed,” said Merkel.
Merkel also praised CARTI for being helpful and informative from the front desk to the follow-ups, as well as her employer for being highly
understanding and working extensively with her during the difficult time
“Work has been exceptional through this whole thing. My boss is so understanding, and when I would have chemo, I would be off for about five days and she would tell me to take all the time I needed,” said Merkel.
In early August, Merkel faced the second phase of her treatment: A double mastectomy. Due to the cancer’s impact on her skin, Merkel was not eligible for implants.
Merkel’s family, who came from Kansas wearing matching supportive shirts, stayed with Merkel during her surgery and recovery period. She’s now healing and preparing for phase three, which involves radiation to ensure that all cancer cells
are eradicated.
“When I was recovering from my surgery I had a few days where I’d get frustrated at myself because I couldn’t do anything and I had to watch everyone around me do what I normally did,” Merkel said. “To me, throughout this whole process, what has upset me is not that I have cancer, but how it has affected everyone else.”
Phase three of Merkel’s treatment plan involves radiation. Merkel described the process as the doctors going in and “zapping” the areas where the cancer was previously found to make sure it’s gone.
This will be a daily practice for five to six weeks for Merkel, and it will likely leave her skin irritated and her body fatigued.
“And that doesn’t sound so bad to me, after all that I’ve
“Once I get done recovering from radiation, I’ll go back to working at the church and getting more interactive like I used to be. But, you know, it’s just taking it one day at a time.”
Afterwards, she will take a hormone blocker for up to 10 years, since her cancer was hormone-based, to help prevent recurrence.
“There are three things that have got me through this,” she said. “Number one is God. He’s above it all. Two, family, friends, that circle. Three, a good personality. I’m not saying I didn’t have bad days, because I did, we all do, but for the most part, you just have to stay positive,” said Merkel.
“I have always lived my life believing there is a positive to every situation. I mean, I’ll live through this, it’s just going to be a mountain to get there. And I might come out of it with less boobs, but I’m going to live through it,” she said.