Being Breast Cancer Awareness Month and all . . .
I wanted to share my story, before my diagnosis. The day I felt "milk dud". I was chatting at the ball field with a dear friend who told me of a lump she had and that she was going to have it looked at. That prompted me to do a self examination, that evening, in the shower. Since I have yearly mammograms I didn't think for a minute I would find anything. But I did, I felt the lump on my right breast (3 o'clock) side. Felt like the size of a tootsie roll. Seriously. and it felt imbedded. I waited a month before getting it checked out. Why? Well, it just didn't seem possible for me to have breast cancer. . . but I still worried. . .
Friday before Memorial Day weekend, I showed Jeff and he said "you haven't had that check out???". You see, I've always been really proactive about my health, sorta neurotic. So this surprised him, me too. I made an appointment right away. Was seen on Tuesday, the day after Memorial Day. I saw a breast care specialist. I decided not to tell her where I thought the problem was. Have her find it on her own. She found it quick. She recommended I have a mammogram as soon as possible. That Thursday, I had my mammogram (second one in 8 months). The tech could feel the lump but it didn't show up on mammogram. They sent me down the hall to have an ultrasound. The tech doing the ultrasound seemed concerned. I asked him what he thought, knowing he couldn't tell me much. . . but he did, in so many words. I just knew it was bad when he said "if you were my mom, sister, or best friend, I'd be very happy you were here today". Then the mammogram tech came in w/ tears in her eyes and gave me a huge hug. They ended up doing a core biopsy right then and there. They left a marker on my lump and then tried to take another mammogram image. The marker showed up but the lump didn't.
I got the results on Monday, June 1st. Invasive Lobular Carcinoma. It's common for this type of cancer to not show up on mammogram. Plus I had really dense breasts. That made it difficult to find anything suspicious sooner.
If you have any lumps or bumps, please have them checked. If you have any strange sensation on your breast, which I did the week I had my mammogram Oct. 08, get it checked out. It was recommended back in Oct 08 that I follow up with more testing on my right breast because of the pain I was having. But when that letter arrived, the pain was gone. So, I didn't schedule an appointment. I've forgiven myself. I've let that guilt go. It probably would not have made much of a difference. The surgeon mentioned I may have had milk dud for around 7 years.
OK. That's it, in a nut shell. Listen to your body. Have your yearly mammograms! Do regular self exams.
My dear friend, who I mentioned earlier is fine. She had a lumpectomy and the lump was not cancer. Thank goodness. She's my angel though. I would have found the lump, at some point but her sharing her story inspired me to check myself.
Love you!
Nancy
Friday before Memorial Day weekend, I showed Jeff and he said "you haven't had that check out???". You see, I've always been really proactive about my health, sorta neurotic. So this surprised him, me too. I made an appointment right away. Was seen on Tuesday, the day after Memorial Day. I saw a breast care specialist. I decided not to tell her where I thought the problem was. Have her find it on her own. She found it quick. She recommended I have a mammogram as soon as possible. That Thursday, I had my mammogram (second one in 8 months). The tech could feel the lump but it didn't show up on mammogram. They sent me down the hall to have an ultrasound. The tech doing the ultrasound seemed concerned. I asked him what he thought, knowing he couldn't tell me much. . . but he did, in so many words. I just knew it was bad when he said "if you were my mom, sister, or best friend, I'd be very happy you were here today". Then the mammogram tech came in w/ tears in her eyes and gave me a huge hug. They ended up doing a core biopsy right then and there. They left a marker on my lump and then tried to take another mammogram image. The marker showed up but the lump didn't.
I got the results on Monday, June 1st. Invasive Lobular Carcinoma. It's common for this type of cancer to not show up on mammogram. Plus I had really dense breasts. That made it difficult to find anything suspicious sooner.
If you have any lumps or bumps, please have them checked. If you have any strange sensation on your breast, which I did the week I had my mammogram Oct. 08, get it checked out. It was recommended back in Oct 08 that I follow up with more testing on my right breast because of the pain I was having. But when that letter arrived, the pain was gone. So, I didn't schedule an appointment. I've forgiven myself. I've let that guilt go. It probably would not have made much of a difference. The surgeon mentioned I may have had milk dud for around 7 years.
OK. That's it, in a nut shell. Listen to your body. Have your yearly mammograms! Do regular self exams.
My dear friend, who I mentioned earlier is fine. She had a lumpectomy and the lump was not cancer. Thank goodness. She's my angel though. I would have found the lump, at some point but her sharing her story inspired me to check myself.
Love you!
Nancy
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