You Are Not Alone: My Cancer Journey

By Dolores M. Miller

Cancer
It took a toll on my body and my mind, but it could not bend my spirit or my courage.
I am free of cancer.
I am a survivor.
I have been a survivor my entire life.
I am more than a survivor, I am a thriver.
I am going to live my life!
Whatever else comes my way, I will work through it and this will be done.
I love you lady!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dolores M. Miller
• Release date: Oct 3, 2022
• ISBN: 9781737770619

Book preview

With Full Force

Last night, I met with my friend Jennifer’s daughter, Maren. Jennifer supported me when I was going through chemotherapy and cancer treatment.

Jennifer was doing well and then just after five years the cancer came back - in full force - and it quickly took her life.

I'm three years out.

Three years since I learned I had breast cancer. It was very scary to know that cancer raised its ugly head again, with full force and took this beautiful woman’s life. She was such a blessing to me when I was sick and going through treatment. We never know what will happen in the future and I'm going to live each day as if it was my last.

With full force, I'm going to live and love the same! Every day I am here is a precious jewel. I am grateful and will not live in fear. I'll live with hope and love and kindness for others.

Dear Reader, live your life! Do the things you always wanted to do and do them with passion. I will do this with full force.

It is so good to be alive. You are an Angel, Jennifer, like my mom, and my aunt Debbie and so many other women for whom this dreadful disease has taken their life way too young. God bless you all.

For My Husband Larry

Where do I begin?  We just had our 48th wedding anniversary in February 2021 and it’s been almost three years since the breast cancer diagnosis. I met you when I was 17 and we got married when I was 21.  We knew each other and loved each other for over 50 years!

This book is called You are Not Alone, My cancer Journey’.  For as long as I can remember, you have been there with me through thick and thin. I want the whole world to know of your love. I don’t know how many more years we have, but I know this.  I love you and I always will.

Thank you for being a wonderful and supporting husband.

Now, I know I can face anything and overcome all adversities. I hope this book is a shining light and gives hope to other women with a diagnosis of breast cancer.

I wish you all the best and I encourage you to never give up!

Never say never and never say always – My dad!

Introduction

It was a day just like any other. After taking a shower, I wrapped a towel around myself and felt a lump on my left breast, on the side and under my armpit.

I went into my study to see my editor and after she felt it, she said it was the size and shape of a walnut. I immediately knew it was cancer. I called my husband and he said I probably just pulled a muscle.

I called my doctor and made an appointment the next day for a mammogram. The following day, I had an ultrasound and two days later I had a biopsy. A week later, I got the call.  It was cancer.

My cancer journey began in 2018. I pray this book helps others facing this difficult diagnosis to understand all the feelings they go through are normal. Anxiety, PTSD, and facing your own mortality are part of the process of accepting this diagnosis and acknowledging your feelings about it and then living your life. Living your life with cancer and then praying that you will live the rest of your life without it.

2020

Today is October 2020. We are dealing with a virus called COVID-19. We are living like we never did before; with masks, keeping distance from each other and so many other socially distracting things. For cancer patients, this is another hardship, as each hospital has their own guidelines for support, visitation and treatment requirements. I consider myself very fortunate for being diagnosed and treated before this terrible pandemic.  My heart goes out to those who are dealing with both cancer and the pandemic.

This book is not about COVID-19. It’s about when I had cancer three years ago. Breast cancer. I faced my own mortality, surgery, chemo, and radiation. It taught me to live one day at a time. I am a survivor, and a WARRIOR!

Each Early Morning Light

Each early morning light

is another day

you have given me dear Lord

to show love

to show kindness

to reach out to

someone with a broken heart.

And to be

all I'm supposed

to be

in your eyes

my dear blessed savior.

THANK YOU!

Help me be

all you planned

for me to be!

And help heal

this world.

Help make a

Difference.

Child of the Most High

I am a child of the Most High God

I know my breakthrough is coming.

Lord, you are most powerful,

I believe nothing is going to stop me

I know you have a way.

I will be eating and feeling better soon.

I will be healed and recovered from all cancer and chemo

Faith brings it forth!

I am done, no more excuses for not getting better!

I am a child of the Most High.

God made me in his own image.

God crowned me with favor.

I have royal blood flowing through my veins.

There is nothing ordinary about a child of God

I know He is there for me and I am going to be better than I have ever been.

No more excuses for not getting better – I am a child of the Most High – I am a child of God.

Curve Balls

There are curve balls in life – just like there are in baseball. It just comes out of nowhere... Is it cancer, is it not, is it a cyst or is it nothing? Soon, I will know the outcome of the mass on my breast. In the meantime,