Please enjoy the second story in our series “The Loving Kindness Project”:
Three years ago I was told four words I never thought I would hear. “Yes, you have cancer”.
It all started when I got into a car accident. I hit my breast on the steering wheel but this did not concern me at the time because I was only having pains in my back.
Then things started happening. While at work one day, a very sharp pain went through my right hand and across my chest to my left hand. I immediately dropped everything from my left hand. I thought I was having a heart attack.
Then next thing that happened was while I was taking a shower one day and felt a lump. Now thinking “what you don’t know can’t hurt you”, I tried to ignore it. However, I went to the doctor and this is when I was diagnosed. I had lumpectomy surgery, which was very painful. Afterwards I went to the hospital every two days to have fluid removed from my breast. Again this was a very painful experience and I am sorry now that I did not remove the breast then.
I started chemotherapy and this was very difficult for me. I could not cook nor eat for about nine months. During those months while I was on chemo, I had the unwavering support of my family, friends, and Cancer Support Services. This will be forever cherished.
Over this period I met and made new friendships while attending radiotherapy. We were there for each other and shared many things; sadly, only about three of us are alive today.
Living with and surviving Cancer is a harsh reality that life is a precious gift to be cherished every day we have breath. Recently I saw a lady I know at chemo. We saw each other on a Monday, and by the following Sunday I was reading her obituary in The Sunday Sun. That was a difficult day for me. I started to question the decision I had made to take chemo, not only because of how it made me feel physically but how it made me look as well. Some people due to their own ignorance of this disease can be intentionally or sometimes unknowingly cruel.
I will admit for me chemo was extremely difficult on many levels, but I survived. People say I am strong (maybe I am) but I let them know I was not always this strong.
I, however, have faced this battle head on and by the grace of God I am here today three years later—
A Survivor!!!
MPlease enjoy the second story in our series “The Loving Kindness Project”:
Three years ago I was told four words I never thought I would hear. “Yes, you have cancer”.
It all started when I got into a car accident. I hit my breast on the steering wheel but this did not concern me at the time because I was only having pains in my back.
Then things started happening. While at work one day, a very sharp pain went through my right hand and across my chest to my left hand. I immediately dropped everything from my left hand. I thought I was having a heart attack.
Then next thing that happened was while I was taking a shower one day and felt a lump. Now thinking “what you don’t know can’t hurt you”, I tried to ignore it. However, I went to the doctor and this is when I was diagnosed. I had lumpectomy surgery, which was very painful. Afterwards I went to the hospital every two days to have fluid removed from my breast. Again this was a very painful experience and I am sorry now that I did not remove the breast then.
Loving Kindness ProjectI started chemotherapy and this was very difficult for me. I could not cook nor eat for about nine months. During those months while I was on chemo, I had the unwavering support of my family, friends, and Cancer Support Services. This will be forever cherished.
Over this period I met and made new friendships while attending radiotherapy. We were there for each other and shared many things; sadly, only about three of us are alive today.
Living with and surviving Cancer is a harsh reality that life is a precious gift to be cherished every day we have breath. Recently I saw a lady I know at chemo. We saw each other on a Monday, and by the following Sunday I was reading her obituary in The Sunday Sun. That was a difficult day for me. I started to question the decision I had made to take chemo, not only because of how it made me feel physically but how it made me look as well. Some people due to their own ignorance of this disease can be intentionally or sometimes unknowingly cruel.
I will admit for me chemo was extremely difficult on many levels, but I survived. People say I am strong (maybe I am) but I let them know I was not always this strong.
I, however, have faced this battle head on and by the grace of God I am here today three years later—
A Survivor!!!
M
