What you don’t know can hurt you
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month in the U.S. We acknowledge it by racing for the cure, walking for hope, replenishing with pink Sport Beans and occasionally indulging in a pink M&M. October is also the month I get my annual mammogram, and today was the day. The timing of the mammogram has nothing to do with Breast Cancer Awareness Month and everything to do with when I first found “the lump”. It was Easter, 2006. I was already suffering from a frozen shoulder, without understanding what caused it. I was talking to my husband and to emphasize my point, I slapped my chest with my hand, and got a wicked surprise. I was so shocked, I just sat there probing for a minute. I then placed his hand over it. At first he misunderstood my intention, but within a minute his expression turned worried. My sister died from breast cancer in 2001.
I spent the next few weeks in a daze, getting test after test. The mammogram was inconclusive, the ultrasound was inconclusive. There were tumors and calcium deposits, which are often found with cancer. The MRI showed no sign of cancer. The tumors were fibrous. I was instructed to have another mammogram in 6 months, to make sure that the tumors weren’t growing. My sister had also been diagnosed with fibrous tumors and instructed to have them checked regularly. She didn’t follow up, and by the time her cancer was detected, it was in her lymph nodes. I get an MRI each spring and a mammogram each October.
Breast cancer affects women of all ages, but men can get it too. While exercise and a diet that is low in fat help reduce your risks, they do not eliminate them. The Warmups and Real Runners sections in the October issue of Runner’s World feature stories about 4 women who suffered from breast cancer. One of my favorite Nike+ friends, Prncssrnnr is a breast cancer survivor. Awareness month is about more than just raising funds to find a cure or assist women who are living with cancer. It is about being proactive about your health and doing your best to detect it early.
Finding a lump in your breast is terrifying, but not all lumps are cancer. My dear friend, JustRun discovered a lump in her breast just days before her 28th birthday. I’m happy to report that tests revealed it to be non-cancerous. Don’t let fear keep you from checking your breasts regularly, and if you find something, don’t let fear keep you from following up. If you aren’t sure how to do it, follow this link for instructions. If you cannot afford a mammogram, most communities offer free or reduced cost mammograms. Check with organizations like your local YWCA to find one.
There is one rare but particularly virulent form of breast cancer that develops in sheets instead of tumors, making it extremely difficult to detect. It is called Inflammatory Breast Cancer, and its symptoms include redness, itching, inverted nipples and an orange peel like texture to the skin. For more information about IBC, please visit the IBCResearch.org web site.
Because of my family history, I tend to spend mammogram day thinking about “what if?”. Today was no exception. I burned a little stress by taking a 3 mile run on the treadmill before the test. The sun came out this afternoon, so after work I took my anxiety for a 3.5 mile run around the neighborhood. The sky was intensely blue. The trees were decked out in a spectacular array of colors. The pine needles formed a fragrant carpet for me to run on. When I ran out of pines, there was a mass of fallen maple leaves that was at least 4 inches thick to run through. The air was crisp and cool. When I got home, Mount Rainier was visible. Elton John was singing “I think it’s going to be a long, long time”. It was one of those moments you wish you could hold onto. I lingered on the sidewalk for a few minutes, unwilling to let it go. Sometimes you just need to savor the moment.
October 26th, 2007 at 5:41 am
Great post, Diva. I am so sorry about your sister. I have similar stories, and oddly had my mammogram the day before you did. Last year, I didn’t find anything but the mammogram and ultrasound did, luckily the biopsy said it was fibrous. I cried the entire time on the table during the procedure thinking about what if. My babies are only 2 and 4. I have had a year of more intense follow up.
My mother had breast cancer and is one of the good stories. Thanks to early self-detection and aggressive treatment, she is 21+ years out. She worried she wouldn’t see me graduate high school. She has seen so much more…. This is the reason you put the fear aside and follow up early and often. There is hope in early detection.
October 26th, 2007 at 7:10 am
I think you hit on something so important here, something that doesn’t really occur to me, fear. As someone who fears much more what they don’t know than what they might be told (if that makes any sense) I’ve never been shy about demanding answers. But I think this is more unique than someone who might want to pretend that ignorance is bliss.
Thanks for sharing this with me.
October 26th, 2007 at 4:29 pm
I’m glad you had a good day. the pictures from the last two posts are wonderful. Now that the stiches are out, I’m sure you’re perfect.
October 27th, 2007 at 4:18 am
Hi Diva,
Nancy told me you had written a wonderful post on BC.
Thank you for taking the time to share something so personal and so important for others to pay attention to.
It was good to meet you.
October 27th, 2007 at 11:09 am
Ohhh, how beautiful it is there.
Very good post… and good on you for being so responsible with your health. (& for reminding us to be so with ours…).
November 6th, 2007 at 10:47 pm
[...] Last month I warned you that what you don’t know can hurt you. What I didn’t mention was that getting the test is only the beginning. Next comes the wait for the results. If they find something bad, you get a phone call in a few days. If everything is OK, you get a letter in 2 weeks. My letter arrived yesterday. I can relax on that front for another 6 months. [...]