Keri Davis Young:
‘Lord, what are you saving me for?’
To understand some of the reasoning behind my story, I need to go back to the worst time in my life, October 7, 2017. I had a single-person car wreck in a very remote area. I was told that a game warden found me (I never have thanked him; I hope he is reading this). Paramedics took me to CHRISTUS St. Michael ER, from where they airlifted me to University of Arkansas for Medical SciencesLittle Rock. That decision helped save my life. I remember nothing. They did not think I was going to make it.
I was in Little Rock for 20-plus days. Then I moved in with my parents back here over the holidays. Four months later I returned to work wearing a neck brace.
I believed that God saved me for a reason. I worked for Aramark at CHRISTUS St. Michael for 18 years until March of this year.
From that point on, I never, ever wished to see another doctor in my life, so I did not have a family physician.
While perusing my 2019 calendar, I noticed that January is when I started feeling awful. I had gained a great deal of weight since the wreck (yes, blame it on the wreck). The only thing I could move was my mouth and my arms, so I talked a lot and used a fork a lot more often. I went to walk-in clinics and tried several blood pressure medications to no avail.
In July, my blood pressure was off the charts. I knew I needed to connect with a family clinic, pronto. I called Kathryn Brannan, APNP, at CHRISTUS Trinity Clinic.
July 29: My first appointment with Mrs. Brannan. Her nurse, Ms. Chrystal, had the most beautiful smile and was very welcoming. When Mrs. Brannan walked in, she introduced herself and had looked at the notes. She immediately changed my blood pressure medicine. She ran my lab work and asked me, When was your last mammogram? Umm … 4 or 5 years ago. She asked where I would like to go and then scheduled my mammogram.
Aug. 14: Mammogram at CHRISTUS St. Michael Imaging Center. Ladies, and gentlemen (if needed), trust me, it may be a tad bit uncomfortable, but it is worth the squeeze.
Aug. 20: I had a second mammogram. They had seen something suspicious. I stayed while the radiologist looked at the result. He told me I needed a biopsy of my right breast.
Before the biopsy, my family and I celebrated my son turning 16. He now lives with his dad, who is doing a good job of raising him. My son knew I was having tests run and understood what for. He did not want to talk about it. The situation was scary and my dad had a difficult time dealing with it too. I am so blessed to have a close-knit family still here with me. Aug. 28: Biopsy
Sept. 3: This was the day. Follow-up with Kathryn Brannan about the results from my biopsy. Mind you, I had to wait 5½ days because it was Labor Day weekend. This time I brought along my rock, my mom.
When Brannan looked up at me, I knew before she said anything, that she had bad news. She said, as compassionately as one could, “I’m afraid the results show that there is a growth in the right breast — and it is malignant.”
I remember squeezing my mother’s hand, I do not believe I shed a tear. Has it spread? What stage is it? I want to go to UAMS-LR. If not, I want Dr. Hazin in town to be my oncologist.
Breast cancer? How can this be? I have no symptoms? It does not run in my family. I do my shower checks.
In 2017, I was scanned many times from head to toe, wouldn’t they have caught it then? Brannan said even though I had the scans, they probably were not looking for that — or it was not there, which is good.
I needed to first find a surgeon, a radiation oncologist and an oncologist. Nurse Chrystal shared some things with me that put me at ease. God placed those women in my life for a good reason.
I went back to work and called my baby sister, well, she is full-grown with a beautiful family of her own and lives in North Little Rock. She, her husband, son and daughter have been there for us, including her husband’s parents during my wreck and more. She was shocked like the rest of the family. I asked her about a doctor I had heard of in Little Rock but she was not familiar with the name. When we hung up, I went ahead and scheduled an appointment for a month out.
Next, I called my smart, funny younger brother with great hair to give him the news. There was a pause and I heard him choke up, I asked him if he was OK. It was a blow to him. And I called my Uncle. We have been through a lot.
Sept. 9: Appointment with a radiation oncologist at CHRISTUS Cancer Center. He explained treatment options. Mom wrote down “HER2 negative.” He suggested a local surgeon at Collom & Carney Clinic named Dr. Beth Peterson, available Thursday. No harm in seeing her. He made the appointment.
Sept. 12: I met Dr. Peterson. She and her staff were fantastic. She told me what I needed to hear. She explained everything better than Google. I was so ready to get on with it, and it just sounded easy peasy. I chose her.
From Sept. 20- Oct. 7: I ended up having two surgeries in 10 days because the pathology reports showed the tumor to be 1 inch instead of the expected half-inch! On my next follow up I got the all-clear. HER2 negative, no more tumor, no spreading and early stage.
I went back to work on Oct. 7, the secondyear anniversary of my wreck.
Oct. 31: I met with Dr. Hesham Hazin, oncology, hematology. I chose him because I knew of his reputation. His staff is very professional and kind. He told me that I had a wonderful outcome. Still, although it was HER2 negative and caught early, I may still need chemotherapy. That is when my tears started flowing. He calmed me by saying to wait until we get my blood work results. They took some blood.
Results: No chemotherapy was needed.
Dec. 12: 18 total radiation treatments and Tamoxifen for 10 years.
As of Sept. 3 this year, I am thrilled to say that I am one-year cancer free.
Nov. 18: My 94-year-old grandmother, “Gigi,” the cornerstone of our family, my mother’s mother, passed away after suffering a second stroke. She is the source of my strength, faith and hard head. That is a line that runs all the way down the female side of my family, down to my niece.
I am sharing my story to warn others of the perils of waiting too long before seeking medical treatment. If you do not have a regular physician, get one. Schedule your annual mammograms. Know your bodies. Even though you do not have symptoms, or it does not run in your family, you can still have breast cancer. This disease does not discriminate in gender or age.
By the grace of God, mine was caught early and treated, all locally. I am sharing my story because I have found my purpose, what the Lord has saved me for: To help people by telling others about my experience.
If you sometimes question why you are still here, just listen to the lyrics from the Tauren Wells song “God’s Not Done With You.”