I usually keep my posts on the lighter side. This one won't be dark or depressing, just real. I feel an obligation to "preach" just a little bit. This is for everyone, not just my lady friends. The men out there (if any read this) have mothers, wives, daughters, nieces, and female friends. The fact that 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in their lifetime is a staggering statistic BUT every woman likes to believe that they will be in the 7 and not the one. I'm here to tell you, I thought I knew what I needed to know to protect myself and to catch anything early. Trust me, you do NOT know everything and you're probably either not doing as much as you think and/or you're functioning under certain incorrect assumptions.

I am not a medical professional, I'm a professional patient and an experienced mom of a semi-pro patient. When faced with a challenge, I try to learn as much as I can because I am a part of my treatment team. The doctors are there to assist me, NOT direct me. The decisions are mine and it is my responsibility to learn as much as I can in order to assist in my treatment and recovery. I continue to be amazed at the "shock" of the medical personnel when they try to explain things to me and I throw out the name for what they are trying to explain or some bizarre possible side effects of a treatment. I get the sense that most patients they deal with are a just along for the ride. GET INVOLVED IN YOUR OWN CARE! Learn, learn, learn! Do it BEFORE a diagnosis but especially after!

I skipped ahead, let's talk about detection and some myths/misconceptions. I'm as guilty as anyone in this department so there is no judgement here...

• I do regular self-exams, that mammogram can wait. Wrong! It is very important to do self exams on a regular basis but here's something you may not know. One of the types of BC I have (I have 2 in case you didn't know) does not cause a lump. Let me say that again, IT DOES NOT CAUSE A LUMP. You could be doing exams until the cows come home and still never know it. Mammogram, mammogram, mammogram!!!
• I felt a lump but I'll just keep an eye on it.  I'm sorry, what?! I was not an offender here. I found my spot on Saturday, called the doc  Monday, physical exam Tuesday, mammograms x2, ultrasound, biopsy and diagnosis the following Wednesday. Bilateral mastectomy one month to the day after I found it and chemo starts 2 months after I found it. How long were you thinking about waiting?  Trust me, the fear of what "might be" is much easier to handle than the reality of a diagnosis. You are not doing yourself any favors by waiting.  Remember, most lumps found are benign but isn't it better to know for sure?
• I have no family history of breast cancer so my risk is low. You are at higher risk of you have family history but 70-80% of cancer hits people with no history. It's random, it's sporadic.