Anna Davenport
English Class 6:30pm
My Personal Narrative
Overcoming Cancer
Cancer and the idea of it, in itself is a scary thought. Millions have been known to die from it. Basically on the website Google Wikipedia cancer is a “malignant neoplasm” which is a spacious group of numerous diseases; which involves the loss of cell growth.
The cells which are known to separate and grow un-ruly by forming malignant tumors, and then by infesting any nearby parts of the body. Cancer can be known to also spread to more remote far-off parts of the body in the “lymphatic system or bloodstream.” However I also read that “not all tumors are cancerous.
Such as Benign tumors which are known not grow un-ruly, or does it overrun nearby tissues, it also will not spread throughout the body.”
What causes cancer is hard to understand. There are so many things that are known to cause the cancer, “including the use of tobacco, there are also certain infections, and even radiation of the sun as well as lack of physical activity, poor diet and obesity.”
There are some “environmental pollutants” that can also be a cause that leads to cancer. “It can directly damage genes or combine with existing genetic faults within cells that may cause the disease. There have been comparatively been known to be about five to ten percent of cancers that are entirely genetic.”
Cancer may be detected in a number of ways, which include “the presence of certain signs and symptoms. Screening test and medical imaging can be one way to detect cancer.
Provided you have regular check-ups.” Once the possibility of cancer is detected the next stage is to figure out if it can be diagnosed. Through “microscopic examination of a tissue sample, this can be determined.” Cancer can usually treatable with the help of “chemotherapy, radiation therapy and surgery.”
“The chances of surviving the disease can depend greatly on the type and the location of the cancer. Cancer has been known to affect people of all ages, there are a few types of cancer that are common in children; and still the risk of developing cancer generally grows with age.”
There are too many lists of cancers out there in the world to name and describe them all. So I will just begin with my story. I was about 19 years old when I recognized a small lump forming on the left side of my breast, I was very concerned at that moment; the next thing I remember was letting my mom know about the lump; and then having her rush me to the emergency hospital.
When we finally got to the hospital, my mom frantically ask for a doctor to check-up on me; as the time seemed to be ticking by slowly; a cluster of bad thoughts and worries began to muster up inside my head at that moment. I remember thinking during that moment of waiting in anticipation and fear, if I was going to live; as I myself suspected that it was most-likely cancer.
Once the doctor called my name; I felt numb and it seemed like everything was going in slow- motion. Then it was time for the doctor to check my breast, after confirming the lump was indeed there I had to make a schedule to get that lump on my left breast examined by an ultrasound.
The doctor also took a sample of my tissue that day. I forget how soon after that moment; that my mom and I found out what I had.
I was very fortunate to find out it was fibro adenoma binome tumorous cancer. Which is known as a very mild form of cancer; still I was freaked out that it was a form of cancer none the less. I also had to wait for three to four months before I could get the tumorous cancer removed, basically because my original doctors had planed on moving to a new location; from what I remember being told by them and my mom.
The experience of having to wait that long for surgery freaked me out even more. I was constantly loosing weight from it, from my form of cancer; and to be honest that part scared me the most. I had been a kind of medium heavy set 19 and a half year old at about 145lbs.
The day of my surgery without any trying to exercise or dietary foods or supplements I had went from 145lbs; to 115lbs. I felt like a skeleton, I am kind of sure I must have looked close to one too; with all that weight I had lost from my fibro adenoma binome tumorous cancer. Before the surgery had even begun,
Thoughts of dread and nervous fear started to seep into my head again at a very fast pace so fast that I remember babbling like an idiot the moment before my surgery happened.
It was the first surgery I had ever been through in my life, that being said all I can say is how I can still remember thinking; what if I don’t get through this alive? Mostly, because, of the fact that I had heard from a few news stories, in the past about list of a few surgeries; going unsuccessfully and their patient ending up dead. I didn’t want to die, I wasn’t ready for “death” to come “knocking on my door,” I prayed so hard for that surgery to go well; while a kind pastor and my mom prayed with me.
I also want to say before close my statement that surgery even began I gave my whole entire life and self to Jesus Christ; I had asked him before to be my heavenly Father; but I never remember meaning it as much as the moment before my surgery.
I am not the best example of a Christian though; there are still moments in life where I fall and stumble in sin. I know that Jesus Christ has forgiven me of my sins though because he promised us all forgiveness through salvation in Jesus Christ; who is the son of God!
As in Romans 5:1 “Because of our LORD Jesus Christ, we live at peace with God,” and John 3:16 “God Loved the people of this world so much that he gave his only son Jesus Christ, so that everyone who has faith in him will not perish but have eternal life.”
Before I found out that I had fibro adenoma binome tumorous cancer, I use to not care so much about my life; or did I care as much for life or even cared so much about living; however once my surgery was about to be done.
The fear of the possibility of death and dying scared me into appreciating life and everything that came with living including the very air I breath now today, to enjoying every sunrise and sun set that brings more joy to me to see the sun rise and sun set everyday.
In the end I have to say that I honestly don’t think I would be so appreciative of life. Of every sunrise, or sun set; or even of the very air I breath.
If I had never gone through what I had been through, and in the end I believe it has made me even more happy; and joyful than I have even been in my life.
Just knowing that I am still alive gives me hope and a reason to rejoice; and thank God for the life in which I personably believe he spared for me the ability to live. As well as the ability to truly enjoy the life; I have been given.
The credit I’d like to give to Google Wikipedia for helping me give more of a basic description of cancer…
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cancer
