Extra! Extra! Read all about it!

 

Not sure how many of you know this.

I work for a church.

I create the screens that appear during service, I run sound and cameras and livestream. I absolutely love my job there.

It is spiritually fulfilling.

Yesterday was odd, because the congregation learned about my diagnosis. It was in the bulletin, in the prayers for the people, ‘Pray for Jackie.’

Like a little newsboy standing on a corner, hollering, “Extra, extra, read all about it!”

I debated on whether I wanted in there or not, but since I am there all the time, every Sunday I would think people would start to think something was up when I go bald.

My faith in the power of prayer is so great, I want all those voices calling out in prayer, but hey don’t forget others who needs it as well..

I kept it together. Our associate pastor wrote an amazing prayer for me at the service. I wanted to thank her, but I didn’t want to get emotional. I know, I know, tears are not a sign of weakness, but a part of me feels if I can fight them, that’s emotional strength training.

So my oncologist called me today. She had the results of my MRI. She started the conversation saying she had the results, but because her specialties are brain and breast cancer, she wanted to see the scans herself.

I was like, “Oh, gees what now.’

Apparently, unrelated to my cancer, I have a BENIGN small fluid tumor called a grade 1 Meningioma. It’s the size of a peppercorn, 4mm, and not on my brain but on the Menges.  Probably has been growing for years. She is not sure what she wants to do about, so she is consulting with her radiologist. She explained that it wouldn’t be surgery, but rather some sort of target radiation surgery that uses AI to zero in on it and blast the thing. Usually one and done. I don’t understand it, and honestly, I am tired of going down a rabbit hole with Google.

My writer mind kept thinking what if it isn’t a tumor, what if it is a place that all my characters and stories live and it grew because I have so many stories.

That is my update for today, thank you for following along. I love being able to share how I’m feeling. And today, I’m just a tad anxious.

But I am telling myself, ‘Step away from Google’! Algorithms already have my Facebook feed full of breast cancer stuff and wigs.