The Villages - October 2017 - 14
ElainE StEin
Colon CanCer took her father. After it
happened, Elaine Stein had a healthy fear of the disease
and was careful about her screenings and exams.
"I paid attention, got regular colonoscopies and kept
the possibility of colon cancer in my mind," Stein said.
The Gurnee, Illinois, resident spent time with her
grandsons, attending all of their wrestling matches and
sports meets. Meanwhile, her sister Sandra urged her to
come to The Villages for sun, fun, and relaxation.
"I wasn't ready then," Stein said. "But when
my grandsons were out of high school, I
told Sandra, "I'm all set now."
In 2011, Stein made the nearly 1,200-mile trek, trading
her snow boots for sandals.
It was a new life chapter,
sans the bitter cold and all
of the familiar things.
"I had to find new favorite places to shop,
new entertainment venues, and new restaurants
and foods," Stein said. "It
seems silly, but I was so
thrilled when I came across
the sherbet ice cream I used
to eat in Gurnee."
Stein said she has always been
a "loner," but staying active was
important for her.
"I started working when I was 9 years old, peeling
potatoes, washing pots and helping take care of my
father's diner. That experience established my work
ethic, and I enjoyed keeping busy," she said. "Later, I
worked as an office manager and found a measure of
satisfaction in doing things efficiently and finding ways
to do things better - challenging myself."
The incredible array of Villages clubs intrigued her.
"I'm a member of several clubs, including the
14
OCTOBER 2017
Airheads and the Elaine Club," Stein said. "I have
enough to do on a regular basis."
As for challenges, Stein found those, too, in recent
years, beginning with her cancer diagnosis.
"I had gotten away from my routine screenings,
so my primary care physician urged me to schedule a
mammogram and a colonoscopy," Stein said.
Nervous about the latter, Stein expected an ominous
report - colon cancer, perhaps.
"I had a bad feeling," she said. "But I never
considered breast cancer."
Her mammogram revealed just
that.
"The radiologist said the
cancer was like sand, so even
self-exams would not have
detected it. Luckily, it was
non-invasive, non-aggressive, and in the very early
stages," she said.
Stein took medications and cooperated
with medical staff until
her markers improved.
"My philosophy is, you
play the hand you're dealt,"
Stein said. "I've always been a
good poker player, so I did what I
could with the cards I had."
Stein's condition continued to improve
until breast cancer was simply an unfortunate health
hurdle she had encountered. All signs indicated she
had beaten breast cancer and could celebrate the win
with women who also had conquered the beast.
"What a relief," she said.
But the reprieve would be short lived. In early 2017,
she began experiencing pain. A scan revealed a new
kind of cancer - ovarian.
"It was not related to the breasts," Stein said, "but it
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Villages - October 2017
Contents
The Villages - October 2017 - Cover1
The Villages - October 2017 - Contents
The Villages - October 2017 - 1
The Villages - October 2017 - 2
The Villages - October 2017 - 3
The Villages - October 2017 - 4
The Villages - October 2017 - 5
The Villages - October 2017 - 6
The Villages - October 2017 - 7
The Villages - October 2017 - 8
The Villages - October 2017 - 9
The Villages - October 2017 - 10
The Villages - October 2017 - 11
The Villages - October 2017 - 12
The Villages - October 2017 - 13
The Villages - October 2017 - 14
The Villages - October 2017 - 15
The Villages - October 2017 - 16
The Villages - October 2017 - 17
The Villages - October 2017 - 18
The Villages - October 2017 - 19
The Villages - October 2017 - 20
The Villages - October 2017 - 21
The Villages - October 2017 - 22
The Villages - October 2017 - 23
The Villages - October 2017 - 24
The Villages - October 2017 - 25
The Villages - October 2017 - 26
The Villages - October 2017 - 27
The Villages - October 2017 - 28
The Villages - October 2017 - 29
The Villages - October 2017 - 30
The Villages - October 2017 - 31
The Villages - October 2017 - 32
The Villages - October 2017 - 33
The Villages - October 2017 - 34
The Villages - October 2017 - 35
The Villages - October 2017 - 36
The Villages - October 2017 - 37
The Villages - October 2017 - 38
The Villages - October 2017 - 39
The Villages - October 2017 - 40
The Villages - October 2017 - 41
The Villages - October 2017 - 42
The Villages - October 2017 - 43
The Villages - October 2017 - 44
The Villages - October 2017 - 45
The Villages - October 2017 - 46
The Villages - October 2017 - 47
The Villages - October 2017 - 48
The Villages - October 2017 - 49
The Villages - October 2017 - 50
The Villages - October 2017 - 51
The Villages - October 2017 - 52
The Villages - October 2017 - 53
The Villages - October 2017 - 54
The Villages - October 2017 - 55
The Villages - October 2017 - 56
The Villages - October 2017 - 57
The Villages - October 2017 - 58
The Villages - October 2017 - 59
The Villages - October 2017 - 60
The Villages - October 2017 - 61
The Villages - October 2017 - 62
The Villages - October 2017 - 63
The Villages - October 2017 - 64
The Villages - October 2017 - 65
The Villages - October 2017 - 66
The Villages - October 2017 - 67
The Villages - October 2017 - 68
The Villages - October 2017 - Cover3
The Villages - October 2017 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/thevillages/TheVillages/ContinuingTheDream_Vol6
https://www.nxtbook.com/thevillages/TheVillages/ContinuingTheDream_Vol5
https://www.nxtbook.com/thevillages/TheVillages/ContinuingTheDream_Vol4
https://www.nxtbook.com/thevillages/TheVillages/DreamALittleDream-RRO
https://www.nxtbook.com/thevillages/TheVillages/ContinuingTheDream_Vol3
https://www.nxtbook.com/thevillages/TheVillages/ContinuingTheDream_Vol2
https://www.nxtbook.com/thevillages/TheVillages/ContinuingTheDream
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com