In August 2009, I awoke one morning with my hand on a lump in my breast. Being 34 years of age, I didn’t think anything about it. A couple of days later, I was having a conversation with my mom that reminded me of the lump that I had felt. I mentioned it to her, and her question was “Does it hurt?” When I answered ‘no’, she immediately insisted that I call the doctor. I told her that I’m sure that it’s nothing, but of course she told my husband, and they stayed on me for about 5 days. So, I decided to go to the doctor to, quote, “Get them off my back!” On that following Monday, I called my gynecologist and made an appointment for the next day. At that visit, he told me that he was 99% sure that it was a cyst. After telling him, jokingly, that my husband said that I couldn’t come home until we knew for sure what it was, my doctor decided to send me for a mammogram and ultrasound that same day. After the mammogram and ultrasound, I had the shock of my life. The radiologist came in and told me that it didn’t look good at all, that the mass was solid, and that the edges of the “mass” didn’t look right. At that moment, part of me wanted to fall to pieces, but the other part of me realized that the Lord had shown me this and that everything was going to be ok. The radiologist scheduled me for a biopsy for the next week. The day following the biopsy, I received a phone call at work telling me that it was cancer. I was diagnosed with a rare breast cancer called tubular. For some reason, when I heard the word “rare”, I immediately thought that I was going to die. However, as the day went on, I learned that tubular cancer is a “good” cancer, IF there is a such thing! Tubular carcinoma makes up less than 2% of all breast cancer, but is very treatable and is less likely to spread than other types of breast cancer. Three weeks after the diagnosis, I went into the hospital for a mastectomy. I had my right breast removed with a tissue expander put in place at that time. I also had 2 lymph nodes removed, which later showed no signs of cancer spreading. From November to January, I received chemo treatments which went very well. I of course lost all of my hair, but I felt really good throughout the treatments. In May, I had the tissue expander removed and a permanent implant put in its place. In September, I celebrated my one year anniversary of the diagnosis. I have a head full of wavy hair, and I mention the “wavy” because my hair has been straight as a stick my entire life! And just last week, I went for my first tests since the diagnosis, which were a mammogram, MRI, and a chest x-ray of my lungs. At my appointment to get the results, my doctor tells me that all is clear and there are no signs of cancer. He then adds, “Just 4 years to go and we can have a party to celebrate you being a survivor!” I thought to myself, “I already am!!!!” The Lord has just blessed me and my family throughout this event in our lives. We are closer to Him, closer to each other, and life in general is just so much better. Of all the important things that I learned throughout this time in my life, here are just a couple… 1) Get your mammograms and do your breast exams! And if you find a lump, don’t be a dummy like me….go to the doctor!!! The whole key to surviving breast cancer is finding it early. So, if you find a lump, go have it checked out. And it doesn’t matter the age. I was 34, and throughout this I have met ladies younger than me with breast cancer, one being 23. No age is too young!!! 2) Always look to the Lord for peace and guidance in any situation. No matter how big or small, He can get you through it!!!!!!!!