Did I Cause My Cancer?

Like many people who receive a cancer diagnosis, one survivor questions the reason.

BY Bonnie Annis

PUBLISHED October 04, 2019

Bonnie Annis is a breast cancer survivor, diagnosed in 2014 with stage 2b invasive ductal carcinoma with metastasis to the lymph nodes. She is an avid photographer, freelance writer/blogger, wife, mother and grandmother.

Sitting in the oncologist’s office, I could hear the white paper on the exam table beneath me crinkle as I shifted nervously. It would be a just few more minutes before the doctor would be with me, according to his medical assistant. The wait seemed like an eternity. My eyes scanned the room for reading material. On the walls were several brochures with breast cancer statistics. I didn’t want to read those. Before I could find something to take my mind off the wait, I heard a gentle knock at the door.

The doctor came into the room with a chipper, “Hello, how are you today?” He extended his hand and I took it. Pulling over a small rolling stool, he sat very close to me. “The reason for today’s visit is to go over a treatment plan and explore options,” he explained.

I listened carefully as the doctor went over the test results. When he’d completed that, he folded his arms and leaned back as he asked if I had any questions. I had no idea what to ask, all of this was so new to me, so I just sat quietly.

Read the full post: