I can’t believe almost 2 years have gone by since I got that
dreaded diagnosis of breast cancer! My last
infusion was in June, 2013! That ended a
year and a half of intense cancer treatment. Whew, what a whirlwind! My calendar looks very different today than it
did a year ago. Thankfully, entries on
the calendar have changed from doctor appointments, infusions, labs, and scans…to
family gatherings, trips, meetings, and volunteering. I feel like I came through the storm, and now
I’m experiencing the rainbow.
We didn’t get to the rainbow without a few dark clouds and
rain showers though. Just as I thought I was about done with treatments, that we
had kicked cancer in the backside, I started experiencing pretty severe
shortness of breath and pain when I inhale.
The symptoms progressed, so I was sent to a pulmonologist, and then to a
cardiologist. My work-up with those
specialists included: chest x-ray, pulmonary function tests, CT Angiogram, PET
CT, bronchoscopy with biopsies, cardiolite stress test, and ten weeks on a
steroid. Thankfully, I now know
everything that I don’t have! I don’t have TB, blood clots, infection,
cancer, or heart damage! Praise God! I
do, however, have some scarring on the right upper lobe of my lungs. For some reason, doctors have not put their
finger on the cause, although I know in my heart, it is damage from the
radiation. When you consider the job
that the radiation had to accomplish, I’m not really surprised that there was
some collateral damage. Again, I’m
thankful that I am cancer free at this time, and by the grace of God, I am
overcoming this lung problem.
To quote a song I heard the other day, “Gotta face the
clouds to find the silver lining”. That
truly spoke to me! As I write this, I am
sitting on an airplane looking down at big puffy white clouds, but sometimes we
have dark intimidating clouds come into our lives. The massive storm that I faced passed, but it
left in its wake some dark clouds that held scattered showers. As I went through test after test, I felt the
presence of God. I felt His peace and
His voice reminding me of the mission He had called me to when I first got my
diagnosis of breast cancer. That calling
was to use my testimony as I walked through it and minister to others going
through pain. Through Christ, with my
family and medical team, I overcame breast cancer, and I am now faced with the
opportunity to persevere in prayer and overcome the lung damage. I know that Jesus came to give us life and
life to the full…So, I decided I was not going to spend another day letting
my lung issues control my life. Praying
constantly, I started out slow, but I am now walking 3 miles per day, and feeling
great! Praise the Lord! I am seeing the
silver lining to that cloud that entered my life for a while.
I know it is no coincidence that the sermon at my church
last week was about living life “on mission”.
What a great reminder! We are not
all called to go on a mission trip to Africa or India…but when we know Christ
as our Savior, we are all called to live “on mission”. Wherever God places us in life is our mission
field. I, for one, want to say “Here I
am Lord! Send me!”
I pray that God will bless you and your family richly this
Thanksgiving. We have much to be
thankful for. If you sit down and list
your blessings…I guarantee you will run out of paperJ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=WiBNkZHOBI8
(What Faith Can Do, by Kutless)
