You know the story by now. My mom had a bruise on her breast that refused to heal. She didn’t go to the doctor, because she was too tough to go and she put it off.
I don’t have a mom. My kids don’t have a grandmother.
My mammogram is scheduled for next Wednesday. It is stressful to go every year, because every time I make an appointment, it reminds me that I don’t have a mom. It’s scary. However, if you are a woman over 40, have history of breast cancer in the family, or have a genetic predisposition to it, you need to get an annual mammogram.
This is your nudge. If you’ve been putting this off for whatever reason, make the appointment today.
I lost my mother to breast cancer too. We found out 2 weeks after we buried her mother (pancreatic cancer) and a year after we buried her father (bone cancer).
You might recall me recommending buying only the least toxic products & household due to me having Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (from long term chemical exposure injury). Now you know the other reason why I mentioned it. Their cancers were preventable.
So far, I’ve lived 3 years more years longer than my mother and counting.
Thanks for the reminder. Early screening saves so many. Being chemical smart is another smart way.
Thank you for your he nudge!
IIlona, and all of you who suffered similar losses or underwent a battle with cancer, you all have my heartfelt sympathy. Thank you for sharing your stories so others can be inspired and spared.
Fortunately, breast cancer does not run in my family. Still I have yearly mammograms. I decided decades ago that 15 minutes of discomfort was still less painful than wearing high heels, and not worth risking my life over.
After all, I take my car to mechanic annually and I am certainly worth more than a car.
I just got the letter today saying my mammogram didn’t show any signs of cancer. Once it is done you can feel good until next year when you have to get another one. It is worth going every year.
Yes, I hate them, too, but would rather spend 10 minutes doing it than deal with breast cancer. On a lighter note, I am always amused when the technician says “don’t breathe” when my breast is in a vise so tight I couldn’t take a breath if a gorilla charged into the room!
It’s good to have a bit of a giggle at some horrible things, you’ve got to laugh or you’d cry.
I’m so sorry for your loss and I’m glad you get a yearly mamogram to protect yourself and your family.
No history in my family but would never miss mine.
Breast cancer claimed my grandmother, two of her sisters, my great-grandmother, and on and on. It apparently skipped my mother, but her sister had ovarian cancer. My daughter (28 at the time) found she had cervical cancer. It’s no joke, women. These cancers attack fast growing tissue (like the cervix or breast) because they are so hospitable to fast dividing cells like cancer. Please don’t avoid the tests because you think you’re strong – in fact, being strong enough to get the tests should be your goal. Your children and your grandchildren (born or unborn), and all of your family deserve your bravery. #dothetest
And if you have kids who are old enough for the hpv vaccine, have them vaccinated.
Ladies under 40, you’re not out of the woods. I was two weeks away from starting my second year of medical school when I was officially diagnosed with Stage II breast cancer at age 29. Right up until my PCP called me, I was sure it was just a benign fibroadenoma (common in women my age). I knew all the medical stats (I was in the least likely age and ethnicity group), and my mother had had a fibroadenoma biopsied when I was younger. My PCP was the one to notice it during the physical exam she performed at my new patient visit – I had never noticed it (also hadn’t regularly done self-checks…). Due to my age/ethnicity, she told me it was likely benign and hormone-related, but to let her know if it didn’t go away after my next menstrual cycle. Life happened, and I didn’t end up going to see her until July – for allergies. She examined me again when I mentioned it offhand and scheduled me for an ultrasound (women under 30 receive ultrasound first, mammogram second because pre-menopausal women tend to have denser breast tissue that can obscure tumors). She told me that while she was 99% sure it was just a benign fibroadenoma, on the 1% chance that it wasn’t, she was sending me for an ultrasound. And because she knows me, she told me not to delay – to just get it over with before school started again. I had an ultrasound (and after a special visit from the radiologist, a mammogram) on Monday, an ultrasound-guided biopsy on Wednesday, and on Friday, I was told I had cancer. It was a shock to both my PCP and me when she had to call me and tell me I had cancer – and not just cancer, but HER2+ breast cancer (a relatively rare, but aggressive variant). Cancer always blindsides you – there’s never a good time for it. All of my oncologists have mentioned how difficult and tragic it was for them to see