Goose Bumps! Inspiration, courage and fear - Paperback

by Brynda Mason Weaver (Author)

I was diagnosed with Cancer in June of 2003 and I am the Youngest of 6 siblings. My Aunt Dora lost her battle to breast cancer in the early 60's. And my Oldest Sister Geraldine lost her battle to cancer on November 17, 1985. After Geraldine was diagnosed, and based on previous family members that were diagnosed with Cancer, there seemed to be a Pattern or Cycle. And that Pattern and Cycle was if the Oldest child gets cancer, then most likely the Youngest child will also. The Pattern of genetic genes connecting the dots of a generational fact. The fact is whether there are any formulas for calculating the cancer survival rate, for now, it's a mystery.The Cancer Cycle and Pattern were more realistic to me than anyone else. And It frightened me. And as usual, I often silently wondered if I would get Cancer. Three months after Mason and I were married, Geraldine lost her battle to breast Cancer. My sister Shirley Warren, was diagnosed with Breast Cancer in 2007 and is now Cured. I am the Youngest of 7 kids and Shirley is 1 1/2 years older than I. I was the first Survivor in our immediate Family and Shirley the second. Rozena, my second oldest Sister and I counseled and Ministered to Shirley during her bout with cancer. We fought her bout and the three of us did it together!My Mother, Henrietta Taylor Warren died of Breast Cancer on September 1, 1995, 10 years after Geraldine. The day my Mother died, my oldest brother Willard and I were scheduled to fly home the next day. The guilt of not going home sooner will haunt me forever, but I won't allow it to get the best of me. My Cousins and Sisters Rosetta and Christine died of breast cancer within 3 years of each other. As the Cancer Cycle and Pattern continue to thwart family members, I hope and pray for a cure that soon will come. My Father William was diagnosed with Prostrate Cancer (Month & Year). He is cured and at age 90, still, resides in southern Florida. The only two family members not yet diagnosed are my two brothers. Harry and Herman. I pray they never experience having Cancer and if they did would be well educated and prepared to survive the disease that had riddled our Family leaving lasting memories of a lifetime. Although I wondered silently for years if I would get Cancer, when I did, I was determined to beat the odds and overcome the battle of defeat. The Vista Cancer Center in Vista, California administered 6 of the most extensive chemotherapy treatments available because the Cancer gene was dominant in both of my Parents. I endured 35 Radiation treatments and was elated that all of the needles and trips to the Hospital would soon end. It all ended except those monthly check up visits, which was mandatory and required. Once my treatments ended, Mason and celebrated by touring the San Diego and Coronado Bays on our boat with friends. The tour was fun and full of memories because we were escorted out to see by schools of Dolphins that completely surrounded the boat. It was another surreal moment when God spoke to His animals and commanded them to bring guidance, smiles, tears of joy and happiness and love of friends that witnessed the goodness of God's blessings saturating the waves of the Pacific Ocean, inspiring a calmness and serene feeling of comfort, peace and God's love filtering through the waves and dolphins as they gently swam next to "Southern Girl", our boat as we're heading out to sea, into the shining sun of the Pacific Ocean with friends and witnesses of God's favored blessings.