My battle with breast cancer unknowingly began in April with the identification of a lump.  I immediately called my OBGyn and had a mammogram and ultrasound within a week.  The results were good.  No tumor just fibrous tissue at was probably caffeine related.  I immediately cut out my 4 to 5 Dr. Peppers a day.  By June I had realized that my lump was slightly larger.  Again, I went to see my OBGyn and the ultrasound was redone.  Again, the results were good, telling me that the lump would probably come and go with my cycle.  I left feeling relieved and with the radiologists words ringing in my head “this is nothing to worry about.  If you were my best friend I’d tell you to go home and relax, you’re find!”  I went back to teaching summer school, so happy and praising God for the wonderful report.  Now my focus was on school and trying to help my husband find a new job.  His teaching position has been cut and he was discouraged. I knew finding another position would be difficult in the economy, but was very optimistic. I knew God had a plan and it would all be great.  Little did I know His plan would be far different than what I had in mind…  

Within 2 to 3 weeks the lump grew drastically and my breast no longer fit into the cup of my bra.  I called my OBGyn and told her that I knew what the mammogram and 2 ultrasounds said, but something just wasn’t right.  Within a week I was seeing a breast specialist.  By this time my breast was starting to turn a reddish-purple and it as hot to the touch.  The breast specialist got me in on July 12th, within a week of talking to my OBGyn.  After an examination she said it was either Inflammatory Breast Cancer or mastitis (an infection of the milk ducts).  I was given the option of trying antibiotics for 10 days to see if that helped or to do a biopsy.  I did the biopsy.  I knew deep down it was probably cancer, because I had not had milk in my ducts for 7 years.  That just didn’t make sense to me.  

I left scared to death and in tears.  I was promised results by Friday July 16th.  That was the longest week of my life.  Friday came and I was a bundle of nerves.  My mom came from Kansas to be with me.  God already had this worked out, because when that call came at 4:15 pm (yes, I remember the time!) I needed my mom more than I ever had in my entire life.  All I heard was that the cells were cancerous and I fell into the chair in my bedroom screaming and crying.  My mom finished the call with the Dr.  To this day I don’t know what she said.

Within 30 minutes my house was filled with friends and church family praying and loving on me.  It was at that time I saw Gods plan clearly and that my husband was without a job so that he would be available to take care of me and our two girls.  He had this orchestrated all along.

The next weeks were a whirl-wind of blood work, x-rays, CT scans, bone-scans and doctor visits.  Thankfully the cancer was localized to my breast and about 8 lymph nodes.  After meeting with the oncologist and getting a plan set in motion I felt so much better.  I had my first round of chemotherapy on July 30th and have a schedule set for every Friday for the next 6 months.

My husband and I read Psalms 103:1-6 right after the diagnosis and I hold verse 3 close to me daily. “He forgives all your sins and heals all your disease.”  Through all of this, God has me; He will not leave or forsake me.  

After two rounds of chemotherapy the oncologist is very pleased with my progress.  The lump and lymph nodes can no longer be felt and my breast looks normal.  I am a long way from completion, but God is working in a big way.  I still have 6 treatments left then surgery, radiation and finally reconstruction.  The road is long but doable, through Christ.  God has surrounded me with so many wonderful people and a lot of prayer warriors. Those that have fought this and survived are my heroes, but Christ in my strength.

—Nikki Wilson

Wife to Kyle, mother to Ashley and Maddie, teacher to many, friend, daughter, sister – future “Survivor”!  

Email Nikki:  nwilson2nd@yahoo.com