HER2+ in pathology reports before Herceptin (the first targeted immunotherapy drug for HER2+) was developed, and how revolutionary it was for their patients’ prognoses. Women under 40 who do get breast cancer also tend to get more aggressive cancers (more likely to be HER2+ or triple negative). Since August 2017, I have undergone fertility preservation, 6 rounds of chemotherapy, a lumpectomy and sentinel node biopsy, and am currently undergoing 31 rounds of radiation. I still have the remainder of a year of IV Herceptin and 5 years of Tamoxifen (a hormone-blocking pill) to go. It’s not a walk in the park, but I’m lucky because I actually have treatment options. Before Herceptin was developed, people with my type of cancer just recurred, metastasized, and died. I was alarmed about the state of healthcare and the ACA before my cancer diagnosis, but having gone through treatment, I am more alarmed now – by the end of this year, my medical claims (if without insurance) will approach (if not hit) $1 million dollars (this does not include my personal out-of-pocket costs). The people who can afford to pay that amount out of pocket will have insurance, but the people who are underinsured or uninsured who will be hit the hardest. The return of short-term insurance plans, lifetime caps, and discrimination based on pre-existing conditions honestly horrifies me, both as a future medical practitioner and a patient with a serious disease. The earlier breast cancer can be caught, the earlier it can be treated, and the better the prognosis. Current practice recommendations are not necessarily doing monthly self-exams, but just being familiar with your breasts and knowing the signs and symptoms of breast cancer. If you notice a persistent lump, get it checked out. Most of the time, they’re benign, but it’s always that 1% unknown…The #knowyourlemons campaign is a great educational resource (and in the month of March, all donations are being matched): https://www.worldwidebreastcancer.org/
Also – sorry I wrote a comment novel…
If one person follows up on what you wrote. You did a wonderful thing for the BDH.
I was about to mention the same. My story is similar–they initially thought it was a fibroadenoma, and everyone was shocked when it turned out to be invasive cancer. I was a bit older–34–but I also had no family history of breast cancer and no genetic risk factors, and so I’d always been pretty lax about self exams. I happened to find it during one of those extremely rare self exams, and I’m very lucky that I did. It was already stage 2, and if I’d left it for another few months or years, I might not be writing this now. Even if you’re under 40 and can’t do mammograms, and even if you think self exams are weird because you don’t really know what you’re looking for, please do them! If something is seriously different, I promise you, you’ll know.
I had a lump that was not cancer. I found it myself. It still had to be removed because painful. Always get it checked. I worry about people without insurance. They have a tendency to wait until too late.
K and KJ thank you for sharing. Sometimes a 1 line comment isn’t enough ❤
Thank God for Herceptin. I was 48 when diagnosed with Her2+ Stage 3. It’s been 10 years this month since the end of my weekly chemos and my surgery. I’d had a mammogram in August of 2007, and found a 10 cm lump during my monthly self check on Halloween. So have your mammograms, ladies – every year, regardless of age and whether your insurance thinks you fall in some range where you should – and then pay attention, do your self checks. And please, please push your elected representatives toward universal health care. Ten years ago my medical costs totaled $500,000. Today, as K says, it hits close to $1 million. This is criminal when we can easily follow the rest of the civilized world and do something about it.
And Ilona, my heartfelt sympathy for your loss to this horrible disease, and thank you for caring enough to use your platform to advocate for mammograms.
Omg I have the almost exact same story! I actually was prompted by Ilona’s post last year to schedule an appointment with my OBGYN because I had a lump that wasn’t going away. Anyway the rest is similar. Got the call on March 13, 2017 that it was breast cancer. I was only 29. Mine was actually triple positive meaning positive for estrogen, progesterone, and HER2. Luckily my 6 rounds of chemo really worked and when I had a lumpectomy in August, I was completely negative for cancer in both my breast and my 5 lymph nodes! Praise the Lord! I finished radiation on December 26. So now just finishing up on Herceptin and taking Tamoxifen. Again my story is similar to yours in that I was in my 3rd year of law school at SMU. Luckily my school totally worked with me and I was able to still graduate in May. I still had my hair because I did a chemo cold cap. http://chemocoldcaps.com Painful but worth it! So I literally just took the Texas State Bar Exam yesterday and fingers crossed that I passed.
