NEDERLAND — “The fight is done. The war is won.”

Taken from “This is War” by the band 30 Seconds to Mars

 Kristina Hilton’s triumphant battle with breast cancer is pretty much summed up with a small, delicate tattoo on the inside of her left wrist.

“The fight is over. The war is won.”

The words, taken from the song “This is War” by the band 30 Seconds to Mars, are scripted around a pink ribbon which is a universal symbol of sorts for the fight against breast cancer.

Under the watchful eyes of her Chihuahua, Doodle; and cat, Rupert, the 36-year-old told of her journey with breast cancer. Her dialogue touched on all aspects of the cancer; from discovery and surgeries to chemotherapy and radiation treatments. But at no time did the dark haired woman’s thoughts drift to dismay and sorrow. However scary the health scare might have been, Hilton maintained a positive outlook.

“I was diagnosed on Nov. 4, 2008. A couple of weeks before my 35th birthday,” Hilton said.

Her doctor found “two very, very tiny masses” in her breast back in February 2008 during her annual physical exam. By September 2008; a period of time burned in the memory of many Southeast Texans as the era of Hurricane Ike; the tiny masses had grown to the size of “two grapes pushed together” and the area became painful.

“I went back to my doctor and said ‘I don’t care what it is just take it out,’” she said.

A surgeon removed the mass and a biopsy was performed. She received the results the very next day while at home recuperating. She had Stage 1 breast cancer. A lumpectomy followed a few weeks later and a lymph node biopsy came back free of cancer.

Treatment consisted of eight rounds of chemotherapy and 33 rounds of radiation.

“I started chemo two days before Christmas 2008 and had the last treatment in March 2009,” she said. “I started radiation right after that with the last treatment June 15, 2009.”

Hilton chose to have treatments close to home at Texas Oncology in Beaumont. Often when people hear the word “cancer” they rush to Houston’s oncologists but Hilton was comfortable with the treatment she received locally, she said.

Side effects

Hilton once wore her hair long and in 2008 decided to go for that short cut she had dreamed about. She snipped her hair to about chin length and loved the freedom of short hair. That decision, and knowing what to expect from chemotherapy, softened the blow when her hair began to fall out.

“Side effects vary from person to person,” she said. I still had hair after my first treatment and thought maybe it wouldn’t fall out. After the second round I was in the shower and touched my head and it fell out.”

Hilton brushed her hand against the right side of her now short hair to demonstrate how the locks fell.

“I was okay with it. I went to work bald-headed. I wore some hats and scarfs sometimes but I didn’t care. I was constantly hot (from the chemo), like I was having menopausal hot flashes. Less than a month after I was through with the chemo, my eyebrows and eye lashes fell out. But it was funny because right behind them were new lashes.”

Working

Hilton continued to work at her job at an environmental lab in Beaumont — a job she has had for 13 1/2 years — while undergoing treatments. She gleaned some inspiration from a nurse/fellow cancer patient she ran into near the beginning of her treatment. The nurse told how she successfully managed to work while receiving treatment for cancer saying “trust me, it can be done.” Hilton took those words of wisdom to heart, helping both her mind and her body.

“The only days I took off were on the days I did infusion which was once every two weeks,” she said. “Infusions can take anywhere from 1 1/2 hours to four hours to all day, depending on what they’re giving you (chemo drugs). And you’re not the only one there for treatment.”

Recovery and awareness

Chemo treatments made Hilton weak and her solace was a large recliner in her living room. The chair was where she spent time resting and watching movies while recovering after her chemo treatments. She often dozed off in the comfortable chair saying she didn’t have much energy during those period of time.

The radiation treatments affected her differently, she said. She wasn’t tired but did “look like a strawberry” as her skin reacted to the therapy.

“You don’t know what you can get through until you get through it,” she said of the experience as whole. “Everybody’s experiences are different but don’t do into it wondering how you’re going to make it. It’s about attitude. It wasn’t as awful as I thought it would be.”

The Nederland woman said her particular case was easy compared to what other women might face. Staying positive, she said, helped her face her cancer.

“Don’t let it get you straight out of the gate. When you find out, you ‘freak out’ with the initial shock,” she said. “If you can get past that, grab the thing by the horns. Things won’t surprise you.”

Hilton is all about awareness and knows that breast cancer is highly treatable and early detection is the key. She has a family history of cancer, she said, but not breast cancer. Annual physical exams and mammograms likely saved her life.

While battling cancer Hilton became involved with the Mid-South Jefferson County Relay For Life organization. She has served as a team captain for two years and looks forward to the 2011 event which takes place annually at Nederland’s Bulldog Stadium. She’s also learned a lot from the American Cancer Society.

“At first I didn’t know about ACS or the services offered,” she said.

ACS offers a wide variety of assistance ranging from rides to treatment, lodging, hair loss and mastectomy products and support.

Today, Hilton is cancer free, happy and healthy. She continues to have annual exams and mammograms and spread the word about early detection and testing.

The fight is done. The war is won.

mmeaux@panews.com