I didn’t realize that when I scheduled my oncology check up it was on October 1 - and that today begins National Breast Cancer Awareness month. This is a photo of 3 hero’s in my life in 2011,. Pictured here is my sister, my surgeon, myself and my mom. Little did we know the battle that would lie ahead for the three of us.
On April 1, 2011, I was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer (meaning it had already left the breast and travelled to my lymph nodes under my right arm). My husband, son and son-in-love were golfing in Williamsburg - celebrating my husband’s birthday at a charity event with plans for an evening out with all of us celebrating his birthday. Things would suddenly change when I received the call from Dr. Reed - a call that no one wants to get no matter your age, “You have cancer.”
I was then scheduled to see a genetic counselor - not only due to the breast cancer , but to the cancer that seemed to have been taking it’s toll on several members of our family. While waiting for the results, I was scheduled for surgery to remove the cancer , a double mastectomy, chemotherapy, plastic surgery and a hysterectomy. The report came back right before my surgery that I had the BRACA gene mutation (which in basic terms means I had a mutation that doesn’t let me to fight cancer cells in my female organs and increases my chances of getting cancer), this meant the mutation came from one of my parents. When my surgery finished Dr. Reed went into the waiting room with my family and told my mom and my siblings that she wanted them in the office ASAP for genetic testing. Needless to say, my mom and my sister were tested and both had breast cancer (even though they had a mammogram a few months prior that showed nothing). They both followed in my steps within two months of each other with the same procedures. It was a crazy time in our life and I am not sure how my husband, children and dad didn’t lose their mind. My children were all tested, none of them had the gene which was truly a miracle - the surgeon actually cried with all of us when she gave the report as this was such a strong gene in our family history. Once this gene has stopped it has completely stopped for future generations.
Did I get angry and ask God why our family again? Of course! I am human, but could quickly hear the words, “Why not you?” You see, just because we are a believer doesn’t mean we don’t go through life’s ups and downs - we were only promised that He would go with us. In the moment, you can’t see goodness sometimes, but looking back - I would not be doing now if I had not walked through this life changing battle. Beauty for ashes!
When our daughter was diagnosed at age 19 with stage 3 brain cancer, we began to take trips to make memories…..you know the song “I went sky diving, rocky mountain climbing….” not knowing how our prognosis would turn out we grasped to making every memory possible. We still carry on this tradition today, which has lead me to be such an advocate for the family unit of oncology patients. Realizing that we are not promised tomorrow and how quickly life can change with one scan - it has become my mission to allow as many families as possible to make memories and to restore joy on their journey.
When the ultrasound tech told my surgeon today “She is boring!” (after being in remission for 8.5 years) I was overwhelmed with joy! My surgeon did say back to the tech, “I follow her on FB she is far from boring?”.
Jeremiah 29:11 - only He knows!