When Italia Knight suddenly decides to pack up her entire life in a suitcase and travel miles and miles away from home, she encounters someone during her travels who makes her see life in a whole new perspective. A perspective that will change her l...
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I spend the rest of the day on my laptop researching everything there is to know about breast cancer. Papers and sticky notes surround me as I write down different medical terms and specialists to contact. I look back at my own families history and write down every woman in my family that I know of, that had breast cancer. I massage my forehead as the word cancer, boldy written on the screen, stares at me. I grab my phone and call Michael, nervously tapping my fingers on my lap. "Italia?"
"Has she gone for her mammogram this year, yet?", I ask him, not bothering to say hello. I hear him shuffling around and the sound of a door closing. "She hasn't. Her appointment was scheduled for two weeks from today, actually"
"I'll call and ask if they can change it to an earlier date", I say as I make note of it on one of the dozens of papers around me. "Italia? What's going on?", he sighs. "I told you I'd take care of it"
I shake my head vigorously. "I know, but I couldn't help but do my own research and it hit me all at once. Michael, breast cancer has affected a lot of women in my family, and I think maybe my mom might have it too". I rest my head on the table as I wait for his response. "She's been getting worse", he says after a few minutes of silence. I take in a deep breath as I get up from my chair, pacing back and forth. "Worse? It's only been a few hours since you called me", I state.
"I know, but it seems like every few hours she gets worse"
"Has she said anything to you?", I ask him, my throat closing in on itself. Don't cry, Italia. "Not much, just that she's tired and she's nauseous"
"What should we do? We can't let her suffer like this?", I ask him as I prop the phone between my ear and my shoulder. I walk over to the table and go through all of the papers, trying to find a specific phone number. "Italia, I need you to take a deep breath, okay? Everything is going to be okay"
I listen to him and take a few deep breaths, trying to regulate my breathing. "I'll call to reschedule her appointment and I'll call you back, okay?", I tell him. He agrees and we hang up. I look at my phone and throw it on the bed as I let out a frustrated sigh. "One step at a time, Italia", I remind myself. I find her doctors number and beg them to reschedule, telling them it's extremely urgent. The woman on the phone was giving me a hard time and it took for me to cry about my mother for her to finally give me an earlier appointment. When I hang up with the secretary, I call Michael right away. "She has an appointment to do her mammogram two days from today. It was the best I could do"
"Thank you, sweetheart. Go rest, I'll keep you updated if anything changes", he says. "Okay, thank you, Michael"
