Although I had suspected cancer for some time (and kept putting off a visit to the Doctor) I was numb after hearing the news from my Doctor.
Early on the morning of December 14, 2012, I went in for a CT scan. When I returned home, the news of the Sandy Hook School shootings was just beginning to be televised. I watched in horror as details of the 20 sweet little lives that were lost and the heroics of the adults who were killed trying to protect them emerged. Watching this tragedy unfold helped suppress my own feelings of "why me" - after all, I had lived 60 years and these precious little one's lives were just starting. In the next few weeks, every time I started to ask "why me", I just remembered the Newtown parents coping with their grief over losing their children and I thanked God for the blessing of a full life.
With Christmas approaching, I decided to wait until after the holidays to tell my 3 daughters about my cancer and my upcoming surgery. Somehow, I managed to get through the holidays and on December 31, decided to tell my daughters. Telling them was one of the hardest things I've ever done - it isn't often that we are truly faced with our own mortality. I was very frightened that I might not make it through the surgery itself and I was also afraid the cancer may have spread to my lymph nodes.
My Radical Hysterectomy took place on Friday, January 4, 2013, and I stayed in the hospital until Monday, January 7th.
Dr. S called me on Thursday, January 10th to let me know that my cancer was Stage II (it had not spread to the lymph nodes) and she recommended Chemotherapy.
I took it in stride that I might need Chemo. I bought several hats on clearance and ordered an inexpensive wig. I spent quite a bit of time reading about Chemotherapy on the Internet and was afraid the harsh chemicals might have severe reactions in a person as sensitive as I am, so I was very thrilled when I visited my Oncologist and he told me that he only recommended Radiation Therapy. He told me that I would probably have treatments five days per week for five weeks of External Radiation and then several Internal Radiation treatments called Brachytherapy.
A few weeks later when I visited the Radiation Oncologist, he recommended 6 treatments of Brachytherapy three days per week over a two-week period. The treatments ended on March 8 and I have had virtually no side effects, although quite serious side effects from Radiation Treatments can appear even several years after treatment.
No person can go through cancer and remain unchanged. I never asked God to spare my life, but I am very grateful that God gave me a new life spiritually 40 years ago and gave me a new chance at life after cancer! I now start each day with gratitude to my Creator and strive to make a difference for Him!
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