"Leap of Faith and into His Will" by Mary LaFrance

It was May 10, 2005, I went in for my annual physical with the same attitude I’d had all of the previous years…ho hum. It was just another day in time and I had no cares, no concerns, but just wanted to get it over!

On May 14, 2005, my PCP called me at home and said, “We found a “shadow that looks like a cloud” on your right breast area. I’ve got you scheduled for an ultrasound on May 17th. I agreed to do it, but still had a sense of peace. I had no breast cancer history in my family…none.

I went into the clinic the morning of the 17th to the radiology department and waited. They soon called my name and took me to a small cubicle to change and put on one of those adorable gowns (LOL). While I sat there waiting, up on the wall was a wooden magazine rack. In the rack was an addition of the Women’s Day magazine, and on the front cover in bright, bold, hot pink letters were the words, “10 Ways to Survive Breast Cancer.” It was as if Jesus landed on my shoulder and gently whispered into my ear, “Get ready Mary…I’m going to take you on a journey.” I sat there pondering this truth that had already begun to feel real. The technician came and got me. The ultrasound took 40 minutes and she was concentrating on one particular area. I laid there in silence and yet the voice of God was loud and clear. She finished and I went back to the cubicle, got dressed and left. On the way home I stopped at Burgerville for my favorite cheeseburger and a Coke. I took one bite and suddenly my stomach was full. I drove home the back way through the country. Taking in every ray of sunshine and the Sonshine was beaming down as I felt His warmth covering me from head to toe. I got home and kept my feelings to myself…not breathing one word to anyone at this point.

The same day, May 17, 2005, my husband Leon retired from working 38 years, a different shift every week, from the Georgia Pacific paper mill. He was taking early retirement because of his heart condition. He had very grandiose ideas of golfing, fishing, watching sports, hunting and being a man of leisure. His world was about to get rocked in a profound way…2 days later.

On the morning of May 19th, I went to work like normal. I was a paraeducator at the elementary school just down the road from my house. Work went well, as usual, and I got home around 3:30 p.m. The phone rang at 3:45 p.m. and it was my doctor at the clinic. I already knew what she was going to say before she spoke a word. I said “Hello Dr. Plant. I already know why you are calling. I’ve got breast cancer and you’re trying to find the right words to tell me.” There was about 2 minutes of silence. When she finally spoke, she gently said through her tears, “It is my job to break the news and try to comfort my patients when difficult things arise with their health. But this time it’s you who have comforted my heart. You sound so confident and strong and I’m not sure why.” I knew the answer, it was the good Lord Jesus who had already prepared me for this day, this phone call, and He allowed me to use my faith in Him to relay my strength.

I sat on my bed and prayed and pondered for awhile. The biggest question at the moment was this…”How do I go out to the living room and tell my newly retired husband that I’ve got breast cancer? How do I tell my daughter who had just left for college in the previous months? How do I begin to tell anyone else?