The words “fight like a girl” take on a whole new meaning in the month of October – Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I don’t know the struggles first hand of walking through cancer, but I have witnessed it through some very dear friends and family members. And each October, I support the cause in hopes of finding a cure by participating in the Susan G. Komen – Race for the Cure.
My paternal grandmother and maternal great-grandmother both had a double mastecomy. So, I’ve always had the thought of cancer in the back of my mind, who wouldn’t? When my new OBGYN suggested that I get a mammogram since I have family history, I’d never imagine that there was a possibility of find something.
The fears that laid dormant for many years, suddenly came to life when I got a call from the doctor saying they need to do another screen. I immediately called my sweet friend Kelly over at Praise You in the Storm in a panic. She did her best to reassure me that there were many reasons for a call back, like the tissue was too dense to get a good read.
I also sought advice from my friend Mr. Web M.D. He said,
Potential abnormalities are found in 6% to 8% of women who have screening mammograms. This small group of women needs further evaluation that may include diagnostic mammography, breast ultrasound, or needle biopsy.
After the additional evaluation is complete, most of these women will be found to have nothing wrong.
It may come down to nothing wrong, and I pray that it does. It still hits very close to home as my health is very precious to me. After all that I have overcome in this life, I would hope that my health would not be something too. So, today I join in the fight to find a cure, but also to do everything in my power to prevent it.
I’m going to fight like a girl to…
- make better food choices and exercise more
- preserve relationships
- remove toxic ones
- enjoy the small things in life
- choose joy
There is no guarantee in life after all, no matter how well you try to prevent bad things from happening. But I don’t have to let these setbacks and disappointments define me either.