I spent most of my day Tuesday, waiting… the technician would complete one test and then I would go sit and wait.

Waiting in situations like I described above can create anxiety & worry. No one I encountered seemed to be in that category. We were all waiting…

I began to wonder if these ladies were ok. Many were waiting for extra testing like me.

My prayers are with each one & I have no idea how each appointment turned out for each lady.

My appointment was at the Breast Clinic in Winston Salem.

Tuesday’s appointment brought a bit of peace & depth of knowledge of my current health situation.

I’m ok y’all. And this blog post is NOT intended to be about empathy for me. My journey over the last few months has created an tremendous amount of empathy for those who have walked the path of cancer treatment.

My mammogram in June found a series of small cysts. All of my test results from Tuesday revealed no significant changes. I’ll return back in 6 months for another round of testing.

But as I sat there with all these other women on Tuesday, in silence, I began to ponder about the whole scenario of waiting.

When we wait, we are staying “in one place”, or delaying action until something else happens…

Back in June when I was anxious about my first set of results, my mom said to me, “if anything changes, we will deal with it together “. That definitely struck a cord with me. I would not be in this unknown journey alone. I would have family & friends to help and support me. Richard, and my sister have been constant pillars of support as well as my parents. My doctor navigated all of the questions, concerns & made connections with key providers for appointments. I have also made a few dietary changes & adjustments.

The anxiety began to wash away… finding strength in my waiting time.

I also began to think about all the women who came before me, who found cancer as the end result of testing. Facing a tremendous health hurdle that would change the trajectory of their lives.

I would bet that most of us can name family or friends that have experienced this type of cancer.

A friend of mine just finished her last round of chemotherapy. She has been a warrior throughout the whole process. I admire her determination and send her prayers each day for strength & courage.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. If you have delayed your mammogram for any reason, don’t delay it any longer. OR if you have noticed any changes, make an appointment to see your doctor NOW. Lobular breast cancer is not always detected as easily through a mammogram. The subtle changes will be your best indicator. Your health is too important to ignore signals from your body.

Women often wear many “hats” as professionals, mothers, caregivers, chef, & chief errand runner… need I say more? Often we don’t take time to care for our personal needs, and your health is crucial.

My closing thoughts to y’all today…

1. Remember in times of waiting, our heart is strengthened.

2. Take care of & support the women in your lives.

3.Ladies, go get your annual mammograms and continue to do self examinations.

4. You will find me wearing pink each Saturday in October to serve as a reminder to support Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I’ll be wearing my pink Wilkes County Hardware logo gear & I hope to see y’all shopping local with us on Saturdays in October.

Sending love & prayers always to my readers.