To God Give the Glory
Shavonda D. Nelson
I still see that “light in my mother’s eyes.”
My Story
I remember planning for my mother’s 56th birthday party, and I was so excited to just see her face. My mother told me that no one had ever given her a birthday party. My goal was to make this the best day of her life, filled with fun, family, and friends. The night of her party I saw a light in her that I will never forget.
No one could have every told me what our future held. Two years later, my mother went to her routine checkup. After the biopsy she was diagnosed with breast cancer. It’s still heartbreaking talking about it. That April was just a devastating month for my mother and me. I didn’t know how to take the news; I didn’t know how to be strong for my mother. But most of all, I knew I had to be there—for her. I knew I had to be her rock in her time of need. I went to the doctor’s appointments with her. As I sat in the room, it felt like the doctor was telling me I had breast cancer. But during the process, my mother was strong because she had faith in God and knew that God would not fail her. While at some points, I sometimes doubted God.
How I Got Through It
I remember the day of surgery. My mother and I were just sitting in the room. She just looked at me and said, “Baby just take a picture of my breasts.” I am sure I looked like a deer in headlights, very quiet and still. She said she wanted to remember how they looked before the Doctor performed the mastectomy. So, I did. The surgery went well. My mother still had a positive spirit. She completed her chemotherapy treatments and remained motivated to do what she needed. She was confident that God had healed her.
Today, I still have my mom and she’s doing great. My mother and I are truly inseparable; we talk every day and encourage each other on this journey. Because of the mother and daughter bond we share, neither of us has to face these challenges alone. Today I can honestly and boldly say, to God give the glory!
Action Items
Do you have a support system? Anyone who is going through this, or who is close to someone that is going through it, needs a support system. Take a moment to write a note of thanks and send to someone who supports you.