One of my best friends has been diagnosed with breast cancer. A small cancer appeared in one breast during her annual mammogram, and she is now insisting that she have a double mastectomy, and tomorrow she will be discussing removing her ovaries with another surgeon. I would normally think this is going way overboard for a single, small cancer, but not with this woman. Her mother and one sister died of cancer; her other sister has also had breast cancer and is still in the recovery stage. Her mother's spread to the ovaries after a mastectomy, and her one sister's was too far spred before they found it.

I have several sisters and stepsisters, none of whom have had to personally face this situation, and I cannot imagine the pain this woman and her family are facing. I can try to imagine it, but I don't think it is real enough yet to have a powerful enough imagination to truly realize the true impact on this woman, her life and her family's life.

This woman has not had an easy life. In the past ten years, she has had a good man to share life, but there's been many trials in her life, and this is just not fair.

I realize that my mammogram is a couple months late, as is my annual physical. I think I better get on the stick and get them scheduled soon. And as I wait for my appointment, I will be visiting this wonderful woman in the hospital and praying that she has many more annual physicals to experience in the many years to come.