Amy Tippens Portrait of a Survivor
By Andrew Millar
E-mail: andrew@BradleyNewsGroup.com
More photos at visionstudiosphotography.com
When Amy Tippens got married in December if 2006, she never thought that in five months her life would change forever.
Amy went to the doctor after complications with a lot of foot pain. Thanks to her husband for the extra push to go to and get herself checked out. No one could have expected the news she would receive.
In May of 2007, Amy heard the words that scared her to tears. Being a newlywed one has hopes of a new life, a new house and a new job and starting a family. The doctor on the other end of that momentous phone call said; “You have leukemia”. “I was shocked and scared to death. Would I live? Would I die? Why me?” Where among the many questions flowing through Amy’s mind and emotions.
“I was calling everyone and telling everyone what was going on. But then there came a point when I felt I had to become the strong one.” Amy told the Bradley News weekly. “I had to be positive and strong for everyone else.
Amy’s doctor sent her to Vanderbilt hospital in Nashville right away. About two hours later the doctors started her treatment right away. Amy stayed at the hospital from May when she was diagnosed to the end of July. “I was clueless about what leukemia was and I thought it was something that only little kids got, I didn’t know it was something that older people got.”
Having battled with a life threatening disease such as leukemia has made Amy appreciate what God has made and my husband and my family and my parents and just appreciate things more. Before I was more materialistic and I had a plan for my life and then leukemia changed her life. Wanting to have a baby would pose a problem. Doctors said she needed to go to a fertility specialist and that she might have complications getting pregnant. She might be pre-menopausal due to the chemo she received.
Her family and friends were skeptical that if she was to get pregnant that the baby might have birth defects or issues. Was she strong enough to carry a baby? After finding out she was pregnant last October. Amy gave birth to a healthy baby boy May 26th 2008.
Amy belongs to Team Hope, a team that walks to raise money for the Cancer and Lymphoma Foundation. Light the Night Walk will be held Sept 20th in Chattanooga.
Amy is wanting to start Strut your Mutt - her own walk in Cleveland to raise money for cancer research. A possible spot is the Cleveland Greenway. People could bring their pet and enjoy the day and know that they are helping out people that they know, or people they’ve never met.
The whole experience has made Amy respect life and no to be so materialistic. “You never know how your life will change. Even if it’s just a split second.”
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