The advancements in treatment are amazing but if I didn’t have insurance with good coverage, I would have been screwed. Thanks for sharing your story! It made me want to share mine. Good luck with finishing radiation!
I’m triple positive, too! And I also had a complete response to chemo (couldn’t even feel it after the first round). The scary part was that while my PCP found it in May, by the end of August when I started treatment, my lump had grown enough that you could visually observe it, palpate little tendrils coming away from the primary mass, observe/palpate some dimpling (my primary tumor was lower quadrant closer to the midline or 8 o’clock position so it was hard to see), and see increased veining (indicating more vascularization to the area). To be fair, I had 4 biopsies and fertility preservation (while on an aromatase inhibitor to keep my estrogen as low as possible during the process) – even if some of it was scar tissue, it was still a pretty fast progression (my HER2 gene copies and HER2:CEP17 ratio were insanely high though). If it had been any other year other than M2 year, I could’ve done school part-time, but since this is the first board exam year, I ended up taking the year off (my school has been great). It’s so interesting because my genetic report was negative, but it turns out I have a paternal aunt who had DCIS (ductal carcinoma in situ, like stage 0 breast cancer) at 48. My genetic counselor was also very upfront about how Asian breast cancer genes hadn’t been well studied yet, so she had actually anticipated an “undetermined” result. Irony of ironies. Fingers crossed for your bar exam – it’s over! If it’s anything like med school boards, now you can finally get some real R & R.
Thank you, I made my appointment.
I am very lucky survivor. I had to late a mammogram but finally went in. Diagnosed with breast cancer. Had a lumpectomy, radiation, and now I am a six year survivor. Mammograms matter. Don’t listen to the news, don’t depend on others opinions, I just know I’ve done them yearly and it probably save my life.
I am sorry for your loss. I have several people with similar stories, I hope this inspires others to maintain there BREASTHEALTH.
Do it. Be well.
Thank you for the nudge. I also get reminders from my oncologist and my surgeon’s office. A mammogram and an ultrasound every 6 months on the breast that had the lumpectomy and once a year on both – just in case.
I had my first mammogram at 67 and the lumpectomy 6 weeks later. I was lucky. The cancer was small and not an aggressive type.
Don’t assume that it’s too late to need a mammogram. It’s never too early or too late to need one.
My motherwas diagnosed with breast cancer when she was 80 years old. She had a mastectomy and fortunately for us she lived another 8 years cancer free. We lost her eventually from complications from gall bladder surgery. You are never too old for a mammogram.
Early detection really is key. I’ll add my voice to the BDH, please schedule your yearly mammogram. If you don’t have insurance there are groups that will help pay for it.
https://ww5.komen.org/BreastCancer/Mammography.html
And don’t forget to get an annual eye exam by an ophthalmologist or an optometrist. I’m talking about the one where they dilate your eyes to see your retinas. This routine eye exam can detect important medical issues at their earliest stages, including breast cancer. Go figure.
Eye exams can also check for Diabetes which can be a silent killer for many women. My mom died at 67 years after a massive heart attack brought on by diabetes weakening her heart. Only found out from her Death Certificate ?
I know a 20 year old college student who is undergoing treatment for cancer in both eyes. There were no symptoms. It was caught during a routine eye exam. There is no substitute for regular screening exams.
My breast cancer was found via a mammogram. I had no family history and couldn’t feel anything because it was too deep. 12 years post treatment now. I agree with Ilona, get your mammograms, ladies.
Got my results today all clear. Thanks for the reminder
Make it easy by scheduling your Well Woman/ Physical/ Mammogram the month of your birthday.
Gina,
Your comment was redacted. Let me know if I need to explain why.
As a former mammographer, I can tell you that the small amount of radiation used during a mammogram does not cause breast cancer.
Gina,
“ Less than 10% of all cancer is hereditary.” – http://www.bccancer.bc.ca/our-services/services/hereditary-cancer
-“One in eight women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime.” – http://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/breast-cancer-facts
Mammograms save lives.
Anna, BC (in the 10%) survivor
Your comment was redacted. Let me know if I need to explain why.
