NOTE: THIS POST IS FOR MEN ALSO.
Breast cancer, you may be thinking why is she talking about this?! I will tell you why.
Many women suffer from breast cancer every year. Some women haven’t been diagnosed in time. They lose their battle. For me, I was being monitored very closely, every 3 months with exams and films. This was because of my family history and my health history, already having leukemia. If it weren’t for this, it may have been too late for me. You see my cancer was not detectable on physical exam. It was too deep. The cancer was already invasive, meaning it spread beyond the original site. Therefore it was also aggressive. It was on the mammogram films that they could detect an issue.
Because of early detection, I was spared the devastation of “hard” chemo. I had surgery to remove both breasts, and that was it. No radiation needed. I was tried on some oral medication but I could not tolerate the side effects.
Why am I telling you such personal information? Because I care. I know young women that were not yet the age for mammograms, they developed breast cancer. Found from doing self exams. And I know “older” women that do not bother. They are playing with fire.
Cancer is a devastating disease. It is not pleasant. It is hard for all involved. It is painful physically and emotionally. Please, please take this seriously. It takes 2 minutes to do a self breast exam.
Now for men! This cancer shows no partiality. Men get breast cancer also. And it can metastasize to other areas of the body. And yes a mammo can be done on a male. It takes no time at all to check yourself. Include under the arm.
Breast cancer is totally treatable. But the key is early detection.
Many of you are probably thinking what does this have to do with God, or faith and hope. Plenty!
God has created us, we are fearfully and wonderfully made. You may say then why do we get deadly diseases? Because we live in a polluted, broken, imperfect world. And it happens.
Remember, God is always in control. Sometimes it is our own doing that blocks the will of God. Either way, why test the power of God? Why ignore the simple things we can do to keep our health in check?
I still have cancer. I still have spinal cord damage.I still have many health issues because of that spinal cord damage. Do I fret and blame God? Absolutely not! It is the mighty hand of God that has protected me and given me life. I pray I always walk in the gratitude and thankfulness to our Lord Jesus for His love and hand on my life.
I encourage you faithful readers, take care of this vessel of flesh He has given you. Do the simple steps that may save your life. I care about you. And mostly our Lord God cares about you.
“The Lord said: I will certainly set you free and care for you. I will certainly intercede for you in a time of trouble, in your time of distress, with the enemy.”
Jeremiah 15:11 HCSB
“For I know the plans I have for you” — this is the Lord’s declaration — “plans for your welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. You will call to Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.”
Jeremiah 29:11-13 HCSB
