A Prayer Before a Double Mastectomy

Makor HaChayim (Source of Life),

You who fashioned us with bodies both wondrous and vulnerable,

Watch over me,

As I face surgery I never wished to face.

Hold me close through the fears I share,

The fears I hide,

And the uncertainty of it all.

Rofei HaCholim (Healer of the Sick),

Guide the hands of my surgeons,

Steady the hearts of those who love me,

And bring healing to the places

Where the surgeon’s instruments cannot reach.

Ease my fears, quiet my pain,

And give my body the strength to heal.

Boreinu (Our Creator),

As I face the loss of my breasts,

And all the feelings that come with it,

Give me permission to mourn what is changing,

Even as I hope for healing.

When the mirror reflects someone unfamiliar,

Help me recognize the beautiful soul

I have always been.

And when courage feels far away,

Let me borrow some from those who love me.

For all the love I have given,

The lives I have touched,

The people I have nurtured

And the dreams I have helped others discover,

May their love now surround me,

May their laughter lift me,

May those I have cared for

Now care for me.

Mi shebeirach avoteinu v’imoteinu (May the One who blessed our ancestors),

Bless me with eyes to see

That I remain b’tzelem Elohim (created in God’s image),

Beloved beyond measure,

Beautiful beyond what any mirror can reflect.

And may I be blessed with many many more years

Filled with sunshine, song, and smiling faces.

Amen.