Yes. Thank you. I don’t have a mom (ovarian) or an aunt (breast). Get an annual mammogram. Please.
On a simular note, please take your health an medical check ups seriously . You never know when an extra day or a little forewarning will make a world of difference. My mom has bad diabetes and may lose her foot because she was to stubborn/ anxious/ scared to go to the hospital. Please remember any news your afraid you may get from the doctor doesn’t disappear just because you don’t hear it. Best of luck and well wishes to every and their families.
Regular mammograms and monthly self-exams save lives. I found my lump a week after my self-exam I felt an acorn sized lump. It was odd. It took 2 weeks to see my PCP and 6 weeks to be seen for a diagnostic mammogram and ultrasound. The next day was the biopsy. The next week my PCP said it was an aggressive invasive BC, which was also in my lymph nodes. Since I’m adopted I didn’t know I had the gene mutation.
It was a scary time for my family. It hit the children (ages 6 to 10) hard too. Keeping a positive attitude during treatment kept me afloat, along with the support of family, the community, and so many good people. I wanted to show my children this disease could be beat, in case they should one day face this. The good news is that cancer treatment has advanced.
I was Stage 3a TNBC. Meeting stage 4 survivors was very encouraging. More people are surviving cancer and recurrences. I’m also lucky that there is post-treatment for triple negative cancer. My last mammo was in December. Lots of anxiety yet I’m happy to say I’m one year cancer free! Yay!
Know your breasts, listen to your body, and make sure you have good, responsive doctors. See a genetic counselor if it runs in your family. There are options. There is Hope!
(((Hugs))) Ilona
Sending lots of love vibes your way ! ~~ Courage 🙂
Feel very blessed to have read all these comments. I have regular mammograms but this inspires me to keep getting them done.
I am 74 and just had mine in Feb thank the creator it was negative. We just lost a much loved niece to the same cancer that took my very best friend, her mother 14 years ago. I promised joanne at that time I would get a chi-chi squish every year and I have done my best to keep that promise. To all of you don’t hesitate to get this done. Your family cannot do without you. Ilona I am sorry for your loss and bless you for caring.
Thank you for the nudge. I know it’s a paltry offering, but I’m so sorry for your loss.
Sorry about your mom.
Thank you for the PSA.
Nudge important. I am on it. Thanks for your care! Hope all is clear xx
I too lost my grandma for cancer. It all started at the end of the 80s with breast cancer. Then it moved to the kidneys after 20 years that she was free of cancer (or so we thought). After it took one kidney it took also her brain and her body. In the end, she was in an induced medical coma and she died a few days later.
So yes, please please check yourselves out. If you are a woman over 35 (in Italy they suggest 35 and not 40, 40 if you do not have an episode in the family) and have had an episode breast cancer in the family start with your annual checkup.
This is another gentle nudge.
I’m so sorry to hear about your mom and I couldn’t agree more – getting your annual mammogram is so extremely important.
However, speaking from personal experience, even if something does show on your mammogram but the radiologist assures you it’s benign? Get it biopsied anyway, just to be safe. Seriously.
I discovered a mass in my right breast by self-exam while in the shower. Immediately got a mammogram & sonogram. Radiologist told me that I actually had 2 masses but he was 99% sure they were benign and I could just leave them alone. But I just didn’t personally like the idea of leaving the lumps in, so I decided to just get them taken out – still 100% believing the radiologist that I was fine.
One week after surgery, the pathology comes back and I not only have Stage 3 breast cancer, I have an uncommon type – invasive lobular carcinoma – that usually doesn’t cause discreet masses, just single file chains of cancer cells that cause thickening but not lumps. Oh, and usually looks benign on imaging.
So do not forget to get your mammogram every single year and if it shows a lump that you’re uncomfortable about, regardless of what the radiologist says? Get it biopsied. It’s the only way to be absolutely certain and it’s worth it for peace of mind.
Bless you for the reminder. My stepmom had 2 bouts of breast cancer (10 yrs apart) with complete mastectomy during the first one. She had a 3rd recurrence, and it’s in her bones now. She reminds me constantly to check and to go to the doctor if ANYTHING doesn’t seem right
Great and so important a reminder. I am 68 and grit my teeth and go. Do this for yourself, your family and your friends. No one needs to go through the heartbreak of losing you to breast cancer, if possible.
