Testing & Diagnosis

Day 1: I felt a lump. I hope it’s not breast cancer.

I had no idea when I woke up on Wednesday how emotionally strange and difficult the rest of my week would be. Wednesday morning started routinely enough, right down to clicking OK on my calendar reminders for the day, including the one that reminds me each month to perform my breast self-exam. I got in the shower and went through the motions of the self-exam as I have dozens of times before. In other words, same movements, different month. Or so I thought.

“Wait – is that a lump I feel?”  I asked myself. “No way...it couldn't possibly be.”

As much as I wanted to stay in the warm cozies that only true denial can offer at a time like that, I knew I shouldn’t blow this off. I called my GYN provider, Jan Morey at Lawrence OB-GYN Specialists, and explained I detected a possible lump in the front of my left breast near the nipple. She told me to come in for further evaluation. As a Women’s Health Care Nurse Practitioner, Jan performed a clinical breast exam in the office and promptly ordered a digital diagnostic mammogram for me at LMH Health. I go tomorrow.

Yes, I’m nervous. I’m scared of what they may find. But I’ve always been an optimistic person, and this is no time for me to abandon that. Until I know more, I’m just keeping my fingers crossed, my thoughts positive and my spirits high.

Stay tuned for updates. I don’t know yet what lies ahead, but no matter what happens, I already have a very important message for the ladies out there: DO YOUR MONTHLY BREAST SELF-EXAMS! Do it, do it, do it…every single month. No excuses. I set a monthly reminder on my phone and highly recommend everyone do the same. Check this out if you don’t know the right techniques: how to perform a breast self-examination. 

Next >