Mammos good BUT Self/Manual Exam Saved my Life by Kim Kadehjian Bradshaw

Self/manual breast exam saved my life…By Kim Kadehjian Bradshaw

  I will start by mentioning this is “my story” and everyone’s story is different. I share this not to scare anyone, but I hope that my story may save a life. It was published in a few local papers 5 yrs ago and I know of it to save one life, YEEAAHHHH so here we go. 

Initially I was going to take the low profile route—I felt that everyone is fighting battles and I should just keep mine to myself. However, shortly after I was diagnosed with breast cancer my “open book” persona took over and quickly word got out—to just about anyone who would listen!

I share my story because like just about everybody, I assumed that the “normal” breast cancer screenings had my “back” or I should say my “chest”.  I started yearly mammograms when I turned 40. Because of family history, my doctor added an ultrasound the past couple of years. “Dense” breasts. My mom and cousin were diagnosed with breast cancer and yes both are survivor’s (insert loud applause now). What I did not know is that these tests are not 100 percent accurate. I really had no clue that between the mammogram and the ultrasound something might still be missed.

“I think I feel something but it really is unlikely to be anything,” my OB commented during my yearly exam. “With your history I will have them double-check, but I doubt it is anything.”

I will also confess now that I NEVER did self-exams. I am one of those people, a.k.a. a hypochondriac; who would be at the doc’s every other week “feeling” something. I wasn’t scheduled for my annual mammogram until March and this was only January!  But off I went, a month early.

I had all the routine tests – mammogram and ultrasound and—nothing! The breast specialist felt around and said, “Hmmmm, I think this is what he (my primary doc) is talking about. Right here?” she asked.

“You’re asking me?” I said. “You’re the doc.” I confirmed that she had in fact found the spot. I had always assumed breast cancer was hard and distinct. Nope. Another assumption not true. The breast doc said she didn’t think it was anything, but presented three options: Do nothing and watch it (known as watchful waiting in the cancer world), biopsy it and/or remove it. I asked her what she would do, and she replied that given my family history she would opt for a biopsy.

And she wasn’t messing around! Right then and there she took a biopsy of the suspicious spot. I can laugh now, about the shock and the shaking and crying—it was so bad they got me a drink and crackers and a nurse held my hand. Little did I know that this minor assault was the least of my worries.

Then the call—it was “nothing.” Wow what a relief! Phew! But after a few weeks, I was complaining that the site was still painful (hmmm, I must be a baby). Also, I kept feeling it, lightly as I never really like to feel them (remember, hypochondriac) and after a few weeks I was concerned there was now an actual lump. Was it just scar tissue?

I sat on it for another week or so. The breast doc had wanted to see me in three months, but I happened to see a friend at the gym who shared that she had just been treated for breast cancer. It prompted me to make the call.

I am never early for anything, but once again I found myself at the doctor’s office ahead of schedule. Instead of three months I went back in two. “What do you think,” I asked the doc. “Scar tissue—right?” She said “no” (very quickly I might add) and sent me in for another ultrasound.

“Something is showing in this ultrasound” she declared and once again I found myself presented with options: another biopsy or take it out. Somewhere down the line, “watchful waiting” had dropped off the list.

The doctor explained that they prefer to know what they are dealing with before scheduling surgery, so biopsy number two was scheduled. My cousin who is a like a sister to me came to the appointment and they did a guided ultrasound. The doctor doing the procedure shared her view: “Really, it looks like a hematoma,” she said.

Off I went optimistically with this new hematoma theory and a little bit of denial. I got through the 4th of July—no pool for me due to the biopsy. I was in my office when I got “the call.”

“It doesn’t look good” the doctor said. I was not happy with this statement, but my mother pointed out her doc said, “It looks bad.” It’s just doc talk. But, I did, after all of the waiting testing and re-testing, have breast cancer.

People kept saying that it was the kind you want—treatable and small. But there were times when they were not so sure, an MRI showed some additional things and in the end I had a double mastectomy. I was comfortable with my choice because my cancer had not shown itself in the traditional testing. It seemed sneaky. I couldn’t trust it.

I heard someone joke that double mastectomy is all the rage now; the surgery is no joke—that’s for sure. But my prognosis is excellent. I am blessed and now realize it is time to be present and kiss the ground I walk on!

So back to the reason I am telling this story! Please do your self-exam, husband-exam, lover-exam, sister-exam, neighbor-exams (ok that is weird)!

Go see your doc! Why not? Dense breasts are stubborn and in my case my stubborn right dense one tried to kill me.

Have to run, off to make my kid’s some rainbow waffles. Or just maybe—pink?

For more information

5 steps to self-exam: www.breastcancer.org

www.cancanhealth.org