Sorry you lost your mom. I lost an aunt 6 years ago to breast cancer it was traumatic. My aunt was always so lively and had many friends, the worse she got the more you knew who her true friends were because they stuck with her through the very end. I’m a nurse and eventually I would like to specialize in oncology, because people need encouragement during this time. That being said I have to say I’m 45 and have had one mammogram done during the time my aunt was going through that. Shame on me for not doing one every year. I do do self check but that cannot detect everything. Things can get really hectic and as moms especially with careers, we tend to give our all to our husbands, children, jobs etc. and at times neglect ourselves. Thanks for the reminder, I’ll call for an appointment as soon as the office is open.
Ilona you are an amazing woman to share your experience. I am also very grateful for the platform it opened for all the conversations that came after. Blessings to all of you.
In 2010 I had a lumpectomy to remove 2 tumors. I will forever be grateful to my wonderful surgical team at OSU who from day 1 referred to me as a cancer survivor. I went into my surgery with that mindset and making jokes to help me ease my tension. I was lucky; both were less than a centimeter, both were non-invasive. Had my 7 yr check-up in December, still cancer free.
I schedule it for my birthday every year. A gift to not only myself, but the rest of my family as well.
Thank you for inspiring so many women Ilona.
My first mammogram in Febuary four years ago found a very small lump, which the biopsy said was non-aggressive. I carried on training for a 4-day 125 mile kayak race, which I had been training for all winter. Six weeks later I completed the race on the Monday and had the operation on the Tuesday. I was amazed at how little pain I had from the operation, the blisters from the paddling gave me much more discomfort than the operation did. I had to have a second operation and later radiotherapy because they found it was a more aggressive type than they thought. Again I found the recuperation from the operation much less painful than expected. (And both times I was back paddling and racing two weeks after the operations). For those that are facing breast cancer at the moment, the worry about the operation can seem much bigger than the reality, and if you can find some nice events to take your mind off it then it can help.
Just got a reminder in the mail yesterday from my insurance company, of all people, to get that done. So smash o gram, here I come!
Thanks for the yearly nudge! I got my first one done last year because of it.
Here in the UK we get free mammograms every two years and still some women will not go and get them.
They are painful but necessary and can and do save lives.
On a lighter note if you done to men what gets done to us a new way to examine us would be found by next month.
Agreed. I told my physician the same thing last time he suggested a mammogram. He was insulted and furious that anyone would suggest males have that done to tender parts. I now have a female Dr.
My husband got his first “manogram” 2 years ago he said he now understood why I yelp when I get mine. He is scheduled for his next one in June. He said he is not looking forward to it but will get it anyway.
Thanks so much for the nudge, Also, my thanks to you, Ilona, and to all of my fellow readers for your comments and support. Blessings/positive vibes to you all.
You are honoring your mom’s memory with this post. Glad to see some of your fans are taking action. I lost my best friend this last year to breast cancer. She was obese, and the doctors told her they were just cysts. As she did have a problem with recurring cysts, she let it go till too late.
And I hadn’t had a mammogram for four years due to caregiving for my mother and my BFF. Went last week and grateful to be given the all clear.
So very sorry for the loss to you and your family.
Thank you for the reminder. Been putting it off for 6 months. Made my appointment for next week. Hugs.
Two maternal aunts with breast cancer. Maternal grandmother died of uterine cancer. Paternal grandmother died of lymphoma. I started my mammograms at age 35, because my PCP said my family history made her nervous. Had one scare where I had a cyst-thing that felt like a hard little lump. Looked like cancer on the mammogram, and they did a sonogram which proved it was fluid, and not solid. Never been so damn scared in my life while I waited for the sonographer.
My best friend’s wife was diagnosed six months ago with triple negative breast cancer, very early, due to her regular mammograms. She’s just finished her chemo, had a lumpectomy, and is currently showing as cancer free. If she’d caught it later, it would have been exponentially serious.
Get. Your. Mammograms.
