I don't have to worry I'm too young...

[MomToLilAngel]

I can't count how many times I've heard young women say...I don't have to worry about Breast Cancer because I'm too young.  I don't have to worry about that until I'm in my 40's.  Well, let me say THAT IS NOT TRUE!  Breast Cancer doesn't see age. 

Almost 21 years ago, I lost my mom to Breast Cancer.  I was 7 years old when she passed and she was ONLY 25 years old.  That's right 25!  She found a lump in her breast and was concerned about it.  So, she went to her doctor to get it checked out.  Basically she was told she had nothing to worry about.  It couldn't be Breast Cancer because she was too young.  So he did nothing for her. Finally my aunt made my mom get a second opinion.  The results came back that she had Breast Cancer.  She went through radiation, chemo, and even had a mastectomy.  Unfortunately it was too late...the cancer had spread through her whole body.  (Not only did she have Breast Cancer, but so did both of her sister.  They were also both under the age of 40 when they were diagosed.)

Not a day goes by that I don't think about my mom.  I wonder what she would have been like, since there's not a lot I remember about her.  I also wonder what she would think of me and often wonder if she would be proud of me.  There were many times in life it was hard not having there...prom, graduation, my wedding, and the birth of both of my children. 

Then there are other times, that I just felt like she was there.  I remember it like it was yesterday...   In Feb 04, my aunt who raised me was battling her 2nd bout of cancer.  It hit me that I hadn't done a self-breast exam in awhile.  So the next morning in the shower I went ahead and did one.  In my right breast I could feel a lump.  No...it couldn't be a lump...I'm 23 years old and going to be marrying the man of my dreams in only a few months.  I think the rest of the day I was in denial, but I knew what I had to do.  So, I called my doctor.  To make a long story short, he checked it out and sent me for an ultrasound.  After that I was referred to a surgeon as more of a follow-up then a concern.  The surgeon I went to knew my family history all to well and decided to take it out although he wasn't too concerned.  On March 3, which is also my birthday, I found out that the lump was just a mass of tissue!  I was so happy to hear those words. 

One thing I've learned through this all is that EARLY DECTECTION IS KEY!   It takes less the 5 minutes to do a breast exam one day out of the month.   

 Also, remember no ones knows your body the way you do either, so if you are concerned with a choice your doctor chooses to make or doesn't choose to make get a second opinion.  You can never been too safe when it comes to your health.

So, please, please, please, take the time to take care of yourself.  Don't let anyone tell you that you are too young because age doesn't matter.

 

[Domzmom2005]

Oct. 2, 2009 at 10:43 PM