Nettie Taylor-Roberts
“For the Joy of the Lord is my Strength”
Hi, my name is Nettie Taylor-Roberts.
My Journey started in February 2003. On February 3 of that year, I went to Quest Diagnostic imaging for my yearly mammogram. Two days after my mammogram, Dr. Richard Barse, my primary care physician, called and asked me to come to his office for a biopsy. Two days after my biopsy, Dr. Barse called me at my job and asked me to come in as soon as possible.
I couldn’t focus at work so I left, called my husband told him to meet me at the doctor’s office. The biopsy revealed that I had Stage 3 cancer in my right breast. I wasn’t expecting to hear that. I said, “this is it, my life is over! But then I thought about my 84 year old mother, who is a breast cancer survivor of nine years – praise be to God!
Dr. Barse made an appointment for me to see Dr. Christopher McLaughlin, a surgeon, who scheduled my surgery for March 27, 2003 at Hospital of Saint Raphael. One week before my surgery I started getting pain in my lower abdomen. I went to St. Raphael’s ER. An ultrasound revealed that I had tumors, so I went to see my gynecologist Dr. Tony Asis. Dr. Asis told me that I needed to have a total hysterectomy.”
I opted to have both surgeries done at the same time. Dr. McLaughlin and Dr. Asis both stated it wasn’t a good idea, feeling I would loose too much blood. I put everything in God’s hand and talked it over with my husband and daughter. I went to the operating room; the hysterectomy and the mastectomy were both done. Dr. McLaughlin and Dr. Asis were amazed at how well everything had gone.
In April, I met with my oncologist, Dr. Samuel Babrow, and received six treatments of chemotherapy. I went through a period of depression having good and bad days during my illness from the chemotherapy.
Three weeks later, I received a one-month-old Lhasa Apso from my co-worker and friend Val. Taking care of the puppy gave me strength and kept my mind off my illness. That was almost five years ago, so I give praise to my Lord and Savior. I’ll continue giving praise for the rest of my life, because if it wasn’t for him I would not be here today.
I thank God for my husband Al who never left my side and I thank God for the love of my family, friends and coworkers who gave me tremendous support throughout the whole ordeal.
Comments