 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
November 30, 1995, the day after my brother's brain surgery... A young woman approached me. She was dressed in old-fashioned clothes as if she just stepped out of another century. She tried to start up a conversation with me, but I did not pay much attention to her, so she left the waiting area. I was left, there along with my questions and my anger. I wanted answers. Is there really a God? Why does he allow all this suffering? Why wasn't he helping Nick? What did Nick ever do that he deserved to suffer like that? He was a good person, always willing to help others. Why? God! In the meantime, the woman that had approached me before returned. She sat by me, introduced herself as Magdalene, and asked, "Why are you crying?" I began to open up to her and told her how sick my brother was and how worried I was. At this time she got up from her chair grabbed my hand and said to me, your brother has always been there for you, hasn't he?" "Yes I replied. “ Did you tell him that you have seen him at his worst and that you still love him?" I just looked at her with tears in my eyes. "Once in a while God shakes us up," she said, "because if everything goes our way we forget about Him." She went on to say, "Jesus is my brother. Let us pray for your brother. I know you are in despair and you do not believe, but you must not lose your faith. Everything that happens happens for a reason, and God knows what is best for us. When God calls upon your brother, it is because that is what is best for him. He has a better place waiting for him; a place were there is no pain, no suffering, only peace." The amazing thing is that when this woman was holding my hand and praying I felt something that cannot be described or explained, a sense of peace that I have never known. Her eyes and mine were locked together; her voice was soft and soothing. I was not aware of my breathing, my heartbeat, or anything around me. I felt, secure, and at peace. I have told this story to family members, friends, and acquaintances. Some of them believe just like me that she was a messenger of God who came to comfort me in my time of need. Others think that I felt something that was not there. I have always believed in angels and feel that they are here for us when we need them. My experience was extraordinary, one that I would not trade for anything. I believe in angels do you? More than 2500 breast cancer patients have passed through Dr. S. David Nathanson's operating rooms over the course of his 40-year career. Though science cannot explain it, Dr. Nathanson, one of America's Top Oncologists, says intangible traits like courage, persistence, faith and hope have proven essential prescriptions in the treatment process. Without over-the-counter answers to the emotional struggles that accompany a breast cancer diagnosis, how do patients find strength within to survive? Inspired by one of his own patients, Dr. Nathanson has made the emotional and physical experiences of his breast cancer survivors available to more than just the patients moving through his office. In his new book, Ordinary Miracles: Learning from Breast Cancer Survivors (Hardcover, Praeger Publishers, May 2007), 71 survivors, including one man, share their personal accounts, from diagnosis to recovery, providing empowerment through information to other patients. The personal stories recount the stages of recovery, starting with the despair and fear felt at diagnosis, to the faith and inner-strength each patient draws upon as they receive treatment. While extraordinary survival stories like Lance Armstrong's receive much media attention, Dr. Nathanson says it's equally important for the everyday cancer survivor to share their story. He calls each breast cancer survivor an "ordinary miracle," and hopes the survival stories told in the book offer inspiration to other everyday, regular people facing cancer. As many as one in eight people will develop breast cancer and 40,000 will die from the disease this year. "One of the most important keys to survival is hope, which can be found in the stories shared by survivors," says Dr. Nathanson, the Director of Breast Care Services in the Department of Surgery at Henry Ford Health System. Dr. Nathanson also says the book is a portrait of the major breakthroughs in the way doctors interact with their patients. While years ago, medical students were instructed to be silent doctors, relying on patients' trust, today's interactive patient-doctor relationship allows patients significant decisions and input in the treatment process. "Reduction of breast cancer incidence requires dietary and lifestyle changes. Maintain a well-balanced, calorie-appropriate diet low in fat and refined sugars and drink alcohol sparingly. Chose food and beverages with less pesticides and exercise every day." "Carefully weigh the advantages of having your first child before age 25. Also consider prolonged suppression of the menstrual cycle by modern birth control measures. If you are at high risk for breast cancer, it's a good idea to take an estrogen blocking drug." You may purchase a copy of Dr. Nathanson's book in all major stores where books are sold or you may email the author directly at dnathan1@hfhs.org. |
