Consult Result

Giving God the glory and praises to His name!

Very small

Non aggressive

Stage 1

Lumpectomy

No chemo

Radiation treatment

I am so thankful for and grateful to this extraordinary center.

Saul and Joyce Brandman Breast Center- A Project of Women's Guild.

Part of the Cedars-Sinai Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute

This is a full service, total wellness center. They are dedicated to the care of your mind, body and spirit.

I met with 1, 2, 3 physicians whose assignments were to approach different aspects of care. After entering the room, each one expressed the same sentiment, "I'm sorry for the reason you are here today." And I felt that they meant it. I could not imagine what their days are like having to speak to multiple women throughout a day about their cancer treatment.

This one took me by surprise but in a good way. She was here to speak to me about my mental health. Some people think that just because cancer is no longer such an unusual diagnosis, the urgency, severity, and seriousness of this affliction can be dumb downed. Nothing can be further from the truth.

Every person and every body, as in physical body, is different. Lifestyles are different. A married woman with children can have a totally different mindset from that of an unmarried woman without children. A woman of faith can have a totally different outlook from a woman who's normal outlook on life is to curse faith and spirituality. Thin women, plus size women, tall women, short women. Every body and every person is different.

I had never thought about the mental health aspect of it. As a woman of strong faith, when I pray and meditate on the word of God, I believe it and receive it. The peace, the joy, the 'yes I'm human and will have mini melt downs from time to time over this but I don't stay down' mentality

So, when she apologized for having to ask me some personal and very direct questions about my mental health, I was all for exploring that part of this journey. And I was honest.

My sleeping is fine. It's not the worrying about cancer that interrupts sleep cycles, it's my dumb-ass neighbors and their blatant disregard for the mandates of our lease when it comes to noise level. But I digress.

Eating on the other hand. I still try to maintain healthy eating habits but sometimes I do think, "Damn, I have cancer." Then I go on UberEats, order a humongous cake slice from Sweet Lady Janes, climb into bed, turn on The Golden Girls and eat my cake!

Exercise? Well, tell that to my ankle which has been in a boot for almost three weeks because of a strained tendon. So, yeah, not much.

The difficult questions she referred to were thoughts and feelings of hopelessness, with this diagnosis, to where I felt that I no longer wanted to live.

"No. Not at all."

Even the days were I do feel overwhelmed with the what-ifs I will fight until I cannot fight anymore.

She came in to go over the particulars of this Lobular Cancer that is inside me. The proteins that it is made up of. Human Epidermal (growth factor) Receptors, otherwise known as HER2. Of course it's called 'her'. There is HER2- and HER2+.

And Estrogen+. I am not going to go into any details on this because I am not a doctor and I do not want to inadvertently put any information out here that could be mis-communicated or misrepresented. I will share my findings as personal to me.

HER2 negative

HER2 helps control cell growth in healthy cells. My being HER2- means the cancer inside me isn’t making a lot of extra HER2, which is a very good thing. Praise God!

Estrogen positive

ER+, means that the cancer cells are slow growing.

This is what has classified me at:

• Stage 1

• Non-aggressive

She informed me that I would not require chemo but after the lumpectomy, I would undergo a course of radiation treatment for up to six weeks, daily, excluding weekends. She used the word, "curable" with confidence. And that gave me added hope and confidence as well.

She went over the risks in detail, of course, and also what I could possibly expect with the lumpectomy and the radiation when it comes to the physicality of my breast.

I am over the moon with gratitude for having the insurance that I have. Any cosmetic surgery that I may need for either breast is covered because it falls under the breast cancer treatment as a whole. God is so good!

Last but certainly not least, is my Surgical Oncologist, Dr. Catherine Dang. Beautiful, strong, smart and with such a high level of empathy and compassion. She did another examination and then went over the entire process and procedure for the lumpectomy. Inside of the three weeks prior to the surgery, I have multiple procedures that have to happen to prepare my breast for surgery, along with a full work up to clear me for surgery.

She thanked me for being so on top of my own care that the mass was found early, it is so small that it could not be detected by physical examination, which includes self-examination.

She gave me more info about the surgery and the radiation, the good, the bad, the ugly, and yes, even the beautiful.

I left the center not in dread about what's in store for me within these next four weeks, or what the future holds, but I left with peace that surpasses all understanding, more hope for the possibility that there is still time for my dreams to be accomplished.

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,

will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7

I know the question remains, what if it wasn't good news? Would I still be as upbeat and hopeful.

Let me put it to you this way. Think about the movie THE LAST HOLIDAY with Queen Latifah.

Yes, I checked my financial portfolios. I had a game plan for another outcome, and that game plan was to live until I couldn't. The outcome of the movie is icing on the cake and a cherry on a sundae.

But isn't that the way it should be.

Live life to the fullest.

Live each day as if it's your last.

Tomorrow isn't promised to any of us.

Find your connection to your Higher Power that you can relinquish the burdens of life upon, especially those that you have no control over.

Be kind. To others. To yourself.

Love magnificently!