One in eight women have breast cancer. A year ago in August I found out I was that one in eight women as I went for a biopsy and got the bad news that I had breast cancer. Since that time, I’ve talked to so many women who have had a similar diagnosis or whose mother or sister has. The one in eight number is no longer a hard number to believe. We are having an epidemic of breast cancer. I even know a couple of men who have been treated for breast cancer.
I was fortunate that a mammogram showed up the tumor when I finally went for the mammogram after my mother died last summer. I had put off getting the screening for a year or so while I was helping care for her. Not a good idea for someone whose mother and paternal aunt had breast cancer. So then I felt even more fortunate that the cancer was still very small when discovered. I had surgery in September last year followed by radiation treatments. I did not have to have chemo treatments. And now all seems well. I go back for a mammogram tomorrow. One that I hope will be routine. Routine is good.
For several years before my diagnosis, we had been praying for my little great-niece who was diagnosed with leukemia when she was five years old. She had three intense years of chemo treatments to rid her of the cancer. Today she was released from her oncologist and will only have to have routine check-ups. Again, routine is good!
Right now, I have a niece who is undergoing chemo treatments for ovarian cancer. She’s a new grandmother and is fighting the cancer with all her might so that she can watch those precious little ones grow up. Julie has been a powerful influence with her upbeat attitude and her faithful trust in the Lord through these hard months. She has a whole team of people praying for her to win this cancer fight too. A cancer that is much tougher to defeat than the one I went through mere months before she was diagnosed. But we’re praying that she will knock cancer back on its heels and regain her health. Prayers are a powerful force in the fight against cancer.
Many of you, my readers and friends, spoke prayers for me. You lifted my name up in prayer in your churches. You gave me the greatest gift. Caring prayers. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
And for those of you who have asked, I am doing fine. Thanks to your prayers!
Comments 2
Oh, Ann, I didn’t know this. I’m terribly sorry for what you had to go through, and your nieces as well. 🙁 I guess I was out of the loop b/c last August I had major surgery to remove a soccer ball size tumor from my ovary. A 7″ incision was required and 6-8 weeks recovery. No cancer PTL! So we were both fighting a battle around the same time last year. Thankful for the good news for you and your great niece and will keep your niece in my prayers. I can’t imagine how it would have felt to have heard the dr say tumor was cancerous. I would want someone to pray for me and will do so for your niece. Please keep us updated on her condition!
Author
That was a huge tumor, Diana. It had to be giving you pain. I’ve had ovarian cysts in the past and had to have surgery for that. Not fun. But I am very glad the tumor wasn’t cancerous. My niece wasn’t so fortunate. She was in denial for a while before she finally got so sick she had to go to the doctor. Now she’s fighting hard to get better and we’re praying hard for her. Thank you for saying a prayer for her too. She’s a wonderful person with a fun personality. She can do some of the funniest things and then tell them on herself and laugh and get all of us laughing too. And now even with all that she’s had to endure the last few months, that smile is still bright. Maybe in a few weeks after her chemo is completed, I’ll do a post about her.