Secanda Seifred

“His massive arms are wrapped around you, protecting you.” – Psalm 91:4

At the end of last summer I began to have no energy. I lost interest in doing things that I enjoyed. I lost my appetite, (which was not a bad thing), I did not care about walking my dogs, reading, working in my yard, engaging with family and friends and I was experiencing back pain. I forced myself to do the necessary thing; other things I would put off.

In January I went for an annual checkup and showed my doctor a lump in my neck. I told him I thought it could be a lymph node. He referred me to a surgeon and said they would probably watch it and they may do an ultrasound.

Before seeing the surgeon, they did an ultrasound. The nurse came in and updated my chart, asking if I had a history of cancer in my family. I laughed and replied, “On my father’s side, that is the disease of choice.” The surgeon came in and said that he thought I had Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, and we were going to surgically remove the lump. He also said if it was cancer, this was a good one to have and we just needed to determine the type of lymphoma.

In March, the lump was surgically removed. Now I just had to wait for the results in MYChart. Two days later I received the results, my breast cancer from 18 years ago had returned.

As I was reading the results I felt GOD wrap me in his arms like a small child and hold me. After a PET scan, I was informed that it is Stage 4. It had metastasized to my bones, which explained the back pain.

I am blessed to be positively responding to therapy. I know as treatments fail, the road ahead will not be easy but GOD is with me. Every day I feel as though I am sitting in HIS arms and I know one day HE will not be with me but I will be with HIM!!

- Secanda Seifred