When Breast Cancer Said Hello
It was a typical November day in 2004 when the phone rang in my office. Most of my thoughts were on the upcoming feast of Thanksgiving and time spent with family sharing laughs and great food. The thoughts of the wonderful days ahead were soon dashed by the tone of my Mother’s voice at the end of the line.
My Mother had recently had a mammogram that had shown a suspicious area in her breast that the doctors decided to biopsy. “Jeff, the results weren’t good,” was all she needed to say. As a lump formed in my throat I scrambled for whatever words I could respond with, I quickly entered a state of denial. The only thought that raced through my brain was “This isn’t real; these things just don’t happen to us.” The conversation changed into a discussion on what would happen next and the plans of treatment that the physician recommended. What I had hoped was only a bad dream that I’d soon awake from suddenly became something very real, my Mother had been diagnosed with breast cancer.
The news for our family couldn’t have come at a more difficult time. My Brother, who serves in the Army, was nearing the end of his 10th month in Iraq. It had been a very difficult load for all of us, especially my parents. The latest news would make for a very difficult holiday season for our entire family.
When the holidays arrived they were difficult but we made it through them. There was still the glow in the eyes of the grandchildren, and we enjoyed the time together sharing memories of Christmas past. But with my Brother in Iraq and the mountain that my Mother was facing, there was a distinct somberness that couldn’t be avoided.
My Mother’s surgery was during the first week of January and was a success without any complications. The next several months were spent going from one appointment to another as she slowly recovered while battling the disease. The process was a real rollercoaster ride for Mom, full of ups and downs in the way she felt physically and mentally.
I will never be able to fully express the gratitude I have for my parents for the unspoken life lessons that were taught to me through this difficult time. In my Father I saw the words “in sickness and in health” being lived out before my very eyes. Although I know that this was tough on him, my Father was a rock through this never leaving my Mother’s side. He showed me what being dedicated to a commitment meant and that we each have only one true love in our life, but only a lucky few ever find them.
I saw an inner strength from my Mother that could only be described as someone that is truly living on faith, along with a belief that this faith would see her through. When some of us grew weak along the road, she remained positive and strong. Mom became a hero for all of us, and I will always treasure her for the living example that she is.
It was through my Mother’s battle that I became inspired to write “Running the Race,” a children’s story about breast cancer. It is my sincere hope that the story will serve as an educational tool for children of loved ones stricken to better cope with something that is difficult to understand.
“Running the Race” is for adults too. The story offers an inspirational message that will show that everyone can make a difference in this battle against breast cancer. It is my sincere hope that all who turn the pages of “Running the Race” will be touched in a special way. I believe that everyone will find something that truly speaks to their hearts.
The story of how breast cancer has affected my family is one that is lived out by families around the world each and every day. There have been great advances in efforts toward awareness, prevention, and research, and this wonderful progress that we are witnessing is only the beginning.
No one ever expects breast cancer to say hello, but I firmly believe that someday the same hello that has haunted millions of lives will become a goodbye…forever.
Author Jeff Yosick’s book “Running the Race”was released by Rain Publishing Inc. Ask for your copy at a local bookstore near you, or visit http://www.rainbooks.com/ for more information.
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It was a typical November day in 2004 when the phone rang in my office. Most of my thoughts were on the upcoming feast of Thanksgiving and time spent with family sharing laughs and great food. The thoughts of the wonderful days ahead were soon dashed by the tone of my Mother’s voice at the end of the line.
My Mother had recently had a mammogram that had shown a suspicious area in her breast that the doctors decided to biopsy. “Jeff, the results weren’t good,” was all she needed to say. As a lump formed in my throat I scrambled for whatever words I could respond with, I quickly entered a state of denial. The only thought that raced through my brain was “This isn’t real; these things just don’t happen to us.” The conversation changed into a discussion on what would happen next and the plans of treatment that the physician recommended. What I had hoped was only a bad dream that I’d soon awake from suddenly became something very real, my Mother had been diagnosed with breast cancer.
The news for our family couldn’t have come at a more difficult time. My Brother, who serves in the Army, was nearing the end of his 10th month in Iraq. It had been a very difficult load for all of us, especially my parents. The latest news would make for a very difficult holiday season for our entire family.
When the holidays arrived they were difficult but we made it through them. There was still the glow in the eyes of the grandchildren, and we enjoyed the time together sharing memories of Christmas past. But with my Brother in Iraq and the mountain that my Mother was facing, there was a distinct somberness that couldn’t be avoided.
My Mother’s surgery was during the first week of January and was a success without any complications. The next several months were spent going from one appointment to another as she slowly recovered while battling the disease. The process was a real rollercoaster ride for Mom, full of ups and downs in the way she felt physically and mentally.
I will never be able to fully express the gratitude I have for my parents for the unspoken life lessons that were taught to me through this difficult time. In my Father I saw the words “in sickness and in health” being lived out before my very eyes. Although I know that this was tough on him, my Father was a rock through this never leaving my Mother’s side. He showed me what being dedicated to a commitment meant and that we each have only one true love in our life, but only a lucky few ever find them.
I saw an inner strength from my Mother that could only be described as someone that is truly living on faith, along with a belief that this faith would see her through. When some of us grew weak along the road, she remained positive and strong. Mom became a hero for all of us, and I will always treasure her for the living example that she is.
It was through my Mother’s battle that I became inspired to write “Running the Race,” a children’s story about breast cancer. It is my sincere hope that the story will serve as an educational tool for children of loved ones stricken to better cope with something that is difficult to understand.
“Running the Race” is for adults too. The story offers an inspirational message that will show that everyone can make a difference in this battle against breast cancer. It is my sincere hope that all who turn the pages of “Running the Race” will be touched in a special way. I believe that everyone will find something that truly speaks to their hearts.
The story of how breast cancer has affected my family is one that is lived out by families around the world each and every day. There have been great advances in efforts toward awareness, prevention, and research, and this wonderful progress that we are witnessing is only the beginning.
No one ever expects breast cancer to say hello, but I firmly believe that someday the same hello that has haunted millions of lives will become a goodbye…forever.
Author Jeff Yosick’s book “Running the Race”was released by Rain Publishing Inc. Ask for your copy at a local bookstore near you, or visit http://www.rainbooks.com/ for more information.
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