On September 2012, I received the result from my annual mammogram. It was a negative result. Fast forward to January 2013, I found a lump on my left breast during my monthly self exam. I called my doctor to make an appointment, and was referred to have a diagnostic mammogram, and ultrasound. I was told afterward that I need to have a biopsy. The biopsy result confirmed that I had breast cancer. We scheduled for the lumpectomy surgery immediately, the surgery went well, the lump was removed, 3 lymph nodes were removed as well. Four days later, went in to meet with the doctor again and was told that there wasn't a clear margin all around. The good news was that the lymph nodes showed no sign of cancer. So, there are two options; one was to go back to try to remove the lump some more, and if we have a clear margin, then I will need radiation afterward, or two was to have a mastectomy and no radiation afterward. And the recommendation from both the surgeon and the oncologist was to have double mastectomies, with reconstruction and I will only have 2% chance to ever have to worry about breast cancer again. As a mother of three young children, I want to be there for them evrery step of the way, we decided to go with option two and took the doctors recommendation. With the love and support from my husband, my family and friends, and after four surgeries this year...I am now cancer free!
As my surgeon said I was lucky to have more options on treatment because I found the lump early, but if the lump was to be found a year later, I would have lots of catch up to do.
So, please don't ignore the monthly self exam! It saved my life and it can save yours too.
Pflugerville, TX
