Lung Cancer Survivor Coauthors Roadmap for 'Fighting Back' in Face of Staggering Odds

TAMPA, Fla., Aug. 4, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The fantastic news of Rosann Plautz's survival is by no means the end of her fight, but it's a long way from when her doctors told her she was going to die: "There are no alternatives; you are going to die." Her first medical oncologist dismissed the PET scan results that showed the cancer had not spread: "Once it's spread to the brain nothing else matters." Hospice intake nurses estimated Rosann had three months to live.

There was little warning. Rosann attended her 50th high school reunion the previous evening. She played golf five days earlier. Suddenly, on March 5, 2011, the headache began. Six hours later a neurosurgeon performed an emergency craniotomy to relieve swelling in Rosann's brain; one of three metastatic tumors had ruptured. Rosann survived the operation but lost 90% of her eyesight.

Rosann is 5'6', 113 lbs, with a heart of a lion. The progress she is making "fighting back" against an incurable disease is a testament to her inner strength and refusal to give up. She likes to say, "All I can do is play the cards I've been dealt. What are the alternatives, give up? Never!"

There are many heroes in Rosann's story, including Dr. Janelle Park, Tampa Bay Cancer Center, who did the 33 lung radiation treatments at no cost when hospice refused to pay because IMRT is too aggressive. "I'm not going to let insurance companies tell me what's best for my patients," Dr. Park explained.

Dr. "Peter" Park (no relation), Florida Cancer Specialists, debunked the notion that chemotherapy and radiation treatments cannot be done together. Dr. Park had the privilege of telling Rosann the good news. "These are the miracles that make it all worthwhile," Dr. Park commented.

"The unsung heroes are hundreds of friends that have prayed for Rosann and the One who listened to these prayers. This crisis caused Rosann to reach out for His help, which has undoubtedly contributed to her unbelievable progress," stated Jim Plautz, Rosann's husband and coauthor of a 103-page book with Rosann, Fighting Back, which offers their formula for victory over an "incurable" disease: Stage 4 lung cancer.

Rosann's story is not over. Rehab will be long and arduous. Her husband marvels at Rosann's courage. He said, "Every day she fights to do little things that she once did easily. Her loss of vision is a constant challenge, but every morning she wakes up with renewed optimism."

Visit http://www.customsportsnovels.com/-Fighting-Back-.html for more details about Fighting Back.

Book cover:
http://www.ereleases.com/pic/Fighting-Back.pdf

Photo of Rosann Plautz and Dr. Janelle Park:
http://www.ereleases.com/pic/Plautz-Park.jpg

Contact Name:

Jim Plautz
Phone: 813-968-6867
Email: [email protected]

This press release was issued through eReleases(R).  For more information, visit eReleases Press Release Distribution at http://www.ereleases.com.

SOURCE Rosann and Jim Plautz