HOPE springs eternal
Hope springs eternal in the human breast;Man never Is, but always To be blest:
The soul, uneasy and confin’d from home,
Rests and expatiates in a life to come.
-Alexander Pope,
An Essay on Man, Epistle I, 1733
Last week I had a doctor’s appointment…you know, the “girl doctor”. I haven’t been in about 4 years (I know, I know…shame on me!), and knew that it was way past time to go. Well…as it turns out she (the doc) found something…actually two somethings. I knew that I had a lump…I have had them before and they turned out to be not a big deal…but I wasn’t prepared for her to find two.
This week I went to Cleveland Clinic hospital in Weston (they are awesome!) and had a mammogram and an ultrasound done. I was so scared…I was sure (somewhere in the pit of my stomach) that it was probably nothing…BUT, the what ifs started to come, and they hit me hard Wednesday night. I thought…whoa…maybe this is why things have been turned upside down for me lately, what if it’s Breast Cancer, what if I waited too late to catch it, what if….
I have an appointment this coming week with a surgeon to review all the films, discuss my case, and go over everything, and I am sure that it will be ok…but I have to tell you…I did lose my HOPE for about a day.
I am sharing this, not for your sympathy, not for your “oh poor thing”, but to show you that it is ok to look away for a moment, but the trick is to look back and see where the HOPE comes from.
I love this verse…
Psalm 25:5 – guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.
I don’t know what you are going through, what stress, anxiety, pressure you are under right now, but I do know there is HOPE in the midst of any storm.
Please hear me ladies…guys, tell the women in your life…you need to go to the doctor, every year…I have learned from this, and intend to make sure that I tell every woman I know that it is not something to play around with. No, it’s not a fun appointment, I can think of a million things I would rather do, but you MUST make it a priority.
Go to the doc, get checked out, and follow up…it’s your life…take charge!
Praying for you.
Thank you…right back at you!
Mel, I remember my scares with my “twins” and I remember my first scare came two days before mother’s day right before my daughter turned two. I remember the Dr. wlaking in and saying this is what you have and you need to have a biopsy. (I was only 29!) And I remember stopping completely and saying to myself “WAIT” if this is the “real” thing what am I going to do and what I want to do? And during those scarying days, God just wanted me to WAIT on HIM! It has been 8 months that I am completely in the clear, but I did learn to wait and be still. God is amazing how he turns us upside down, to just wait, and see HIM. Thanks for sharing your intimate girly stuff. Please continue to spread the word, Prevention is the Key to save lives. Don’t wait till you’re almost 35 to have your first mammogram, go based on your instincts, like I did.
Much love.
Praying and hoping with you!!!
Ivy…great words!!! I would strongly suggest (and push if necessary) that every woman listen to their instincts.
Tam…your prayers are coveted and appreciated!
I had read your post earlier but didn’t comment right away. First let me say I prayed for you today…and as I did I was reminded of Matthew 14:22-33 where Jesus calls Peter to walk on the water towards Jesus. Peter momentarily loses his nerve, looks down and starts to sink, but Jesus reached down and grabbed his hand before Peter goes under. In the midst of the churning realities of our lives we all tend to get distracted and look away from the Lord at the water churning beneath us…but like you said we have to look to Jesus. But notice Jesus also reached out to Peter before things got out of hand. There is our hope!
MM,
Praying and thinking of you always. You are such a source of strength and grace always and I know God is with you right now and always.
You are in my thoughts..yesterday, today and tomorrow.
Missy
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus Phil.4:7
I’ll be praying for you sister. Keep us posted.
BTW…I love Cleveland Clinic. You are in good hands!
Cheryl, Missy, and Wendy…
Thank you all for being an encouragement to me…each of you has blessed me in such a special way…your prayers are appreciated!
Melissa
Cheryl…
You want to hear something really cool…one of my very good friends sent me an email this morning and posted the same story about walking on water…(I get it God…thanks for the reminder!).
Melissa