Breast cancer awareness

 


Hi, it’s me, Soulful Sunflower🌻 it’s lovely breast cancer awareness month and here I am. Basically should be the poster child, because while I’m getting scans they found some cancer. 


I want to share my journey on how we got here. It may make you frustrated with our healthcare system, but it needs to be shared. 

When I moved to Tucson I was able to get my normal vaginal ultrasound since I am high risk for ovarian cancer and a mammogram. As usual everything came back normal. After that I was looking for an oncology doctor to follow me because of my BRCA-1. I had my training for my job in March. So I scheduled all of my doctors appts after training. Well as we all like to say 2020 is every curse word in the book, Covid made all my tests move back. I didn’t get a mammogram until June, which mind you- came back clean. Ladies, if you are high-risk a mammogram is not enough, and if you are not high risk, but feel like YOU need more testing, please pay out of pocket for a MRI. My MRI for my breasts cost me 250$ and my MRI for my pelvis cost me another 250$ and that is with good insurance. That’s a lot of money to pay upfront. But I knew I needed to do it. 

It started out like this. They found a very small mass. I was told 9/10 times it is literally NOTHING. Then I went in for a biopsy. I was called and told it was NEGATIVE. Then I went to see a breast surgeon who then told me it was discordant. That means what they found in the path doesn’t seem to correlate what they see on the MRI. Then I spoke w/ breast surgeon who told I needed a more extensive biopsy. I was to the point that I was removing my breasts regardless so why not just do what the plastic doctor says. He told me he couldn’t save my nipple unless he did a breast reduction and lift. So we thought why not have him remove the mass if that is possible while he is helping me save the nipple. He did amazing and well that’s what he did. So my thought was that 9/10 it’s nothing. I never once let my mind go there. I’m 34. NO WAY! I’m doing everything right. NOPE. Wrong... it came back with two masses and two types of cancer. 

So when I say get your breasts checked ladies, I MEAN it. What I am about to go through is LIFE changing.. 

Ok, rant over. So much love to you all! Make sure you check your tata’s!!! 

~Soulful Sunflower~🌻

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