The 4 Words I Needed to Hear Before Undergoing a Breast Biopsy

“We want to do a biopsy,” the nurse explained. Her voice was gentle, but her words were clear. They had seen something on the mammogram that they didn’t like.

I nodded, feeling numb inside. I knew what this could possibly mean. I was already battling glaucoma. Wasn’t that enough? Leaving the breast cancer center, I managed to hold it together until I got home.

Once inside the privacy of my house, I broke down. My first thought was to call my dad, but I didn’t do it right away. The reason was I didn’t know how he would take it. He wasn’t good at emotional support. Neither was my mother. But the nurse had told me I needed someone with me after the biopsy, as well as to be with me for the results. With no other choice, I made the phone call.

The next few days were a blur. The only real support I got was from my tabby cat, Rajah. A day later, I sat down at my computer and logged onto Facebook. With no one else to turn to, I sent a message to someone I knew I could count on. I poured my heart out to her, knowing she wouldn’t judge me. It took a few days for her to get back to me. When I received her reply, I believe it proved God’s timing is truly perfect.

Reading the message, my eyes zeroed in on the four words I will never forget: “You are a warrior.” I went over those words twice in a row with my screen reader. Each time, I felt them sinking further into my mind and settling in my heart. I sent her a heartfelt thank you message.

As I lie on the table in the procedure room two days later, tears of fear streamed down my face. As the nurse held my hand and talked to me about movies while telling me everything that was going to happen, I let out a fearful sob, the weight of what I might be facing crashing upon me like a tidal wave.

Suddenly, through the fear gripping my heart and uncertainty clouding my mind, I heard the four words my friend so lovingly wrote me playing in my head. They cleared the fog of uncertainty and a feeling of calm stole over me.

I heard the words as if the person who wrote them was speaking directly to me, “You are a warrior, you are a warrior, you are a warrior…” Those words helped me calm down, although I cried throughout the whole procedure. And as I prayed the day of the results, I again heard the four words that eventually restored my faith and helped me find my inner strength: “You are a warrior.”

I want to thank you, Janet Varney, for giving me the precious gift of hope and faith through your words. I will never forget them or the kindness you gave me in my time of need. They will always be my light when I find myself lost in a place of fear and uncertainty.

I end this story with some wisdom of my own. Words are a powerful thing. They can build someone up or tear them down. I hope that when you’re given the opportunity, you will speak words of encouragement, kindness, love and hope. You never know how much your words will mean to someone. They might just be what that person needs to hear. They might even become the light they need to guide them safely through the unexpected storms of life.