I am a married mother of 5 kids, in my early 30s. I have no family history of breast cancer. But I spent half a year in 2011 fighting to get that diagnosis.
I spent all summer exhausted for seemingly no reason, then finally went to my general doctor when I started leaking blood from my right nipple. I was told it’s just an infection, but insisted on scans and was sent for a mammogram and ultrasound. My radiologist also told me I was fine, there were just a few benign fibroids. He said I was young, it’s no biggie, just get an antibiotic and come back in a year if it isn’t cleared up. Huh? I asked my general doctor again for another opinion, and he sent me to a surgeon, not one who specialized in cancer of any kind, who said I didn’t need any other scans or even a biopsy. He said I’m young, don’t worry. I was frustrated, but about to give up. My husband reminded me we have 5 kids who depend on me, and I need to find out what is wrong regardless of what it is. I needed answers. So I asked once again and was finally sent to a cancer center. I explained what had happened, and said I don’t care my age or family history, I want to keep going with tests until I know what it is. Big or small. After another mammogram and ultrasound, a ductogram, MRI and biopsy, I was diagnosed with stage 2 idc, into my lymph nodes. Sure glad I didn’t cave and didn’t wait a year for a recheck.
After a double mastectomy, chemo, radiation, and over a half dozen reconstruction surgeries I am still not finished. It came to the point where I needed a break from recovery times. But we are moving forward with our new normal. Don’t let any doctor tell you that you don’t know your own body, or treat you as if you’re overreacting and wasting their time.
Kansas City, MO
