Over this last year I have had health crisis within my family. Several family members were diagnosed with cancer ranging from leukemia to breast cancer. Mid year I found a lump in my right breast. Normally I get them and they turn out to be calcium deposists and they go away within a few weeks. This lump stayed for a few months. I finally called my doctor who gave me the name and number of a breast cancer screening doctors office. When I went into my mammogram appointment I saw women young and old waiting to be seen. There were about 20-25 women waiting. There was one young lady who had gotten some upsetting news and was crying while being comforted by her mother. I was literally in the office from 9am to almost 6PM. I got my mammogram and I also got an ultrasound of my breast due to the dense nature of them.(this is normal in younger women). After the tests were completed I had to wait some more for the doctor. I was then called in to speak with the doctor. MY doctor had my scans up on a few computer screens and she says "We found 5 masses instead of the one that you came in with concerns. Two of the masses look suspicious so we want to do a biopsy." (GASP) . My heart dropped. Here I am coming in because I felt one lump that was sizable and you tell me I have 5 and now I have to have a biopsy. I immediately got nervous. I decided to go ahead and have the biopsy same day didnt want to wait any longer. I needed to get answers sooner than later. I called my husband to let him know what was found and that I had to get a biopsy of two of the 5 lumps. I can tell he was nervous but I tried to stay calm and reassure him I was ok and not to worry. I had no clue as to what this procedure consisted of. I called my mom to let her know what was going on as well and put up a strong front. I was nervous. I have never had any type of surgery only time I have been in the hospital was during my pregnancies. Picture of health. I go through with the biopsy and now is the waiting game. I get home I speak to my mom and my husband and I let it all out. How nervous I am what ifs maybe I shouldve gone to the doctor sooner, Oh my God what if its breast cancer what stage am I at what will happen to my boys my husband. But Im so young! I had several talks with my husband in the coming days. Him reassuring me that it's probably nothing and I will be ok. I was told to call back in two days for my results. The day came to recieve my results I literally shook while dialing the number and then the nurse answered the phone very politely, I told her my name and date of birth and why I was calling she put me on hold for like 20 seconds and it felt like 20 minutes. When she came back on the line she told me the results were the masses were benign not cancerous. I got teary eyed. I was overjoyed. I went back to the doctors office maybe a week later for the results in letter form because I know now they are benign but the question remained what are they and why are they still here. I have to go back every 6 months to have them looked at to make sure nothing changed no new lumps are there etc. I said all of this to say no matter how young or old you are make sure you are giving yourself self breast exams monthly to make sure you dont have anything out of the ordinary going on. You dont want have something wrong and not know about it until its too late. Breast cancer to me has no age limit although the medical profession wants to put one there saying mammograms are not neccessary until after your 40 years old. Im 32 yrs old and I have been doing self breast exams ever since I got them. I am a true believer that disease knows no age. Be proactive and if you have cancer or a particular disease in your family that maybe genetic talk with your doctor about genetic testing this way you can proactively fight the disease and win. Ladies and men go to the NationalBreastCancer.org for the plan on how to do a self breast exam as well as how often. Be careful be smart Check your self!!!!
****Update: I go next Thursday for a followup. Hoping and praying I dont have to get another biopsy and if I do the results come back as benign!!!*****
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