Mother's Love

I was immensely humbled by the experience I had with this young woman in her early thirties in the hospital who was diagnosed with stage four breast cancer. This means that the cancer at this point can be any size and may or may not have spread to nearby lymph nodes. I was helping her arrange some appointments with radiology when she began to sob hysterically. As I handed her a tissue to wipe her tears, she shared with me her situation. She said that her husband had left her when he found out she had cancer and also that she was a few weeks preganant. I could not believe it; how this coward could abandon his wife and future child in this great time of need. I was shocked with what she would tell me next. She explained to me that the doctor told her that her options were surgery and chemotherapy if she wanted to live, but that there could be a potential risk to her unborn baby with receiving the chemo treatment.

Innocently, I reiterated to her, "Are you saying that to survive this cancer and choose chemotherapy, the risk could mean the life of your unborn child? And conversely should you decide not to receive the treatment, then it could mean the risk of your own life, which would leave your baby orphaned."

My instinct was to reassure her that everything was going to be alright and that no matter what happens, God would take care of her and her baby.

From what I could gather, the young mother ultimately decided to receive the chemotherapy treatment during her first trimester of preganacy, which I hear can be safe for the fetus. To this day, I don't know where that woman is or how she is doing, but I know from co-workers who were assisting with her care and treatment that she and her baby survived.

This young woman risked her own life to save another - the ultimate act of love. This made me open my heart to loving more and more every day.