Survivor: ‘You are going to die, but NOT from this!
I was diagnosed with breast cancer in January 2007. I was 46 years old, and thought I was going to die. You hear the word “cancer” and your mind automatically goes there.
My mother had been diagnosed in August 1998 at age 67—two months after my dad passed away.
At the time, I was told by her surgeon that my risk of developing breast cancer did not increase, because she was post-menopausal at the time of diagnosis. Since that time, with more awareness and many years of research, we now know that is no longer the case.
I was lying in bed one night and the only light in the room was the light from the television. For whatever reason, I looked down and noticed an indentation in my right breast. I had worked at Wadley LifeSource, the health education center in Central Mall, from the day it opened until the day its doors closed.
I was well versed in the signs and symptoms of breast cancer, and knew this wasn’t good. I immediately scheduled an appointment with my physician, who didn’t think it was anything to worry about. But just to be safe, scheduled a mammogram and eventually an ultrasound. The results came back just as I had suspected.
The day I met with my surgeon, Dr. Rachael Keilin, she walked in the room and said, “First of all, this is NOT a death sentence! You ARE going to die, but not from this.”
That’s all I needed to hear to change my mindset. I had caught it early. I was going to fight this, and I was going to be just fine.
Over the next few weeks, all of my pathology reports came back, and my prognosis was the best it could possibly be. It was a slow growing, very non-aggressive, estrogen-sensitive type of cancer.
I was told, “If you’re going to have breast cancer, this is the type to have.”
And it was not in my lymph nodes! The day I had the lymph nodes removed, I left the hospital mid-afternoon, and attended a George Strait concert in Shreveport that night. Because hey, it’s all about priorities.
Last January, I celebrated 10 years cancer-free. Over those years I have had many friends, a few family members, and numerous acquaintances who have received that same, dreadful diagnosis. Most recently in July, our precious daughter-inlaw, Kelly, who just turned 51, was diagnosed.
When appropriate, I used those opportunities to share with them the words Dr. Keilin said to me—the words that impacted my life 10 years ago. “You ARE going to die, but NOT from this! You caught it early, you’re going to fight this, you’re going to be just fine!”
I will be forever grateful, first and foremost, to my Heavenly Father for hearing and answering my prayers, and the prayers of so many of my family and friends who interceded on my behalf. Also:
For blessing my mom with many more happy, healthy years (she turned 86 in August).
And for having His hand on our daughter-in-law, Kelly, whose pathology results and prognosis are almost identical to mine.
Last but not least, I will forever be grateful for the wonderful care I received from my physician, Dr. Eric Hall, Dr. Rachael Keilin and her staff, radiation oncologist Dr. Anthony Tran and staff, oncologist Dr. Gary Engstrom, and the nurses and physicians at the CHRISTUS St. Michael Cancer Treatment Center.
They are all wonderful, caring, compassionate individuals who take great pride in helping others. Our community is blessed and fortunate to have such great professionals call Texarkana home.
By Beth Hague