Happy week 12 of 2023!!
If you have been following along with me this year, I declared the first week of January that this year’s theme would be about being Set Free. What I didn’t know is later that month, I would be undergoing a diagnostic mammogram and ultasound…which then lead to a biopsy…which then lead to a diagnosis of stage 1 invasive carcinoma breast cancer. I intentionally did not capitalize any one of these words, for it doesn’t deserve any extra emphasis. 👩🏻⚖️
What?!?!?!?? 🤯 To say this was a shock is an understatement. I didn’t even bring anyone with me to the appointment. I truly didn’t think it was going to be positive. So, over the past two months, I have been meeting surgeons, calling different cancer centers, going through two MRI’s and one final biopsy. To conclude, I was ready for a lumpectomy.
On March 15th, the surgery was completed, and I have been resting and recovering ever since. I can’t believe I’m even writing this, with tears streaming down my face at the reality of this being a part of my story.
Drumroll please 🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁
I AM HAPPY TO DECLARE, THE TUMOR (17mm) HAS BEEN REMOVED WITH MARGIN AND 4 LYMPH NODES WERE BENIGN!!
😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
Jesus has done it again y’all! He walked with me throughout this whole process. He even gave me a song that I was able to record in the studio a week before surgery:
Titled: Your Love Remains
Verse 1
What’s the gift You have for me
But I feel so, sooooo, so weary.
What’s the plans You have for me
In the midst of suffering
Pre-chorus
I know You’ll catch my tears
As You draw me near
You’ll Help me build a boat
On the shores that I call hope
Let’s sail away on this river of faith
For Your Love drives out fear
Even while I shed a tear
Chorus
Your Love remains
It’s the greatest thing
Verse 2
Stepping out in the unknown
I must trust in You alone
Your spirit comes to calm the storm
Peace! Peace! Be still
Chorus
Your Love remains
It’s the greatest thing
Bridge
Let’s sail away on this river of faith
For Your Love drives out fear
Even while I shed a tear
Jesus,
Your Love remains
It’s the greatest thing
I’m here to declare “Our storm is our story.”
Now, this is not to say we take chances that put us in the storm’s way. We also don’t need to be afraid of the storms that come into our walkway.
I felt something by self-examination last fall and thought, I should get this checked out. Then, I received a letter from Obici Hospital that I was due for my annual Mammogram. I would call that a nod or a push to have this done. I started doing these after Ben died, for I felt a knot the fall of 2017 as well. It went away by the time I got checked, and it hasn’t had a concern since. I called my doctor’s office and was scheduled for an appointment on December 12th. I got in there and they asked me had anything changed, and I said yes. The nurse then said, “let me check on something and come back.” She came back in and said, “you will need to come back, for we can’t see you today.” I was in shock. Isn’t that why I’m here to get it checked out? She said, “you needed to have seen your primary care doctor and she needed to send over a diagnostic screening and referral for an ultrasound.”
So, I left and told myself I would handle it in January. That same week was my daughter’s birthday. Then, Christmas. Then, Christmas break. Then, my son’s birthday in January. Then, I went into the studio to record the audio of my second book that I really haven’t even promoted yet. All this to say, I believe this was a detour so I could enjoy Christmas and all the fun celebrations the holiday brings. I was due to get my haircut one day in January, and on the way, my hairdresser text and said, “can we cancel and you come tomorrow instead?” I was bummed, for I was already on the way there, but something told me go into Lakeview and see if I could see my doctor. I walked in and they said she had some cancellations, and I was able to go back to see her (this was on a Monday with no previous scheduled appointment in 30 minutes). Go Jesus! That next week, I was at my screening and ultrasound.
Now when I found out I was positive, I was a little mad and concerned, but the doctors reassured me my cancer was slow growing. 😮💨 I was like, this isn’t good. I’m telling you all this to educate you on how to better take care of yourself. I didn’t know, for it was all a new process for me. If you find something, first, go see your doctor. They will take it from there. Also, I have dense tissue and over 71% of cancer is found in dense breasts (something I also didn’t know). Finally, dense tissue needs a 3D mammography or MBI—molecular breast imaging. 2D imaging will not detect cancer if you have dense tissue, for it’s like shining a flashlight against a cement wall. This was all taken from a book I read called Probably Benign by Leslie Ferris Yerger. I highly recommend reading this brave lady’s story (see her website below). She got an all good report and two months later, from a bone density checkup, something else was found which lead to more tests which concluded she had stage four breast cancer. 😱😭😮💨
Our storm is our story. She has since started a non-profit called My Density Matters and is changing history from her life changing diagnosis. I like these kind of couraging stories.
Probably Benign book - www.probablybenign.com
My Density Matters - https://mydensitymatters.org
Ladies - God gave me a mantra throughout this journey. I’m getting informed to be transformed, and so can you!! I hope this informative blog here today will allow you to assess your own breasts, and if something feels different, call your doctor. This is not to bring fear. This is about preventative care. I care about your future, and so I will encourage you to take care of your body to guarantee a more probable life of longevity.
Jesus is for us. Jesus guides us. Jesus is singing over us. Jesus loves us.
Finally,
To all the friends and family who have loved on me these past two months, with rides to appointments, texts, food, cards, gifts, acts of kindness—like washing my hair when I couldn’t—and especially PRAYER. I AM THE PROOF OF YOUR PRAYERS 🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼
Man, my heart is about to burst from all this love written in verse. It’s worth it to love on each other, y’all. 🥺💓 You are worth it!! Who knew I was worth it?!?!?!? You will not regret giving me these kind of loving acts, for I will give away as much of myself as I can to extend a hand to another friend. For, it’s the love for another that brings more love back into each other. Love wins people! Love wins. Even through tears, we can release a grin!
P.S. Last Thursday, I met with the surgeon and she said everything is going in the right direction.
Please pray with me for my ONCO score, which is my probability test of reoccurrence, to come back low. I go back April 13th for these results.
If it's over 20%, I have to do chemo, radiation and hormone therapy.
If it's lower, then radiation will be next, and then I decide if I want to do hormone therapy as well.
So, more decisions ahead. Now we wait three more weeks for the next part of this story to unfold. Will I allow this waiting to create an eco-system of internal stormy weather, or will I take this time to seek the Divine and trust He’s holding my hand across this newly awaited finish line?
My heart says I will actively wait by taking His hand and trusting we can do this next part together. Amen and Amen.
More Than Able (feat. Chandler Moore & Tiffany Hudson) | Elevation Worship:
Until next time,
Stay Tender
Connect to the Mender
Be a Sender
#OurStormIsOurStory #MyMendedHeart #Inthesendingcomesthemending