My Shining Star

This is a good time to share with you a true story about my shining star. She is very, very dear to me and the many who love her. She’s over 80 and a great-grandmother. She found a lump in her breast and had her daughter take her to the doctor. The doctor sent her for a mammogram and ultrasound which she did. On those findings she was sent for a biopsy. Which she did. Not easy for an  80+ year old who has great difficulty getting about. The biopsy results showed a cancerous tumour. Everyone was devastated by the news and worried about a mastectomy or even surviving an operation at this age.

Her daughters thought it best not to tell her it was cancer, fearing she would worry even more. She spent a week prior to the main op in hospital on all sorts of meds to prepare her for the surgery. Always cheerful, never a complaint or a moan.

The day of the op came and she was in surgery much longer than expected. When she finally came out first thing she asked was if they had taken off her breasts…It seems she had known all along it was a possibility. Fortunately, she had an excellent surgeon who understood how much it meant to her. He spent many hours removing as much cancerous tissue as possible in her breasts and lymph nodes.

She was an excellent patient in hospital and at home. Everyone who knows of her illness is in awe of her dignity and strength. She spent a long time recovering in hospital and at home but wanted no one to know her ordeal except close family. I respect her wishes and so her name is not mentioned.

I really don’t know if I would have the strength to go through all that at her age. I hope so. I truly think her intention was to be an example. Her concentration is on living and spending as much time as possible with her family and friends. She is an awesome, kind, gracious and wise lady and I am honoured to know her and have her in my life.

I did my annual mammogram not long after and I know her daughters are doing the same.