Sandra Anderson

Survivor

My journey started with a conversation with my sister in law Annette while visiting in Houston. Until this day, we can’t remember how we ended up talking about mammograms, we believe it was the Holy Spirit. I mentioned to her it had been a couple years or, so I thought, since I had my last exam. She said girl you know those are important you need to make your appointment when you get back home. I called to make my appointment and I was asked when your last exam was. I said a couple of years I think she checked and came back and said no Mrs. Anderson it’s been since 2009. I’m thinking how did I let life get so busy that I didn’t make an appointment? I’ve always had an exam every year right after my annual appointment with my primary. Well I scheduled the appointment for May 7, 2018. A few days later, they called me to say they think they saw something in my right breast and wanted to see me on May 15, 2018. I’m thinking no biggie, in the past I had been told that and it was nothing. Well they performed another mammogram on my right breast looked at it and said we need to take an X-ray. I said ok she said just wait we may have to do an ultrasound. Sure enough, she came back we need to an ultrasound. As soon as that was done the doctor came in and said we see a mass that was not there from your last exam we are not sure if it is cancerous or not, we need to do a biopsy. I just remember saying ok, it was scheduled May 22, 2018. A couple days later I received a call at work with the words no one wants to hear, “Mrs. Anderson unfortunately your results show you have breast cancer its invasive ductal carcinoma, it’s the most common breast cancer.” For some reason hearing that news I never went into a panic mode. I said what’s the next step she said we send these results to your primary and he will refer you to a surgeon. After hanging up my immediate call was to my husband he also was not in a panic mode. I told him I wanted Dr. Henry-Tillman to be my surgeon he said go the website to see if she’s covered under our insurance. I remember hanging up with my husband and praying at my desk, “now Lord we’ve not been married 2 years yet and they say I have this if it be your will can it be minimal.” My doctor’s office called a few minutes later to refer a surgeon. I said I want Dr. Tillman. My husband and I met with her May 30, 2018. She explained everything with us in plain English her whole staff made us feel so welcoming and comfortable that I knew I made the right decision choosing her. She explained that I had a graded 1.1 which was minimal. When I heard that I knew God had heard my prayer and answered it! I knew God was in every decision that was made. When telling my family and friends my first words were I’m ok I’ve just been diagnosed with breast cancer. Surgery was scheduled for June 21, 2018 a couple days before surgery I had to have an MRI on my breast well on June 18, 2018 I was told they saw 2 more spots same breast different location from the cancer. So, my surgery had to be cancelled Dr. Tillman said there was no way she would do my surgery without knowing what those spots were. So, a MRI biopsy was scheduled for June 29, 2018 and my surgery was rescheduled for July 5, 2018. I had my scriptures that I meditated on every day and I prayed now Lord I just don’t believe these spots are cancerous if it be your will let them come back benign and that my surgery procedure will not change. Let me tell you how good God is: I received a call on Tuesday, July 3rd and Dr. Malak that performed the biopsy said, “Mrs. Anderson I have good news both spots are benign.” I started praising God over the phone! My faith never waiver I believe the Word of GOD for my healing! We surgery was a success on July 5th and I had my postop appointment yesterday July 16, 2018. I will have to have radiation and some form of chemo in a pill that I will have to take for 5 years. I will receive a call in a few weeks to confirm this but I’m believing God for easy and painless radiation and pill only NO IV chemo because that’s how good my God is. I can’t believe I’m a breast survivor all those years of donating and walking in the race this year I will be with the other survivors, ain’t God good!