Not long ago, I was asked this question, “What would be the one thing you would do if you were told you only had a few months to live?”
Since this had been an actual reality for me, I could answer fairly quickly, but probably not with the answer they expected me to day.
I was a 36-year-old mother with three young children: Kevin age 14, Kyle age 11 and Allison age 3. My desire was to live and raise my children, so I did not accept the death sentence when my doctor said I had less than six months to live.
I was diagnosed with metastasized breast cancer that had reached into my bone marrow and spread to my lungs, liver, ribs, should blade and the tip of my tailbone. A tumor in my pelvis had fractured my hip.
No cure was known and an experimental bone marrow transplant at Duke University Hospital in Durham, North Carolina was the only recommendation from my doctors.
Cancer doesn’t just affect the person with the illness, but everyone around them. It strips you mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually and financially. But nothing is too big for God.
He took care of every little detail. My family, friends and the entire community rallied around me with more love, compassion and prayers than I had ever know.
I was overwhelmed with amazing peace and faith. Scriptures came alive to me. Beautiful gospel songs with messages of hope, overcoming obstacles and miracles that only God could and would give was my daily escape from pain and suffering. I poured myself out to God and let Him fill me with His love, strength and mercy.
The experimental procedure included treating my removed bone marrow with high-powered chemotherapy treatments. While the marrow was being treated, I was injected with does of chemotherapy so strong the nurses and doctors had to wear gloves to protect their own skin. Because the doctors said I would not be able to tolerate the pain, I was often sedated during the treatments. Once my red and white blood cell counts were reduced to zero, my treated marrow was put back into my body.
To the astonishment of the doctors and everyone else, except of course for God, the experiment worked.
7After numerous follow-up exam, my doctors shrugged their shoulders and said there was no need to come back to see them. One doctor told me I got the miracle I had been praying for.
I stand today, 24 years later, healthier, happier and blessed beyond my hopes and dreams.
I am very grateful first and foremost to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He gets all the honor, glory and praise for my healing.
Once again, I would like to say thank you to my family, friends, community and wonerful doctors the Lord placed me with for helping me fight the battle against cancer and winning.