That is what I used to think. I remember hearing that 1 in 8 women will get breast cancer. So what are the odds it would be me? I found a lump when I was 16 years old. For years there was never a doctor that said we should check this out. When I turned 40 and had my first mammogram, all of the sudden this lump that I had for over 20 years was a concern? I knew it wasn't breast cancer, otherwise I would have long died. They removed the lump and it came out benign. I went every year faithfully and had my mammogram. So when I found the lump in June of 2009, I wasn't worried. It was in the exact spot the other one was. I was about to go to Maui on vacation. I would worry about it later.
Well that August I had the surprise of my life. I had stage one infiltrated invasive breast cancer. I had a lumpectomy and some lymph glands removed, all came out clean (thank you Lord). Then I had 35 radiation treatments and no chemo.
Since then I have had a hysterectomy, got an infection and was in the hospital for 2 weeks and also got pneumonia. I have been on tamoxifen and now aromasin I have been through a lot and I still feel very blessed. I am alive, a survivor and I have a wonderful husband and 2 wonderful teenagers who love me very much and keep me going. I am not afraid of getting breast cancer again because I will come through it.
Oceanside, CA