What a Week!

This week was quite an adventure for me. Last week I had my annual exam, and the doctor found a lump. She didn't think it felt like cancer but thought I should get a mammogram to make sure. I was pretty calm in the doctor's office and called to schedule the follow up appointment when I got in the car. They didn't have any appointments for a week. They said to check back to see if they had any cancellations (which I did) but did not have any luck. Looking back, I think it was really good for me to have to wait for a week, even though it felt like a month. I want to be in control, and I want answers quickly! As much as I don't like it in the moment, God continues to allow situations in my life that require waiting and trusting. Looking back over the week (and the past 6 months), God has definitely been refining me as I am becoming much more trusting and confident in His plans for me. For the first time, I didn't worry excessively over the possibility of having something seriously wrong with my health. Sure, I thought about being diagnosed with breast cancer and imagined what our lives would be like if I had it, but I was completely convinced that God would work for the good, no matter the outcome. Peter came with me to my appointment and was a huge help to me, as I was definitely nervous. When they saw something "suspicious" on my mammogram last year, my follow up appointment was super fast - I was in and out of there in 10 minutes! This time, the appointment took a full hour, so I had much longer to wait before I found out the results. The nurse who did my mammogram said that they may or may not have me do an ultrasound. She was gone for about 10 minutes, while the doctor reviewed the results. She came back in and said that I needed to have an ultrasound.... Then I went for the ultrasound, and the technician said that she would either come back with the results or the doctor would come in. I thought if the doctor came in, that would be a bad sign, so I was really hoping to just see the technician. When the door was opened, both the doctor and the technician were there, so I really thought they were going to give me some challenging news. However, the doctor sat down, and the first words out of his mouth were, "Good News! - There is no sign of cancer!" I felt so relieved and definitely teared up when they left the room. As I saw Peter in the waiting room, I gave him a "thumbs up" as I walked across the lobby, and he gave me a big hug :). I called my parents to let them know, and my dad invited me over to their house on my way home. We had wine and appetizers to celebrate the great news. Since getting the good news, I'm reminded once again how fragile life is, how health is not something to take for granted, how special the little things are, and how much I need people in my life. My sister Mary gave me the sign in the picture that we have hanging in our family room. The more I live life, I'm learning that the message on this sign is so, so true.