This time I’m going to congratulate my beautiful and wonderful mother! She is one of the strongest people that I know. She kicked breast cancer butt with full force.
Five years ago, my mother went in for her usual mammogram. While she was finishing up, the doctor came in and wanted to additional testing. “Really?” Knowing that hearing that was not a good sign. They did a biopsy and we then began the wait.
Even though we do have cancer in the family (what family doesn’t these days) there was never breast cancer, so the wait was confusing.
About 3 days later, the Friday before Mother’s Day, we got the call. I was just about to leave work when I looked at my phone and saw a text from my mom, “Call me when you get home.” Yeah right, like I was going to wait until I got all the way home. I called her before even leaving the parking lot.
Me, “Hey, what did they say?”
Mom, “Hi, are you home?”
Me, “No, what did you find out?”
Mom, “Why don’t you call me when you get home.” Well right there I knew that it wasn’t good.
Me, “No, just tell me what’s going on.” Knowing that I can be quite the emotional person, my mom made me promise to get home safely.
Hearing the words “I have breast cancer” come from my mother’s lips freaked me out. I don’t remember much more about the drive home. But as soon as I got home, I opened the front door, looked at my roommate and she asked what was wrong, (apparently I don’t hide my feels very well) I then collapsed to the floor, with tears running down my face, I yelled “MY MOM HAS CANCER!” I then picked myself up and knew that is was no longer in my hands and God would do what needed to be done.
A week later she was scheduled for her mastectomy. Not only did she get one removed, two weeks after that, she had another surgery to get the other one reduced, then chemo, and of course that’s not it. At a normal check up, they discovered a blood clot extending from below her knee all the way to her hip, the hole vein cloted. I don’t know about you, but I would have been like, “screw this, I’m done.” Not my mother, she went to work every day, took care of the house all the while going to chemo. Seeing my mother go through that kind of pain and discomfort broke my heart.
I can’t imagine going through all of that in such a short about of time. I’m glad to say that with the help and support of her friends and family, with her faith in Jesus Christ, and her love of life she is ‘cancer free.’
I can't stress enoough about preventive care, go to the doctor before, get checked on a regular basis, a little discomfort once and a while, can save you months or even years of horrible pain.
One of my friends once said to me, " You are VERY strong Katrina, don’t sell yourself short! You are your mother's daughter, its genetic!" I can only hope that that is true and that I am half as strong as my mother.
Congratulations mom to saying, “Oh hell no” to cancer and on your continued good health. I love you!
Art Klicks Photography