Got mine in May. Found stage 0-1 in two spots on my left side. Had a hellish rest of the year with 3 surgeries to get clear margins but they found it before it got to the lymph nodes and so I am looking at it in the rear view mirror now.
Got my mammogram on Wednesday….been putting it off because I have been primary caregiver to my mom for over two years….and, after she passed, I couldn’t bring myself to do anything. However, my employer made it easy. They brought in a machine and said “Come on down”! Thank you, Ilona for the reminder and thank you Verizon for providing the opportunity!
Ilona thank you for posting your story to raise awareness, you and everyone else who had been through this have my heart felt sympathy…. All my wishes to you that you remain free from it and condolences to your mother
You never get over losing your Mom. And you honor her by reminding everyone to get mammograms.
Lost 2 cousins to breast cancer , jean (1 cousin) had previously lost her mom to cancer 18 months before she lost her battle.
In 2007 both my mom andI were diagnosed with cancer . Mine Stage 4 skin cancer my mom stage 3 salivary cancer(neither of us smoke or drink). Sine I had very aggressive Stage 4 I was treated first. Had “cyst ” on top of hair for years my PCP always said it was nothing .My hairdresser first noticed it getting bigger and she was concerned.
Should have listened to hairdresser.
Had major surgery, major radiation and because I was naive I skipped chemo . I only survived because I was needed to take care of my Mom . I was Stage 4, 2 tumors one 15 cm and 1 4.5cm in lymph nodes. They removed 80 lymph nodes. And cancer hadn’t spread. This will be 10 years and I am still here. Lots of side effects,no hair, losing teeth,chronic pain and lovely scars.
My mom was operated on 2008 after I was stabilized. She was ok till 2011 and it came back, in her spine and lungs. We fought every day till she passed in November 2012. I miss her every day.
Still trying to figure out my path after cancer. It has been dark and difficult, but books like Ilona’s help me survive. And the Innkeeper was a godsend to my sanity when my mom died. Thank you
My sister-in-law has just started radiotherapy having had a lumpectomy in December and chemotherapy from May-November 2017. She’s only 30 years. She had a pain in her breast and fatigue but the doctors said it couldn’t possibly be anything, she’s too young, there’s no history, it’s just aches. After she and my brother pushed the issue they finally gave her a scan and the pain turned out to be a cyst – however they also found a stage three HER2 positive tumour. You know your body, if something doesn’t feel right, make them listen to you. Even if it feels fine, be safe not sorry. My sister-in-law was lucky really that she had a regular cyst as well, her cancer was very aggressive and quick growing – it grew bigger just in the 4 weeks until she started chemo. Who knows without the pain she’d have ignored the tiredness and put it all down to stress. Even without mamograms, be breast aware and self check regularly http://www.breastcancer.org/symptoms/testing/types/self_exam/bse_steps
Where I live, we have a high cancer rate. A person dies of cancer every 3 days. When I got to age 40, I had my 1st mammogram. In the very 1st shot, I fainted from the pain. I woke up dangling from the machine and the technician was behind me holding me up. At the same time, she was trying to release me from the machine. I wanted so badly to cry hysterically but didn’t. I knew if I walked out without finishing the mammo, I would never do it again. I finished it.
So the next year, I researched on how to handle the pain of mammo. No coffee the week before, schedule it not close to your menstruation, take painkiller an hour before, etc… And most importantly, I found out that if you shop around, that not all mammos can be a painful level 10+. I found one who Manually turns the knob to tighten down the breast plates. My pain level is below 5. She’s a great technician!
The comments above have prompted me to stop procrastinating by ignoring the reminder letter from BreastScreen Australia because I’m “ too busy this week”. Plus it’s my birthday next week so that will act as a good annual reminder going forward. Thankyou for all the sensible advice and hugs to all of you, including Ilona, who have lost family members and friends to this terrible disease.
Men can get breast cancer too. Read here for signs and symptoms.
https://www.cancer.org/cancer/breast-cancer-in-men/detection-diagnosis-staging/detection.html
Those with a family history of BRCA gene mutation should have regular screenings, but even without a family history, any lumps or abnormalities of the male breast should be checked out immediately. Breast cancer may be rare in men, but when does it occur, it tends to spread rapidly.