Breast Cancer Awareness Month
October is Breast Cancer Awareness month.
I can’t begin to stress enough how important it is that women know and understand this silent killer.
We now live in an age where information is available at our finger tips. Advancement in the medical field also means that chances of survival from breast cancer is considerably better provided there is early detection.
Unfortunately many still don’t take action until it is too late.
Ladies, why are you all so stubborn about this? All it takes is to examine your breasts once a month and a mamogram once a year. That’s not a lot of ask for is it, when it will save your LIFE?!
I get this common complaint from a lot of women at talks and seminars - they feel so embarrassed having to show their boobs to someone other than their spouses. Again, if it will save your LIFE, what gives?
Let me tell you my story. I don’t think a lot of friends know about this except Chris who at that time was working as a nurse at the hospital.
I discovered a breast lump at the tender age of 20. In retrospect, I think I was lucky that I was aware about breast cancer and breast self examination then. I had all the necessary information from women’s magazines and the internet. So I knew what I had to do, what actions to take.
I think I pretty much detached myself from the whole situation and faced the whole thing like I would approach any job. It’s the only way I knew how to deal with it.
I consulted a doctor, got a referral to a surgeon who scheduled a biopsy. I got the necessary paperwork done from my office to apply for hospitalization coverage (I was working with a bank then and had a very good hospitalization plan).
Throughout all this, I never mentioned a word to anyone, not friends or family, except Chris. It’s my way of detaching myself from the whole thing. Mostly, I didn’t know how to break the news to my parents. A drama and fuss is the last thing I needed.
The first time I mentioned it to my mom was the night before I was scheduled to have surgery. I think I more or less said, "Mom, I need you to give me a ride to the hospital tomorrow for surgery."
Of course that took her by surprise. I specifically told her not to mention it to anyone else and not to ask questions until it is over. Still trying to detach myself.
Surgery day. All went well. Turns out, there were a lot of other women with the same problem as me. Heard from talk amongst the nurses that that morning alone there were 8 breast lump surgeries.
They wheeled me into the OR and put me under. In an hour it was all over. I got my first glimpse of my lump the next day. It was about an inch, full of fat. That will be sent to their lab for tests.
I thought that was it. It’s over. Just go for a follow up appointment with the doctor in a week and life will go on. How wrong I was. The follow up appointment was to review my results. My lump was benign. I shudder to think what it will entail if the lump was malignant. Chemo? Radiotherapy? Meds? Will I be sick all the time? Lose all my hair? Lose my job? Most importantly, am I strong enough to go through all that?
Now, although my scar has faded, it’s still a stark reminder of what a close shave I had with a deadly desease. I think I can safely say that I had gotten to know and appreciate the twins very well. I know every groove, curve, even their texture and how they feel like at different times of the month.
So Ladies, if you haven’t started to practice breast self examination yet, it’s never too late to start. Just once a month in the shower could save your life. That is not too much to ask for is it?
