Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1151081
36 CINEMONTAGE / Q3 2019 depression many experience while ill. Seven years have gone by since my diagnosis and treatment and I've decided now to tell my story in hopes it may help others dealing with illness and treatment who feel they must stop working. This is not an option for everyone, but I want my Editors Guild colleagues to know it is possible. Growing up with 25 first cousins, many of whom were boys, I read comic books — mostly about superheroes. I loved Batman, Superman and most of all Spider-Man. I moved to Denmark when I was 16. After seeing Luchino Visconti's Death in Venice in 1978, I left the theatre knowing that I wanted to do something that would make as strong an impression on others as that film made on me. I took some classes at the National Film School of Denmark and began my career in editorial. While working at a small film company in Denmark, I had the opportunity to attend Cannes Film Festval with the Danish Film Institute, where I met my future husband, who lived in New York. In 1983, I was offered a job on a low-budget cult horror feature, Basket Case, in Los Angeles and returned to the States for the gig. Eventually we married and had children while living in LA. After beginning as an assistant picture editor in LA, I moved on to editing documentaries and industrial films, but my love of features brought me back to assisting when I had the opportunity to work in visual effects. I did six features with my mentor, visual effects editor Miller Drake. Somehow, I fell into stereo conversion and, five action films later, was offered to join the post-production crew of The Amazing Spider-Man 2 in 3D in 2012. With that job, I had achieved "superhero" status with my family and friends, but I didn't really know the meaning of what that truly would be until one month into it. I was healthy, so when I felt a small lump in my groin while showering, I went to the doctor not thinking much about it. When the X-ray determined it was not a hernia as he suspected, it was suggested that I should have it removed and do a biopsy. It was an inconvenience while working 12 hours daily on a huge show, but I scheduled the outpatient procedure on a Friday. This was the first day I took off from work. Ten days later, the results came in — and my life changed. It was Non-Hodgkins lymphoma. The doctor wanted to do a full MRI scan to make sure it was isolated. I scheduled that on a Saturday. They told me the chemo treatment typical for that form was six treatments, three weeks apart. I had a strong aversion to needles, so I needed to have a port put in. This would require a day off from work. I spent a weekend deciding if and how I could continue my job while under treatment. My husband has always been supportive of my choices, so when I told him I wanted to continue working, he said he would help me in any way he could. Fortunately, my son and daughter were in their late teens and could understand and help. My daughter was in college and offered to come home for a semester, but I asked her to continue her studies. My son was in high school and lived at home so he could help out when needed. I had decided I could — and would — try to do this while working. This was a dream job that I did not want to give up, and everyone in my family was on my health benefits plan. My doctor had "guaranteed" that it would be gone after three treatments, although I would need to receive an additional three treatments after that. I told my supervisor and two other close co- workers about my situation, assuring everyone that if I could not do my job, I would let them know. They assured me it was OK to do what I felt I needed to do; I had their full support. Many people in editorial could not imagine working long hours At The Amazing Spider-Man 2 wrap party, from left, 3D editor Linda Sundlin (in wig), additional editor Robert Mead, post-production coordinator Hillary Hendler and visual effects editor (now picture editor) Jett Sally. Courtesy of MoondanceProduction.com