2025 began with the usual organizing and planning — my time of annual reflection and renewal. I’ve always been a goal-seeking creature, therefore establishing personal goals in the New Year and aligning with God’s will and purpose for my life is crucial.
One goal I borrowed from the previous year was to have NO SURGERIES. By the Lord’s mercy I managed to avoid the operating room in 2024 (at 66), so why not this year? Sounded easy enough and I loved the idea of not prepping for surgery or setting aside recovery and healing time. Plus, accomplishing that goal would mean maintaining good health for the next 12 months.
Each year, my first medical appointment was always an annual exam with my gynecologist, including a mammogram. For as long as I can remember, I’ve been faithful to endure necessary albeit uncomfortable mammograms yearly. The findings for decades have always been “negative”, other than identifying that the tissue in my breasts were dense. When follow-up ultrasounds were indicated, they always resulted in “no issues found, see you next year”.
In late January 2025 when I went in for the follow-up ultrasound, I presumed the findings would be similar. But the serious face of the radiologist suggested a different possibility. She grimly recommended a right breast biopsy as soon as possible. With each succeeding procedure, I reiterated the history of dense breast tissue as though to convince them that they must be mistaken. Yet each time they assured me they saw something else – something they didn’t like.
“It is a mistake to look too far ahead. Only one link in the chain of destiny can be handled at a time.” Sir Winston Churchill
My Next Steps 