How did you find out?
I do frequently get this question, and it is totally a fair one. I would be curious, too, and I do not mind you asking.
Remember in my very first post, I mentioned that I would be talking about breasts? Okay cool you are re-warned.
Or, TL;DR: I found it myself while washing in the shower.
In the lead-up to all of this, I was aware that I have dense, fibrous breast tissue. I also assumed that I had cysts, as my breasts would become very tender and sensitive prior to my period. These are important things to be aware of in terms of checking for breast cancer. Thus, I did try to conduct regular self-checks.
Last June, I found what I thought (hoped) was a cyst. I made a promise to myself that I would keep an eye on it, and I thought it went away-- that is, until late August when I felt what was just unmistakably a hard mass and immediately made an appointment with an obgyn the next day (very grateful that I was able to get in so quickly, since it was a new doc, since we had just moved).
Also, I was so incredibly tired. I had worked three campaigns in the past year, and we moved, so I tried to chalk it up to all of this-- but I knew that this was a depth of tired that I had never before experienced. After Alondra's campaign, I kept saying to people, "I feel like something is wrong." Spoiler: I was right!
One precursor that I did not know was a symptom was that the skin at the tumor site was *incredibly* itchy for an extended period of time. So much so that I told John about it-- it was driving me a little crazy. Turns out that many others with this diagnosis also had that symptom. I am sharing this information so that you know, so that you are aware if this happens to you (God forbid).
The oddest thing was that when I did get my diagnosis, as undesirable as it is, I admit to feeling some relief. I knew that something was wrong. At least now I could do something about it.
From Breast Cancer Charities of America
I do frequently get this question, and it is totally a fair one. I would be curious, too, and I do not mind you asking.
Remember in my very first post, I mentioned that I would be talking about breasts? Okay cool you are re-warned.
Or, TL;DR: I found it myself while washing in the shower.
In the lead-up to all of this, I was aware that I have dense, fibrous breast tissue. I also assumed that I had cysts, as my breasts would become very tender and sensitive prior to my period. These are important things to be aware of in terms of checking for breast cancer. Thus, I did try to conduct regular self-checks.
Last June, I found what I thought (hoped) was a cyst. I made a promise to myself that I would keep an eye on it, and I thought it went away-- that is, until late August when I felt what was just unmistakably a hard mass and immediately made an appointment with an obgyn the next day (very grateful that I was able to get in so quickly, since it was a new doc, since we had just moved).
Also, I was so incredibly tired. I had worked three campaigns in the past year, and we moved, so I tried to chalk it up to all of this-- but I knew that this was a depth of tired that I had never before experienced. After Alondra's campaign, I kept saying to people, "I feel like something is wrong." Spoiler: I was right!
One precursor that I did not know was a symptom was that the skin at the tumor site was *incredibly* itchy for an extended period of time. So much so that I told John about it-- it was driving me a little crazy. Turns out that many others with this diagnosis also had that symptom. I am sharing this information so that you know, so that you are aware if this happens to you (God forbid).
The oddest thing was that when I did get my diagnosis, as undesirable as it is, I admit to feeling some relief. I knew that something was wrong. At least now I could do something about it.
From Breast Cancer Charities of America