Day One of Sarah's Journey

February 24^th 2015, the day my life was forever changed…

It began as any other day, getting up and ready for work and hurrying the kids out the door to make the bus!  Off to work and praying for good news from the pathologist.  I had discovered a lump on my left breast and the doctors were uncertain and felt it was borderline between calcified tissue and the dreadful “C” word.  However, a biopsy was necessary to rule out CANCER!  Mac and I were hopeful and expected to hear good news but unfortunately not everything goes as planned.  I was at work and received the phone call...the results came back cancerous!  I was devastated, couldn’t catch my breath as my entire world came crashing down around me!  I was hoping that God would spare me from having to go through this since I had to watch my father struggle with cancer himself.  God has different plans!

Since the diagnosis there have been a range of emotions from fear, anger and anxiety to hope and optimism.  We are simply trying to take one day at a time and deal with all the information as it comes.  I have been poked, prodded for biopsies, mammograms and MRI’s more in the last 2 weeks than I can every remember.  The doctors have been able to determine that the cancer is isolated to the left breast Stage II-A.  Two additional biopsies were performed yesterday (1st) of the interior left breast and the (2nd) Axillary lymph node.   Great news is that the interior biopsy came back negative however, the Axillary lymph node came back positive.  There have been no easy days in the last couple of weeks, plain and simple cancer sucks!  I’m hopeful and optimistic as I know this is only temporary and I will fight every day and give everything I have to beat this disease.  I have a lot to live for and a long life to enjoy!

Moving forward the plan is surgical intervention along with chemo and/or radiation…we should know the full plan tomorrow when we meet with the oncologist.   I understand that this will be challenging, I know I am going to have good days and bad days however, I know that with the support of my family, friends, and loved ones that I will get through this and am able to look back one day and say “I kicked cancers ass!”……

For those of you that would like to help out in any way please contact my mother-in-law Theresa Perry as she is putting together a meal calendar, she can be contacted at tmmperry12@gmail.com.  We have also set up a GoFundMe account at http://www.gofundme.com/nlv6tk since we are uncertain of the full financial costs coming our way.  Our insurance should pick up most of the expense but we do have a $3500 deductible which goes from July to June so we anticipate that the treatment make going into the next fiscal year.  Additionally, we think that a nutritional counselor would be ideal to help create meals that support my healing process and aid in the treatment.  I want to thank everyone for the kind words, the support and help…..I truly appreciate it during this difficult time!

“Be strong and courageous.  Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you, he will never leave you nor forsake you.”  Deuteronomy 31:6