By Michelle McKee
Today marks three months since I had surgery to remove breast cancer. On March 8, 2022, I had a routine mammogram. I say routine but it had been three years since my previous mammogram. I was behind on some routine health screenings since COVID. A few days after the mammogram I received a call and was told my mammogram was abnormal and I needed a biopsy. Years prior to this I had a biopsy on the opposite breast, so I knew the drill. I went the following week for a biopsy and then I went out of town to visit family. Family and some close friends knew of the biopsy and were praying for negative results.
While traveling home from the family visit, I received a call from the breast center with results of the biopsy. I was in the car with my daughter and son-in-law. My daughter was driving. When I heard the words “invasive lobular carcinoma” I was surprised and sad. I had no reason prior to the initial mammogram to think I had cancer. The following few days were a flurry of activity while appointments were made with surgeons and oncology. During that time, the friends who knew of the biopsy were praying for me and encouraging me with texts, meals and their love.
At the first visit with the surgeon, he ordered imaging and blood work and used words like, “These need to be done, like yesterday.” He also said surgery needed to be done within two weeks. My husband, Dave, and I left that appointment sobered and a bit dumbfounded. Was this really happening in our lives?
The first few days I experienced emotions of sorrow, fear and worry about how this would affect my family, and disbelief. Yet, at the same time I was grateful to the Lord for allowing the cancer to be seen on the mammogram. It was my understanding that this type of cancer is not a lump that can be felt and is often not seen on a mammogram. As it turned out two spots were seen on the ultrasound and possible others were seen on the MRI. After surgery, my oncologist told me that three lesions were found in my left breast and some tissue changes in my right breast could have been precancerous.
I was eager to attend church on the Sunday after I received the diagnosis. My husband and I have been part of a church for more than 20 years and consider the body of our church to be family. It was wonderful to stand in worship with friends and many who have walked alongside my family on various situations for years. I sang and wept at the same time. God was in control of what was happening in my body and I knew I could trust Him and was loved by His people.
There were many appointments and tests done over the course of the next couple weeks. Usually, my husband accompanied me but on one visit he did not attend. It was visit with a genetics counselor to discuss family history and the indication of genetic testing to see if I carry the gene for breast and/or ovarian cancer. As I pulled into the parking lot of the Cancer Center I thought “Am I here for me? How can that be?” I sat in my car and asked God to calm my heart and give me strength and clarity of mind to talk with the counselor. God was present and my heart calmed, and I was able to discuss family history. At one point the counselor asked how I and my kids were doing with the diagnosis. I was able to say, “I am a Christ follower and I trust Jesus with this diagnosis. I hope to display that trust to my kids.”
On the second visit to the surgeon there was less urgency about the surgery and although this was confusing to me and my husband it was a blessing. Two of our kids were to graduate high school in May so I was able to ask if surgery could be put off until after their graduations. All the doctors involved agreed to this delay. I began a hormone blocker medication that was to slow the cancer growth and enjoyed time until graduations.
It was recommended that I have a mastectomy and consider a bilateral mastectomy to reduce the spread into my right breast. I decided to have the bilateral mastectomy with reconstruction at the time of surgery. This surgery required a four- to six-week recovery time. It was scheduled for June 6, 2022.
God was faithful to me throughout this time. He gave me patience to wait until June for surgery without fear, He provided love and support through many people as we waited and during recovery. He provided friends who would ask about my fears and worries. He provided my own family as support and help. I have experienced God’s mercy in a new way during my cancer journey. He put me in a place where I could receive medical care, He allowed me to have medical insurance that covered the bulk of the cost. When people asked how I was doing I could say, “This is where God has me” and I trust Him and mean it. He was present in my life, as always, during this time. He loved me well through others.
The body of Christ loved my family beyond words. There was not a day that went by for almost six weeks without someone texting, calling, emailing or sending a note or card in the mail. Friends began bringing food to our home before I had surgery because they knew I had a lot going on with appointments. They continued to bring food four days a week for six weeks. This was an incredible testimony to my kids. One of my girls told me that every time she goes to church someone asked about me. I told her that we are loved, and people care about what is happening in our lives. Friends sent flowers, song links, written out prayers, Scriptures, and some came to visit. Friends helped with my youngest when she needed rides. The college group at our church designated a specific time of day, every week, to pray for me and my family. All of these expressions of love are evidence of God’s presence, love and goodness to me.
During the first few weeks after surgery there was little I could do for myself. I was not expecting the pain and inability to get up from sitting or laying down. I used a walker for the first week after coming home. I was not prepared for that. My faithful husband and girls were ready to help whenever I needed it. Oddly enough the recovery time turned out to be a time of refreshing and learning from the Lord. This became a time of slowing down and allowing the Lord recharge me with His Word, worship music and the writings of others. I read four books by Christian authors one of which was John Piper’s “Providence.” It was so sweet of God to allow me to spend weeks reading about His providence in His creation and relate that to my life and cancer journey.
