Clara's Story from Tennessee

My Mother’s Story

My Mom, Clara, was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 1996. She discovered the lump in her right breast while performing a self-breast exam. She did not waste any time getting to the doctor to confirm that she indeed had breast cancer. By the time my mom called to tell me (on a Friday afternoon), she had already made the decision to have a mastectomy and the surgery was scheduled for the following Monday.

She was adamant that she did not want me to worry because she had already placed the situation in God’s hand and knew without a doubt that he would take good care of her. I was not working at the time and unaware that my “unemployment” was a blessing in the midst of a storm. The fact that I was unemployed meant that I could travel to West Tennessee to be with my Mom.

Prior to her beginning the chemo treatments, my mom traveled to East Tennessee to go shopping for some “fashionable” wigs. She was well aware of the side affects of the drugs and wanted to be prepared for the nausea as well as losing her hair. The decision to start chemo was met with some hesitation; having watched her own Mom (Frankie L. Jones) battle Non-Hoskins disease and one of her close friends (Ms. Janette Tansil) undergo extensive chemo and radiation treatments.

She knew this was not going to be easy; yet with God being her most fierce warrior, she knew He would fight this battle. My mom completed her chemotherapy after six months without losing one single strand of her hair.

Seven years later (2003) it was found that my mom had calcifications in her left breast. This time was no different than the first in that my mom made the decision that was best for her. She had a second mastectomy and afterwards it was determined by her doctor that neither chemotherapy nor radiation was necessary.

Although I am writing this story “about” my mom, I could never begin to tell her story. To my family and me, my mom is so special. We now know that in making those tough decisions, she was not only thinking of herself, but also how her courageous fight against this dreadful disease would one day be a living testimony for others that may have to endure this fight.

Thank You, Lord for being a God of not only second chances, but of many chances. My mom continues to live each day by sharing her ordeal with anyone that will listen and her words of encouragement ring out loud and clear . . . . . . . "Listen to your body, perform your self-breast exams and get a mammogram once a year. Early detection can save your life!!

Knoxville, Tennessee