"Your mother really raised you guys right." Those were the words spoken from my new doctor as we finished talking during my annual mammogram appointment. Wow, I said as I began to reflect on the sentence and my mother at the same time. Those words came from a stranger, my new doctor of fifteen minutes. I thought about what she said as I walked to my car from the beautiful Karmones Cancer Institute in Downtown Detroit. I immediately called my sister, Ingrid, to talk about how that statement was affecting me and to see how she was doing.

In fifteen minutes, Dr. Laura, a person I just met, related how me and my sisters and brother are living now to the upbringing we received from our mom. In my own eyes,

I always felt that my mom and dad did a great job of raising us to be level headed, caring, ambitious, godly and giving individuals, but for other people to see that too. Now, I know I don't need any person's approval to validate my life. We were raised to serve the Lord.

But, it felt good to know that my mother's light was still shinning through us.

Then it hit me like a ton of bricks. What are my kids' lives saying about me? Oh the pressure. What would Alexandria's doctor and Michael's doctor and all the other kids that I have raised doctors' say about me? Did I raise them right? I had anxiety for about five minutes, sweating, breathing hard and crying. Then I remembered. I had a great teacher. My mom instilled in my siblings and me a value system that will last the test of time. I regained my composure and did what I thought my mom would do. I prayed. Lord, thank you for my mom and dad and for all the lessons they taught us. Allow me to continue to be the mother and person that she would want me to be and that you created me to be.

Amen

In Memory of my Mom,

Regina Mae Wilson

Remember to have your annual mammograms and do monthly breast exams. Early detection is the key in surviving Breast Cancer.