Survivor Stage 4 Breast Cancer Without Chemotherapy

Sometimes panic creeps in slowly, like a shifting shadow you didn’t notice until it’s right beside you—then suddenly, it roars inside your chest. You’re checking your mail. Folding laundry. Trying to take a walk. And suddenly, the floor drops

The Worst Lies We Tell… Are to Ourselves As Christians, we know lying is a sin. The worst lies I’ve ever encountered aren’t the ones told to me—it’s the ones people tell themselves. For every lie spoken aloud, there are countless more we tell ourselves.

It takes courage to allow someone to be open with you about opportunities for you to grow. What changes do they see that need to be made for your life to improve? Are you stuck in old habits, addictions, or procrastination? Will you allow someone to point that out? It takes trust. So make sure this is someone trustworthy—check their life, success, integrity, values, and moral compass.

In August 2008, I began dating a man I had known since high school, and we married in December 2010. It wasn’t long before I realized I was in serious trouble. He was an alcoholic, violent, and explosive. At the same time, I was battling stage 4 cancer, undergoing surgeries and radiation. I felt trapped in the marriage, unable to leave because he was my caregiver. The abuse I endured.

Anger was a quiet companion through my cancer battle, surfacing in moments I never anticipated. But in the calming flow of water during my morning swims and the gentle strokes of a paintbrush while listening to my favorite feel-good music playlist, I realized something deeper was happening to me.  I was practicing ways to find peace when life felt too heavy.  I now know how vital it is.

There’s an understandable fear about how men might view dating a woman who’s faced breast cancer twice. Is there a very real possibility of being burdened with her in the future? These concerns are real and deserve empathy. I remember how overwhelming it felt when I was single, trying to share this sensitive part of my life.

Getting a cancer diagnosis can trigger intense fear. Waiting for results is traumatic, especially when you hear those dreaded words, "You have cancer." We immediately crave answers and focus on physical symptoms. We want our blood work, radiology reports, and a treatment plan.  We want cancer gone fast!

There was a woman who hurt me for years with her harsh criticism. Even when I was battling breast cancer, I never felt her compassion. She wasn’t a stranger—she was my best friend. Through a divorce, custody fights, and assault, she never softened. I kept hoping for her to change, but she didn’t. Instead, something deeper was happening, and that’s where the real story begins.

When you’re not feeling well, it’s easy to feel useless. Praying for others is useful. God gives us our breath of life.  Before you sleep, pray to God to dedicate every breath you breathe through the night as prayer for someone who prays for us. Imagine, knowing as you sleep that every breath is a gift for someone else in need.

There’s something magical about rainbows—how they quietly appear just when you need them most, like a love letter in the heavens from God. To me, they’re a letter of hope, reminding me that happiness awaits. Sometimes, we have to chase that happiness, to seek it out amidst the storm, but it’s always there. Since I was a child they have mesmerized me.