Beautifully Blessed: Cancer Never Had a Chance!

By Tanasia Tiarra D.

Beautifully Blessed takes you through the mind of a cancer survivor. To be diagnosed with a rare, deadly sarcoma at the age of eighteen left her permanently disfigured. The many struggles, addiction, heartbreaks, and feeling defeated for years are suddenly gone when she is sparked to get back in the fight and gain her life back one day!

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Jul 8, 2019
• ISBN: 9781728313238

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© 2019 Tanasia Tiarra D. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 05/23/2019

ISBN: 978-1-7283-1325-2 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-7283-1324-5 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-7283-1323-8 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2019942680

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

CONTENTS

Acknowledgements

Chapter 1     Something is wrong…

Chapter 2     Breaking the news

Chapter 3     Mya Marie Martin

Chapter 4     Back to the hospital I go

Chapter 5     The big operation!

Chapter 6     The recovery and Radiation

Chapter 7     The last three rounds of chemo

Chapter 8     Determined to live life the way I wanted!

Chapter 9     My short lived happiness

Chapter 10   Enough is enough

Chapter 11   The search for happiness

A Letter from Lari

The Lesson I Learned From My Beautiful Blessing!

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

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Let me start by saying, it took me eight years to sit down, write, and share my testimony with you. I thank the Lord and my savior for bringing me through my storm and trusting me to share with the world that no matter how bad things get or, may seem, with faith you can make it through! I dedicate this book to all the cancer patients, fighters, and survivors. I know at times you feel all alone and no one understands but, I am here to tell you that you are not! I hope you read this and get all the motivation and inspiration you need to keep pushing forward. Cancer does not define you! Cancer does not have to be the end of life as you knew it. Keep your head held high and kick cancers ASS!

My four rocks, Grandma Carol, Mommy, Daddy, and my Sistah Larianna. There are not enough words that can express the way I feel about you all. Every call, every tear, every scare, doctor appointments, and surgeries you all were there with no question asked. Whatever I needed or wanted the four of you made sure I had it.

To my siblings, Tiffany, Marcus, lil Dre, Brandon, Brandi, Bry. I can’t thank you enough for never giving up on me. You were there for the good, bad, and the ugly. When I was too tired to fight for myself all of you stepped up to the plate. The most loving, understanding, supporting, and never judging siblings ever. I will FOREVER be grateful. Mom and Carla, I want the two of you to know how much of an influence you had on me when it came to wanting more than what I was presented with. I now put in 100% in all that I do to make sure I get what I not only want but, deserve. My fight, my courage, my resilience has been sparked by all of you.

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CHAPTER 1

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SOMETHING IS WRONG…

I was eighteen years old when the discomfort in my mouth began. The first dentist I went to told me I had an abscess and put me on antibiotics. The antibiotics never did work, so I went back just to be told that I needed teeth pulled. Because of the abscess, I was unable to have them pulled right away. Unsatisfied with their decision I went to another dental office called Dixon Dental. It was ran by a black married couple who was very nice. By me only being eighteen, I trusted them and felt comfortable with all their decisions. I felt safe and relieved to finally have answers (boy was I wrong).

My first appointment at the new dental office went great. They took x-rays that showed most of my jaw bone was gone. At the time I had my tongue pierced (which my daddy hated). I was told that my piercing is what caused my jaw bone to disappear and would have to get three teeth pulled and replaced with a bridge (simple right? WRONG!). My stepmother Carmen and I sat there and discussed what was going to be taking place. I was told that I would be coming back to have the three teeth pulled and have a temporary partial made to replace my teeth until my bridge was made and my gums were healed to have it put in. Unfortunately, things didn’t turn out that way. We agreed with the dentist, made my appointment and went on with our day.

Two weeks had passed and it was now the day to have my teeth pulled. Accompanied by my best friend Larianna, I walked in, signed in, took a seat in the waiting area, and nervously waited for my name to be called.

Tanasia Dogan

Now in the room, I was being prepped and waiting on the dentist. I was given two Novocain shots before she began pulling the first tooth.

OOOOUCH… I feel that!

Because I was feeling the pain, I was given two more doses of Novocain to try and numb my gums more.

OOOOOOUUUUUUCCCCCCCHHHHHHHHHH… I screamed.

As I began to cry, she went and got Lari from the waiting area to try and calm me down before continuing.

AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH I screamed as the first tooth was being pulled out. Still screaming and feeling the pain, she went on and started pulling the second one. Lari became upset and concerned.

How many shots did you give her?

Four.

She proceeded and after a few pulls she managed to get that second tooth out. I was now hysterical and crying.

OH MY GOD! Is she supposed to bleed this much with this many blood clots gushing out of her mouth? Lari asked angrily.

Yes, that’s normal. It’s just the infection that she had built up making its way out. The dentist answered as she started pushing down on the area that was swollen. When asked what she was doing and why, she told us that she was pushing the infection out faster. She then went on to tell us that it would help bring the swelling down (NEVER DID).

I begged and pleaded to her through my cries.

PLEASE STOP… NO, WAIT, I will come back another day and pay to be put to sleep. I can’t handle this pain. I went on to tell her that the feeling was unbearable but, it fell on death ears.

NO, I cannot stop now I have already made your temporary partial. Here, I can give you two more doses of Novocain to try and deaden the area for you. She did just that. While letting the medicine kick in, she went and grabbed her husband so that he could extract that third and final tooth. I assumed she was tired of my crying and moving. I’m pretty sure she was tired of being grilled by Lari as well!

How do you expect to have children if you can’t even sit here and get three simple teeth pulled? The dentist said. I couldn’t believe she even had the nerve to say something like that after all the pain I was dealing with! I continued to cry out loud as her husband pulled that last tooth. As I prepared to go home, Lari and I noticed all the blood that was everywhere. There was blood on the floor, on the chair, on my shirt, and even Lari shoes!

I knew you was going to come in here and act a fool. That’s exactly why I scheduled you on an off day with no other patients! I just shook my head at her rude, mean remark and left out the door in disbelief!

It was a few days later when I noticed the infection was still there. The swelling that started out the size of a tiny pea, was now the size of a round plum. It was planted right underneath my left eye socket and side of my nose. I went to show my mother and after looking at it she decided it was time to speak to that dentist herself!

Hi, this is Tanasia Dogan mother. I’m calling because my daughter came in to have three teeth pulled due to infection a few days ago. I am looking at her face and the swelling has gotten a lot bigger. She said into the phone.

I was sitting right beside her in the bed with eyes full of tears. I was afraid that they would recommend me to come in and have more teeth pulled. That was something I knew I wasn’t able to go through again.

NO! You are going to refer her to a specialist! My mother demanded. I was relieved and was able to relax a bit after heating my mother turn that dentist down.

Now that my appointment was made, I went on with my everyday doings. My eldest sister Tiffany was expecting her first child. We were all so very excited about it. It was the day of her baby shower and I was right there with a swollen face, my temporary partial and all. Lol, I was so ecstatic that there was nothing in the world that would have kept me from being there. It was a great day not only because of the shower but, we were also celebrating my little brother Marcus birthday. I enjoyed everything about that day even though I was in slight pain and it was difficult for me to eat.

Hi, I have an appointment with Dr. Morris today.

Name and Birthday please. The receptionist asked.

Tanasia Dogan September 24 1987

"Alright, you can have a seat and wait to