Wednesday
Apr072010
These things that sit on my chest
Wednesday, April 7, 2010 at 08:24PM
Quick update on my breast situation.* I slept for the first time without a bra last night! The last time I tried it, a couple weeks ago, it was still too uncomfortable. It was the one thing that was still causing problems post-biopsy. But now I think I'm back to normal! I still get some random pain in my boob, but I'm pretty much healed up. Except man, my poor left boob has been through the ringer. First the lump, then the ultrasound, then the mammogram, then the biopsy (from which I have a teeny tiny mark left), then I ripped a bandage off and took a patch of skin with it that is still visible, and most recently I got heat rash from sweating in my sports bra. I remove it and rinse off immediately after each run, and nowhere else on my body got heat rash. Just my poor, vulnerable left breast. I wish I had names for my boobs so we could all say "Awww, poor [name of Shannon's left boob]" in unison. Any suggestions?
Also yesterday, pre-braless-sleeping, I had an appointment with a breast specialist and her PA. They asked a lot of questions and did a full breast exam, then poked and prodded my lump for awhile (until they saw me cringing in pain and decided they had felt enough), then we talked and looked at pictures taken at my biopsy and we were done. Except for the part where I had to wait 15 minutes in an exam-room-turned-office for a perhaps-incompetent employee to try to figure out how and when to schedule my followup biopsy and consultation. All in all, it went well though.
The most interesting part was discussing my family's medical history. I recently learned that a male on my dad's side of the family has had breast cancer. How I never knew this before, I really can't imagine. When I told the doctor and PA this, they said it's very important that this male relative get genetic testing. If he has a certain gene mutation that can lead to increased risk for breast cancer, I could have it, too. But they need to test him first. I thought this might be an arduous task, getting all this testing taken care of on someone that's not me. But after one phone call I found out that a) he already had the testing done, and b) he doesn't have the gene mutation!
I called to share this great news with my mom, and she informed me that she too had some genetic testing done when she was dealing with some other health issues, and she doesn't have the gene mutation either! Which means I'm free and clear on BOTH sides of the family, which is extremely good news. Certainly doesn't mean I'm at no risk for breast cancer, but I definitely don't have a certain gene mutation that would make it much more likely. Yay for less risk of cancer!
So I think for now I can put this boob saga to rest. I have that followup biopsy and consultation in six months, but that's just to make sure the lump hasn't changed or grown. Then it's back to self-exams and a doctor-facilitated breast exam at my annual checkup.
Before I close this chapter, here are the morals of the story:
1) Women, do breast self-exams! I found my own lump before any doctor did.
2) Get yourself into a doctor to check out anything suspicious. It's the worth the time, money and even the potential pain.
3) Ask about your family's medical history. I learned so much in the last couple days that I should have known before I had all these appointments. It would have been extremely useful to the doctors.
*Ok, maybe not so quick, afterall.
Also yesterday, pre-braless-sleeping, I had an appointment with a breast specialist and her PA. They asked a lot of questions and did a full breast exam, then poked and prodded my lump for awhile (until they saw me cringing in pain and decided they had felt enough), then we talked and looked at pictures taken at my biopsy and we were done. Except for the part where I had to wait 15 minutes in an exam-room-turned-office for a perhaps-incompetent employee to try to figure out how and when to schedule my followup biopsy and consultation. All in all, it went well though.
The most interesting part was discussing my family's medical history. I recently learned that a male on my dad's side of the family has had breast cancer. How I never knew this before, I really can't imagine. When I told the doctor and PA this, they said it's very important that this male relative get genetic testing. If he has a certain gene mutation that can lead to increased risk for breast cancer, I could have it, too. But they need to test him first. I thought this might be an arduous task, getting all this testing taken care of on someone that's not me. But after one phone call I found out that a) he already had the testing done, and b) he doesn't have the gene mutation!
I called to share this great news with my mom, and she informed me that she too had some genetic testing done when she was dealing with some other health issues, and she doesn't have the gene mutation either! Which means I'm free and clear on BOTH sides of the family, which is extremely good news. Certainly doesn't mean I'm at no risk for breast cancer, but I definitely don't have a certain gene mutation that would make it much more likely. Yay for less risk of cancer!
So I think for now I can put this boob saga to rest. I have that followup biopsy and consultation in six months, but that's just to make sure the lump hasn't changed or grown. Then it's back to self-exams and a doctor-facilitated breast exam at my annual checkup.
Before I close this chapter, here are the morals of the story:
1) Women, do breast self-exams! I found my own lump before any doctor did.
2) Get yourself into a doctor to check out anything suspicious. It's the worth the time, money and even the potential pain.
3) Ask about your family's medical history. I learned so much in the last couple days that I should have known before I had all these appointments. It would have been extremely useful to the doctors.
*Ok, maybe not so quick, afterall.
in My anatomy, Women
My anatomy, Women
Reader Comments (5)
So glad that everything has turned out ok.
I thought everyone called their boobs Pancho and Lefty? Just me?
Thanks for the update. It's great to hear that Lefty's feeling better and that you have a lower risk of cancer. Good news all around!
Good advice all around! Though I have to confess, I don't personally check my boobs. However, my husband worships my boobs with fever, so I figure as long as he doesn't notice anything new or different I'm probably okay.
Oh, and I'm REALLY glad everything turned out okay and you're healthy.
I'm glad the saga is over. My great grandma died of breast cancer, but no one else in my family has had it. Well, that's on my mom's side. My dad's side is a little complicated... to put it the least.