The News

She paces the floor. Walking back and forth. Waiting. Wondering. It was just days ago that she received the news. There was a possibility that her life was drawing to a quick end. That it had been for some time now & she had no clue. Her hands were clammy. She had been waiting for the news since she took the test. It had been a hectic & confusing 7 days. What if the results came out to be positive? How would she fight this? Was there any way that her heart would not give up on her?

She had been raised a fighter, always expecting to beat the odds. But never had she imagined that she'd possibly become a statistic. A number written in pink on a wall of women who hadn't asked for this tragedy either. As she paced she held her breath. Her life flashed before her eyes and memories swarmed upon her like flies on fruit. Her heart was breaking and it seemed that the doctor was taking his sweet time. "Hurry up," was all she could mumble. Every time the door opened she jerked around with anticipation. And every time that a name, other than hers, was called her heart sank lower. After waiting for what seemed to be hours, she heard her name.

Walking back with her daughter, her legs didn't want to carry her. It was as if her ears were not ready to hear the news and every other part of her was working to aid in the process of procrastination. She knew her body. She knew that something just wasn't quite right. Honestly, she already knew the answer... but there was still that small piece of hope. However, looking at the doctor's face that hope faded quickly. He didn't even need to speak to confirm her fears. To validate what she had been having nightmares about since she felt the lump. But he broke the news anyway. Trying to be positive despite the tears that were running down her face, down her daughter's face.

Fact by fact he read the statistics of this disease. With a positive outlook he gave her options of how to fight this. She pondered each and every word that he spoke. He was the center of her wholehearted attention as he spoke. The discussion kept on flowing from his lips. She wanted to get up and leave but something wouldn't let her. For weeks she had been playing this very moment over and over in her head. There was no getting around it.

His words because distant mumbles. Everything blurred out as she re-lived every moment of her life. Her wedding, her kids being born, & even her grandchildren being born. She cried. Lost in the past and fearful to glance into the future. But then, she saw her own mothers face. That of a fighter. The face of a survivor. Her lips moved to tell her that she too would make it. She would indeed be a statistic but she would be one that lived to help hundreds of those who would follow. This would not be her demise. It was not her time to lie down and give up. And that's all it took.

As she sat there, listening to her doctor's final words, she knew she was going to be okay. The burden was lifted and her fear was replaced with the fighting spirit. Standing up to leave she held her head high as she shook the doc's hand. She even smiled a bit. Her daughter held her hand tight as they walked away... beginning the most important fight of their lives.