It was not a case of “IF” but “WHEN”. Thank goodness, that is how I lived my life. Self-examination was simply a routine event. My mother succumbed to breast cancer at a young age, so the odds were against me. One particular morning, I felt the lump. Not very big, but still there. I did not wait for my next physical. In fact, I did not wait at all. Because of the size and location of the lump, it did not show on the mammogram or the ultrasound. I explained to them I was not leaving until someone saw or felt the lump. The head radiologist gave me a physical exam, and sure enough there it was. Because of my family history, he advised a biopsy. Diagnosis-CANCER! That dreadful “C” word.
I had the biopsy in June, surgery in July, chemotherapy in October. My first treatment did not have many adverse side effects. The doctor said that going back to work would be the best antidepressant ever. I went back to work with a group of young pipers. This was wonderful for my morale. This group kept me so busy and entertained that I never missed a beat. I had chemotherapy every 2 weeks on Friday, so I never missed a day of work. Make no mistake, the power of prayer absolutely works. I was on prayer lines up and down the river. I know for certain that this was part of the reason I did so well.
Please advise your mother, wife, daughters, girlfriends, anyone in your life to be vigilant with the self-examinations and mammograms. And don’t forget men can also have breast cancer! Take care of yourself and your loved ones.
– Eva Ramsay