Many of you know I lost my mom in 1988 to Breast Cancer. She was 48. I was 7 months pregnant and the impact of losing my mom that early and at a time in my life when I needed her most, she was gone.

At 35, I started having mammograms and ultrasounds yearly and then MRI’s were added after several suspicious results. I have often questioned why I continue to need breast cancer surveillance as I have for the past 30 years. Technology has improved. I’ve tested negative for the breast cancer gene. So i recently questioned my surgical oncologist and asked if I could stop MRI and just do the annual mammogram and ultrasound. She wouldn’t hear of it.

It’s so stressful every six months to go through this testing. This past week it became even more stressful as my MRI showed a suspicious spot. This happened in 2010 and not again since. I spoke to my doctor and she said we need to know what this. The next week I had an ultrasound and it confirmed the spot was in fact there and was also suspicious. I went back Wednesday for the U/S guided biopsy. I don’t think in all the years of surveillance and multiple biopsies have I ever been so nervous for the results.

So today, I sit here reflecting about a prayer that has been answered. The radiologist just called (who I love), she’s been the same radiologist reading my tests since I moved to Tampa. She said I wanted to tell you before the weekend that your biopsy is benign. I thanked her for calling. Honestly it took me a minute to digest what she said as I was shocked given the severity of the radiology reports but so relieved. I was prepared for whatever came of it but grateful that it was not cancer.

The moral of the story is – get your surveillance and be grateful that we have that ability to monitor. If the result had been cancer it would have been very early and highly curable. If I had not kept up with the regimen of testing; might have been vastly different. That is not lost on me in this moment. I’m sure I’ll be reminded of that when I see my doctor next week.

God is good!

** big love goes to Kaci for standing beside me all the way no matter the outcome ** she is my rock.

M