The Chosen One
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by Donna McCord
As the Sgt. Major told the wives, "I promise you, something will happen while your soldier is deployed to Iraq. Your children may get sick, your dishwasher may quit working, the cows may get out of the pasture ---- but something WILL GO WRONG. And, when your husband gets home, he will not be the same man he was when he left." I thought, now what in the world could happen that would be hard to handle by myself! Little did I know that "I" would not be the same person when he returned home. For years my mom and I would go for our yearly mammograms together. We would go to lunch, shop and make it a "fun day". Then my mom was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and our "fun day" wasn't spent as usual. Instead, we were going to doctors' appointments, surgeries, hospital stays, chemotherapy & radiation treatments - praying for a miracle. I had no idea that soon my daughter would be on that same journey with me.
Red Cross had my husband flown home on emergency leave. He arrived two days before my mom died. Not only was it a hard time for all of us but I also had to tell him that that I needed surgery. Talk about BAD TIMING!!! I remember the look on his face, but he assured me that everything would be OK. In February 2007, I had two surgeries within three weeks of each other and then 36 radiation treatments. The day my doctor told me I had breast cancer my world was turned upside down! Having to tell my Dad about my diagnosis, just days after losing my Mom, was really tough for me.
I am not the person I was before breast cancer, but I feel I am a better person. I look at life differently and my goals have changed. My fear now is that my daughter and granddaughter are at a higher risk of being diagnosed. We never know when "someone" may become "a chosen one" in this journey.
Now a one year survivor, my goal is to help those enduring this journey. No one should ever have to face this alone. Although there were thousands of miles between Bennie and me, he was there for me with all my family and friends.
I am now strongly involved with Women of Hope, where I have been given invaluable support through my "unchosen" journey. I've now become the "new" me. " In a time of crisis, surround yourself with friends"; "Face it, Embrace it, and Live for today."
Let's all be Women of Hope!
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