Having Breast Cancer Wasn't All Bad (Writer's Workshop 10-14-10)

We never know what will happen each year. At the beginning of 2009, having Breast Cancer was certainly not expected. As it turned out, the second half of 2009 I found myself facing Breast Cancer and fighting it off.

The Lord spared me from pain and Chemo. When I found out I had Breast Cancer last summer, I immediately asked to be anointed for healing at church as instructed in James 5:13-16.

My biggest fear of possibly dying was leaving Gerard alone so I wrote a list of instructions to help him out "just in case." As things turned out, he didn't need it because I had a successful lumpectomy in which the Cancer was removed and I woke up.

For me, dealing with Cancer was a little inconvenient with all the doctor trips and follow-up appointments but that was the only bad thing about it. Fortunately, the Cancer was detected early on thanks to getting my mammograms and had not spread to the lymphnodes. I had no pain at all before surgery or after other than when they prepped me for surgery and mapped where to cut but that was it for pain--a grand total of 20-30 minutes, if that, of actual pain.

I praise the Lord that Chemo was not necessary and the radiation treatments were quick and painless. Also, that my doctor was really on the ball, getting me in contact with a very good surgeon so quickly when he got the results back from my mammogram.

I was able to go braless for several months which was wonderful to me. I don't like those things. The straps are a nuisance because they fall down a lot!

I was able to be off from work with full pay thanks to FMLA and I felt fine. My job was very slow so it really was a good time for me to be off. I felt good and a bit guilty but when I tried returning to work early, I became exhausted so didn't feel guilty staying home after that, just enjoyed my time off. About mid November, I started back to work for just the mornings so still had the afternoons to do errands, blog hop, play with my pets and do the grocery shopping. It was nice! I loved getting home while it was still light.

I revised some of my eating habits and now eat vegetables, much less chocolate, V8 juice, and cut out the Friday donuts which was the hardest thing to do. Thanks to the Breast Cancer, I'm eating healthier.

So, beginning January 1, I started taking another pill, Femara, for five years that is supposed to help keep the Cancer from returning.

I write this to encourage others to get those mammograms each year, don't fret about Cancer but trust the Lord and don't let it control your thoughts. Go on about your life, enjoy living, hope for the best but prepare for the worst. Also, I encourage you to eat those vegetables instead of donuts and other things high in sugar. Sugar is not your friend!  I must remember that!  (Not doing so good at passing up those donuts since I moved to a new floor at work in March of 2010--instead of eating three once a week, I only eat one some weeks.)

Related posts:
How One Phone Call Ruined My Day--Blindsided
My New Pink Hat--What A Nice Surprise!
What We Eat Really Can Make A Difference

I linked this post up to Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop in response to her prompt to write about your fight against breast cancer or someone else's since it is Breast Cancer Awareness month.  (This was one of last week's prompts)

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