The Healing Pen
From Chicken Soup for the Soul: Hope & Healing for Your Breast Cancer Journey
By Cara Holman

My cancer saga really began seven years ago. Until then, I had been going about my life with only the usual middle-aged angst. I was in good health, belonged to a gym, and while I had mammo-grams on a regular basis, I had never given serious thought to the possibility that the results might someday come back positive. A phone call from my oldest sister changed all that.

“Is this a good time to talk?” she asked quietly.

“Sure,” I replied. I curled up in my favorite chair, and settled in for what I hoped would be a nice long chat. But from her first words, I could tell that something was seriously wrong. “When I was taking a shower, I felt a breast lump,” she began.

“I’m sure it will be okay,” I hastened to assure her. “Most lumps aren’t malignant.”

“Actually,” she continued, “I’ve already been to the doctor, and he’s confirmed that I have cancer.”

I don’t remember much more about that phone call, except that I tried to say all the encouraging things people say under these circumstances. (Keep reading)