Florence Myers - "96 Years Young"

Florence Myers, Chapel Hill, NC

Florence Myers is enjoying being 96 years young.

In mid November of 2008, she presented with worsening abdominal symptoms secondary to an obstructing colon cancer, which required emergency surgery by Dr. Horacio Hojman. The operation resulted in a temporary colostomy, which was expected to allow Ms Myers to recover prior to a more extensive operation to remove her tumor.  Continued slow bleeding by the tumor forced an early second operation by Dr. Ben Calvo for removal of the cancer and closure of her colostomy.  She tolerated this second procedure quite well.  From the hospital she was readmitted to the rehab center for physical therapy and as she quickly regained her strength returned to her home at Covenant Place in Chapel Hill in mid March.

“It was a rough time for me, “ Mrs. Myers said, “ but I’m doing well now. The Lord has been good to me.”

At Covenant Place her favorite activity is socializing with her many friends. She is a knitter, currently working on a purple scarf for her beloved great-granddaughter.  “I love life,” she explained. “I love people and never met a stranger.”

She describes Dr. Calvo as  “ a wonderful person. He makes you feel okay about things.  And I have great faith in him.”

Mrs. Myers moved to Chapel Hill five years ago after living in South Carolina (previously Pennsylvania and New Jersey) for several years. At one time, she was a private detective in Philadelphia. “I had great interest in criminal investigation and enjoyed my time as a detective.”

Dr. Barry Lentz, her son and UNC professor of biochemistry and biophysics and director of the molecular and cellular biophysics program, said that his mother was “amazingly well cared for by the folks at Oncology Surgical ICU, especially considering she was there over the holiday break.”

Mrs. Myers attributes her longevity and good health to her philosophy of “taking it one day at a time.  I just put myself in the hands of the Lord.”