In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, this week’s blog is dedicated highlighting the story of a survivor!
Checkout Joy’s story below:
“When I got the diagnosis and Satan had my mind running thinking about family, friends or just people I knew that died with breast cancer, I had to catch hold of my mustard seed faith and hold on!!!”
Early detection is the key. I was scheduled to my mammogram on August 22, 2019 but I had to reschedule because my father passed. It was rescheduled for September 30, 2019. I went in thinking of nothing but the best because this is what I done yearly and I always had good results. Ladies you know the wait is always the worse part of the procedure. I waited for a week looking to get a letter about my results in the mail but no letter. Finally, I get a call from my primary doctor's nurse telling me they wanted more images and I needed to return to the imaging facility. Of course, nerves went all over the place, but I returned, and another mammogram, ultrasound and biopsy were taken. The next week, November 13th I was told that cancer was found in my right breast. As I had to go talk to the RN and pathologist,
I had to gather myself and remember "God is in control"!
By the time I left the office, all my appointments with the surgeon and oncologist were already made. My surgeon called me with his plan and asked for a date when I wanted it done. I had a mastectomy on December 26, stayed in the hospital overnight, returned home the next morning. As I went back for my post operation visit after the check up as my doctor exited the door, he turned to me and said as of December 26, you are cancer-free!!! Yes, I still had to go through 15 rounds of chemotherapy and 28 radiation treatment, fatigue, hair loss, aching bones, and other discomforts but I survived!! I was released for the radiation doctor on September 15th. Had my mammogram on the left side October 1 (got a negative report) now my next step is on October 28 I go back to the surgeon for him to do a recheck and remove the port from my chest.
Though my journey had its ups and downs but I'm still here with the help of the Lord to tell my story.
In closing, I ask our ladies to get their yearly mammograms because early detection is the way!! Men keep yourselves checked for unusual lumps or changes in your body because men also can get breast cancer. Once you see or feel something different on your body, please go get it checked out!!! Thanks!!
What an inspiring story! Dealing with the loss of your father and then a cancer diagnosis?! That is A LOT! She is the perfect example of "choosing faith takes strength". She could have decided "this is too much, I give up". I'm so glad she didn't and she's still here to share her story with us! Thank you Joy, for sharing your story and inspiring us all to choose faith "even when it doesn't make sense".
