In December of 2010, I was thinking I would just wait until January to have my annual mammogram. December is so busy....our wedding anniversary is on the 1st, then there's Christmas. Decor to put up, last minute gifts to buy, parties to attend. But then I decided I should go ahead, I have the insurance benefit. So, I did.
And right after Christmas I got the call that I needed to go back. There was a certain area they had concerns about. I cried, even though I didn't know what it was, and in fact I had been there and done that before, even though it was "nothing". That second visit confirmed that they believed I had cancer, but they needed to biopsy the lump, which was positive. I was shell shocked. No one wants to hear the big C word. Not long after that, a slew of doctor visits....and CT scan, blood work, chest x-ray, an electrocardiogram. Soon after that, surgery. After that there were 7 weeks of radiation therapy. I felt so lucky that I didn't need chemotherapy.
My cancer was found early, and was ductal carcinoma in situ, meaning it had not spread, nor was there any found in the lymph nodes. So, as I said : lucky ~ at least if you have breast cancer, it's lucky. I would have been happier never to have had it at all. Even that small bit of cancer left it's mark on my body...scars, and the left one will be forever smaller than the right.
Since then, I've met so many women who have had breast cancer. 264,000 each year. Men aren't immune either. 2,400 per year.
Love, 365
Amen sister!! Don’t put off your mammogram ladies, even if you think nothing is wrong! I’m four days post surgery and so glad it was caught early! -Jenn
ReplyDeleteEarly is best as it is with any type of cancer…..don’t skip your annual physical!
DeleteYou are in my prayers. This is one of the scary events in a woman's life. So far, so good, but I know cancer is not quiet.
ReplyDeleteVery true....my oncology appointment is coming up in a couple of weeks. Too many women have a re-occurrence of breast cancer.
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