Kevin Plott : In His Own Words
- By Kevin Plott / Photograph by Joe Howell
“In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.”
– Albert Einstein
If Albert was right, I’ve had my share of opportunity. I’ve experienced – and survived – cancer three times as well as open-heart surgery. All by the age of 41.
Briefly, my résumé includes Hodgkin’s disease at 15, melanoma at 26, colon cancer at 39, and
a heart valve replacement at 41. The opportunity lies in the experience and new attitude toward life that I’ve gained. I truly believe I am a better person because of these health issues.
If you are dealing with major health challenges, I hope this experience and insight helps you meet those challenges.
I share my story here, and volunteer with The Hope Connection, a telephone support program at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, to provide a survivor’s insight into the experience of cancer and to support others on the emotional cancer roller coaster.
cancer 1
Hodgkin’s what?
In the winter of 1976, a lump grew on the right side of my neck, next to my collarbone. I was in good physical shape, and night sweats and fatigue were unusual for a 15-year-old. Dad took me to see our family doctor, and I was admitted into the hospital for tests the next day. Hospital, me? This was my first experience in a hospital since I was born and at first it was kind of neat … yeah, at first.
Three days later, I was on my way to Ohio State University for evaluation. This was very stressful for Mom and Dad. We had no idea what was in store or that OSU was going to become my home for the next month.
There were so many tests, you’d have thought I was trying out for the space program. The diagnosis was Stage IIA Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and treatment included a splenectomy, three rounds of chemotherapy (specifically MOPP, or Mustargen/nitrogen mustard, Onvocin, Procarbazine and Prednisone). Next came 30 days of radiation. I can’t recall having any problems with the radiation, except for my skin feeling like paper and losing some hair. Then, another three rounds of MOPP. The MOPP was intense, creating short-term effects of nausea and shingles, and the long-term effects of permanent sterility. But the most important effect was letting me live to see another day.
The long-term effects of radiation didn’t show up for a while. Unknown at the time, I was born with a bicuspid aortic heart valve (seen in about 2 percent of the population). Usually these valves are treated or replaced later in life but not as young as 41. Apparently, the radiation to my chest accelerated calcification of my valve. Dr. Davis Drinkwater, then at Vanderbilt, replaced it with a mechanical valve in 2001, and I’m still ticking (literally).
cancer 2
Melanoma
All was well for a few years. I had started night school and was very active. Then in 1984, I had a melanoma removed from the right side of my neck. A year later, the lymph nodes on the left side of my neck began to swell. Biopsies revealed mycobacterial infection, specifically Mycobacterium fortuitum (easy for them to say). The nodes would pop up weekly, and I would go have them biopsied … all infected with the bacteria. This went on for several months, and I was treated with antibiotics.
Then a lymph node on the right side of my neck swelled. I called my oncologist (Dr. Bertha Bouroncle at OSU) and explained I had another one, but this time it was on the right side. There was a moment of silence, and then she asked, “The right side? You should not be having a problem on the right side. Get down here to see me right now.”
I was in for a biopsy of the swollen lymph node as soon as I arrived. The pathology results came back. Melanoma had invaded my lymphatic system. I was admitted that night.
Within a week, my tonsils were removed (not fun at 26), along with muscle, tissue and 37 lymph nodes in a radical neck resection. Half my neck was gone, but luckily all removed nodes were clean. Had I not been watched so closely, who knows how
far the melanoma could have spread!
I had a tough time adjusting to the incision. For months, I ached from neck to shoulder. I couldn’t turn my head and had difficulty moving my right arm. I’ve spent much of my life since being self conscious of the void in my neck. People often notice something is not quite right, but few inquire. I love it when someone is interested enough to ask.
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