"KEEPING YOU A BREAST"

September 11, 2007, I had an appointment for my yearly mammogram. It was uneventful except for the usual "fun" associated with such tests. Then I got the phone call to return for a second mammogram. This one confirmed that there were some microcalcifications present in the right breast and the radiologist recommended that I do a biopsy of the area. The 3 days that I waited to get the results from that biopsy were very long days. Unfortunately, when the call came from Doctor Noorian, he substaniated the diagnosis that I had BREAST CANCER. When I hung up the phone I just stood there waiting for my brain to catch-up to what my ears had just heard. I didn't cry because it didn't seem real. Had he just told me that I had The Big "C"? I called Doug at the office to tell him and thus began a very strange journey.
Since that time I have had a chest X-Ray, Pap-smear, MRI, another biopsy this time on the left and right , a CAT Scan, an Ultrasound, blood work, EKG and a PET Scan and another biopsy. I am starting to feel like a lab rat. Tim, my son-in-law told me that they should donate me to science. From all this they determined that I have Stage II Invasive Breast Cancer with 2 enlarged and suspicious lymph nodes. Wow! When they tell you this news it is like somebody just sucked all the air out of the room or punched you in the stomach. Then came the unpleasant task of calling my family and friends. Those were difficult phone calls to make especially to my children. I knew that this news was going to be shocking, frightening and painful and I could hardly bare that thought but I knew that it must be done. To further complicate the situation Morgan, who is playing soccer at the University of Utah, tore her ACL, LCL, the lateral and medial meniscuses, while playing in a game this same week. How would she handle my news on top of what she was already dealing with? What about McKay serving his mission in Indiana? How would he deal with this news and would it distract him from his mission? All I can say is that I seriously underestimated the strength and faith of my children. They circled the wagons and in those moments when I needed their strength they carried me. I wrote a letter to McKay to tell him and the letter that I received back from him astounded me. In it he said many comforting things and then he closed with this, "I love you guys so much and thank you for everything that you do for me. I miss you all very much and this mountain that we have all run into is nothing. Think of it like this. When you are mountain climbing you can't do it by yourself, you need a team to work together to get things done and to give support. We need to do that very thing. The Lord gave us a mountain so we could learn how to climb. We need to stick together and become stronger. I love you guys!!!!! Love Elder Skeen" Lead by Doug, everyone jumped into action. Megan became a breast cancer expert in a week and everyone was helping and supporting each other. I'm telling you they are truly amazing.
At this point I have surgery scheduled for Friday, November 16. Deciding on the surgical procedures was a grueling process, some of the most difficult decisions I have ever made. That is a whole blog post all of it's own. The most amazing part of this journey has been all the blessings that have come as a result of it. I have learned so much. There have been little epiphanies and personal revelations and deeper understandings and I have seen the hand of The Lord working in my life every single day over and over again and I feel very grateful.
I have come to see this as a difficult experience with many blessings and countless opportunites attached to it. I have been handed a very special chance to teach my children and grandchildren how we deal with difficult times and challenges in our lives and to demonstrate by example, my faith that the Lord knows us and loves us and He is the source of the peace that we seek.