Blessed Through Faith

Around five years ago, I was hit with the news I had breast cancer. I kept waiting for news of this and that, and everytime I turned around, I would get more negative news. First, I had to wait to know if my tumor was cancerous or not. Once I found out it was, I had to wait to find out HOW bad. It was level 2, not too horrible, yet I was told that after the surgery, it was standard practice for patients like me to undergo radiation to be sure they got rid of all the remaining cancerous cells. Well, they had not informed me of a new genetic test which would tell them how easily I might get cancer again. After my surgery, they did a biopsy of my tumor. I waited another three weeks for THAT test result. As luck would have it, I was in the small group genetically predisposed to cancer. They wanted me to do a few months chemotherapy before even starting the 34 radiation treatments. I was asking myself: WHAT?? Isn't this kind of "overkill" for simply the prevention of cancer cells from coming back? I felt so stressed and overwhelmed by all that was happening! I was actually looking into Mexican treatment centers because I did not trust my American oncologist or the fact that I was not sure my health share program (not a real insurance company) would cover possibly hundreds of thousands of dollars for what was turning into a nightmare! The weekend before they were to put the stent in me for chemotheraphy, I fell to my knees in tears and begged God for an answer because in my heart and soul, I just could not believe all they were going to put me through simply to decrease my risk of cancer returning. The next day, I happened to be at the house of a neighbor who is a renowned Canadian doctor. When I mentioned my dilemma to him, he told me under no cirumstance should I allow them to do the chemotherapy, and he mentioned how its affects would end up being even more dangerous than its benefits (if it even had any benefits at all). He gave me the number of a scientist/doctor and had me call this man, who then explained the faulty reasoning in what my oncologist was telling me. I felt such a great weight lifted from me. I sincerely felt that God had answered my prayer! Right in the nick of time, I was able to cancel the surgery for a stent (much to my surgeon's chagrin). My family, all being worried for me, still wanted me to at least do the radiation (although both my neighbor doctor and the scientist did not advise it). I did the radiation but took the scientist doctor's advice on supplements to use during the process to make myself less toxic. My treatments did not make me feel ill, and after three months since the time of my surgery, I was finished with my cancer treatments. If only I had prayed as fervently over the NEXT thing my oncolgist had me do for prevention. Since I was on estrogen blockers, I was told to take a new drug to protect my bones from the use of the estrogen blockers. I did not bother to go to God in prayer over something that I assumed would be unlikely to hold any danger for me. Something very strange began happening to me as I did this next protocol - something which is now sorely testing my faith, but THAT is another story . . . blessed once through my faith now facing a new trial . . . I must not falter July 14, 2020 for Regina Riddle's My Faith Poetry Contest