There are moments in life that we never forget; weddings, birthdays, and first times are all moments that stay with us through our whole lives. Ask anyone where they were on September 11, 2001, and I can almost guarantee they’ll know. But every so often a moment comes along that stops us cold; moments where our lives changed forever. For me, they include the day my parents told me they were getting a divorce; getting the news that my grandpa died; and the moment I found a lump in my left breast.
What followed was a series of doctor appointments, examinations, ultrasounds, and finally a surgical biopsy, or lumpectomy. The experience was horrifying from start to finish, but I took a lot away from it. Here are just a few things that I gleaned from my booby biopsy.
What followed was a series of doctor appointments, examinations, ultrasounds, and finally a surgical biopsy, or lumpectomy. The experience was horrifying from start to finish, but I took a lot away from it. Here are just a few things that I gleaned from my booby biopsy.
1. Lumps in your humps are usually NOT cancer.
Obviously finding a lump was terrifying for me. Both my parents are cancer survivors, so I knew I was at risk for cancer, but not yet! I was only 27, and 27 year-olds don’t get breast cancer do they? I was certain however, that finding this lump meant that I was in for the battle of my life.
But in fact, women under 40 account for less than 7% of all breast cancer cases. However, lumps are incredibly common and overwhelmingly benign. In younger women especially, lumps are typically caused by fibroadenomas (What the frack is that?), or cysts. Both of these are mostly harmless and don’t usually indicate an increased risk of developing cancer later on.
Cysts are simply fluid filled sacs that sometimes clear up on their own, or are drained at your doctor’s office. They’re almost always benign and can develop for a variety of reasons, including hormone changes related to your menstrual cycle… because that thing wasn’t giving you enough problems.
Fibroadenomas are solid, smooth, benign lumps that are commonly found in women in their 20s and 30s. These lumps don’t lead to cancer, but there is a type of fibroadenoma that has been associated with an increased risk of developing cancer later on. If you have a family history of breast cancer, you should ask your doctor if this might apply to you.
2. Self-exams are vital!
I doubt this even needs to be said, but I’ll say it anyways. My monthly self-exam in the shower is how I found my own lump. Get past any shyness you may be feeling about this and give yourself a grope once a month. You’ll be showing yourself some love in more ways than one (wink, wink!).
3. Follow up with your doctor ASAP.
This might sound like a no-brainer, but since I just told you all that breast lumps are usually not much to worry about, I’m gonna cover my bases. If you find a lump, you definitely need to follow up with your doctor. Even if you think it’s just one of the benign causes I listed, it should still be addressed immediately. If it is just a benign cyst, or another common ailment, it could still hamper the detection of other lumps later on. It’s important to address these head on. Waiting won’t make them go away and on the very slim chance that it is cancer, waiting will make it worse.
4. Biopsies suck.
Big news: any surgery performed on your lady parts is gonna hurt. Mine was a little more complicated because it was an actual surgical biopsy, where they actually made an incision and removed the offending lump. Most biopsies can be done with the simpler, but still uncomfortable needle biopsy. For that, they use local anesthetic, and insert a needle to draw a sample of the mass. But really the worst part of either type of biopsy is that the affected area is extremely sensitive. But barring any complications, the recovery time is not too bad, especially for the needle biopsy. Biopsies are no fun, but once you get the test results 4-5 days later, you’ll be glad you did it.
5. Start your bucket list.
Five days after my surgery I got a call from my doctor. I was shaking and near tears, more anxious than I realized. My margins, they told me, were clear. My biopsy contained a segment of paremchyma with features of a benign breast hamartoma. I found out that this was Dr. McKnockers’ fancy way of saying that they found a piece of boob with a rare type of benign tumor. It was nothing.
I got off the phone and sobbed with relief. I was fine. I had my whole life ahead of me. But it was a wake-up call. I realized that all it took was a group of cells to knock me on my ass. Something I couldn’t control, couldn’t see, couldn’t fight. How long would it be before the next unforeseen event came along?
Like so many people, I have lost friends and family to cancer. Some older, and some heartbreakingly young. The same day that I got my results, my friend Todd got his: terminal. He passed away that week at 39 years of age. I knew that fate didn’t discriminate, but it took it knocking on my own door to wake me up. This could really happen.
So, I started planning my trip to Petra. I hugged my kids a little closer. I told people I loved how I felt. I started living like tomorrow wasn’t guaranteed, because in reality, it isn’t. I’d gotten my wake up call. But I guess what I hope people can take away from this story, is that you shouldn’t wait for yours. It might not come in time. Carpe diem.
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Cat is a bad-asss boobie friendly babe in Tucson Az
and also wrote one of my favorite MB pieces called
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