Hello everyone,
It’s been a few days since my last “real” entry, I had to take a couple of days off and take my son to the beach. You’ve got to enjoy them while they are young ! Anyway, today’s entry will cover some myths about breast cancer and my personal experience with it. As always, I would like to encourage your participation, whether it be from personal experience, professional experience or if you have any questions and concerns. Thanks for reading, I hope you find this useful.
There are some myths regarding breast cancer that people believe, that may affect their choice to do exams or get medical care. These myths are dangerous and they are untrue !
The first is that you can only get breast cancer if it’s in your family history, that it’s hereditary. Yes, there are specific cancers that are caused by a gene mutation and can be passed down in family lines, but the majority are non-genetic, caused by any number of reasons, environmental, exposure to carcinogens or other harmful substances. Some have no specific reason at all.
Another myth is that breast cancer only happens to “older” women. Usually considered post-menopausal in nature. Not true. I was diagnosed at age 35, and I know many women, ranging from age 26-40 at diagnosis who will agree that this rotten disease is not just for “mature” women.
Yet another myth is that breast cancer doesn’t hurt. This is also untrue, as certain breast cancers, specifically ones that are hormone receptor positive can make tumors swell with the hormone fluctuations of a womans mentrual cycles.
Personally, my diagnosis of breast cancer at age 35 was with no direct family history, having discovered my tumor as a sore spot that throbbed with my periods. This trashes those myths, and there are many younger women with similar stories.
So the bottom line is, DO YOUR SELF EXAMS MONTHLY, get your yearly exam with a physician to check your breasts, no matter how young you are, and if you feel ANYTHING that even RESEMBLES a lump, be agressive with your doctors until they listen to you and get a mammogram ordered immediately.
Thank goodness I didn’t have to argue with my doctors, but some believe these myths and say “lets just watch it” or ” it’s nothing”, remember it’s your health and your life, take charge of it.
In a future post I will discuss my personal “ordeal” and experiences with this rat bastard disease. : )
Heres more great information for you if you’d like check them out, there are a bunch of great stories and examples for you to research.
As always, I hope this helps. God bless,
Meredith – RNC
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