pink – Weirds Are Word

Ladies, and gentlemen this is of the utmost importance. This month is breast cancer awareness month!

Since my early 20’s I have had breast health problems. I have never had the pleasure of a mammogram coming back normal. I was the girl, that was asked to stay for more imaging followed by ultrasound imaging. Then I would get the call to schedule a biopsy, and sometimes in multiples.

The yearly process for me was more than draining. I had a few infections from just a core needle biopsy, just making it all the more fun. Woman in general aren’t supposed to necessarily get annual checkups until the age of 40. I have very dense breasts which make me a higher risk for breast cancer. So mine was every year from 24 years old on.

Fast forward to 2 years ago today. October 5, 2018 I had several titanium markers in my right breast at that time from previous biopsies. It always seemed to be the one that if I ever were to get breast cancer I figured it would be the right that I could blame, lol. Well 2 years ago I did all the norm per me. Mammogram, followed my more imaging, followed by ultrasound. This time though my doc didn’t like what she saw in my left breast, and a normal biopsy wasn’t going to cut it (play on words) so this was my first surgery to go in to take a sample of my breast tissue. She took a lot out too.

The wait was grueling to say the least, and of course I got a hematoma that was very painful in the healing process. She called my husband and I in, and shared with us all the images. Her bedside manner far from appealing. She says “I see nothing to worry about, and you’re going to have these same healthy breasts until your 80. So deal with it.” I think she thought she was humorous, I did not find her funny in the slightest. She was rude, and a little quick to pass judgment on something I myself knew too much about.

So proof came in that of my next mammogram. After all the normal more imaging, ultrasound, and all the fun stuff, I was encouraged to see a high risk breast cancer specialty clinic. I went in, and she took all my history of my breast health, and gave me a marker for my so called risk of breast cancer in my lifetime. Which was higher, and she recommended me taking Tamoxifen. No breast exam. Which I actually had some concerns. So I call up, and we go do the usual. First she says they feel like simple cysts. Let’s send you in to get one drained so it is not so painful anymore. They don’t associate pain with breast cancer. They always say breast cancer is not painful, and I had pain! So proactive I had to become!

So here we are to this year now in February. Simple cysts is what I was there for. I am in the waiting room after my mammogram for a lot longer than usual. I am getting agitated when I see all the smily ladies coming, and going. They call me back for more imaging, and ultrasound. Then they tell me their radiologist would like to speak with me. I immediately asked them to get my husband.

So there it was we were leaving with papers to have 3 biopsies in one wham bam thank you mam breast sampling party. Bring out the streamers! We were in shock, and this was all in my left breast. My right seemed to leave me alone these last two times.

So I get the call, and I am asked to come in to go over the results. Of course I take my husband for moral support. I had Lobular Carcinoma in my left breast. My right breast as well had indications of some precancerous dispositions. It was rather simple it was time for a double mastectomy. I had had enough biopsies, and been poked and prodded a lot. This was all at the beginning of Covid too. I had just accepted a job at place I had wanted to get in with for quite sometime. All the onboarding paper work was done. Orientation was set. I had to call, and back out of that. That was quite a bummer for me.

I didn’t have a lot of time to process all of what was happening. My first surgery was the sentinel lymph node biopsy to see if the cancer had spread. Thank God it had not. By this point I had already met with my oncologist, plastic surgeon, and all docs needed to do my double mastectomy, and the beginning of a partial reconstruction on April 14th. Hard to believe, as here we are in October. The recovery process is hard. I had 8 drain tubes. My husband was my at home care, and nurse. He was a God send.

I am not wanting to write a book here, just tell you the utmost importance of early detection. I still have one more surgery scheduled for November 9th. So when that doc said I had healthy breasts, and accept that I will have them until I was 80 she was very wrong. I don’t have my breasts anymore. Praise God the cancer did not spread. Covid would not have been my timing for all of this. Apparently it was God’s. My life is His, and I trust my life to Him 100%.

So please take your breast health serious. Breast cancer does not discriminate. I saw many men coming, and going when I was at my mammogram appointments.

Early detection does save lives, and being proactive can be the matter of life and death. It was in my case. God bless, and go get your breasts checked if you have not or are hesitant. It may be your difference of life, and death today!

For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. Romans 14:8

Tag: pink

CMMC – January Color – Pink-“Anything is possible with a little bit of sunshine and pink”.

Stand up with me, and be proactive in your breast health, I am a survivor 🙏🏻