My mother died of breast cancer 30 years ago. Now I am a breast cancer survivor of six years.Six years ago I had my left breast removed. There was no need for chemo or radiation as the sential node was negative & the minute tumor removed was a stage 0. After interviewing with different doctors, I was able to have a beautiful left breast reconstructed from my tummy tissue. I was given a clean bill of health, just do my yearly mammograms.
Three years ago I had a reoccurrence; four of the lymph nodes that were in the left arm pit were cancerous. Highly unusual for the type of breast cancer I had. I had 18 lymph nodes further removed from that area, all were positive with cancer.
So that began four months of chemo & followed by six weeks of radiation as well I am now on daily Tamoxafin. I continued teaching pre-k during that year. I am so thankful for living in the city of Buffalo and having Roswell Park Cancer Institute to attend for my treatments and my continued visits. It is only five minute drive from my home.
I feel healthy at this point. I see my doctors every four months at RPCI. When I was first diagnosed six years ago I felt it was for me to understand the awesome power of God's healing. When the cancer returned I felt it was for others to see how there is victory in Christ over illness.
I knew people prayed for me the first time, but the second time I have learned hundreds more were praying. I had been teaching in a Catholic school and the children would pray every day for me. Once I lost my hair to chemo the kids in school would rub my head as I told them it was as soft as a puppy's belly. Even in my own class of 4 year olds' the little boys got buzz cuts to match my hairstyle. In the last three years I have found many ways to share the wholeness that I experience right now with other breast cancer patients.
This past June, after a total of 27 years of teaching I left to be a part time chaplain in a Christian medical practice in the city of Buffalo. I am thankful that God has brought me through this experience of breast cancer. I will encourage others who now will walk in it. And for my daughter's generation, it will be different.
Buffalo, New York
3 comments:
Polly, I'm so glad I got to know you a bit over this summer. You and your family have been such a blessing to me in so many ways... drawing me even closer to the awesome God we serve. I will most definitely continue to pray for you (and your family), and especially for the powerful testimony of the healing hand of our Lord.
love and blessings,
Rachel S.
To my Dear Niece ~
I am so glad you love Lord as you do! You have let Him glow brightly through you, throughout this entire cancer trial. How beautiful you are! What a blessing you are! And our Great God continues to bless you! PTL!
We are not to be proud, but I am very proud of you ... and I know your Mom would be, too!
I love you, much, and keep you in Lord's healing hug ~ Luv, Aunt
You sound like an amazing person. I am impressed by your faith and love to a loving Father in Heaven who loves all of his children and wants the best for us. God Bless you, and you will be in my prayers.
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