Important Message

 St. John’s Hospital January 26, 2012 I had my bilateral mastectomy. It felt kind of strange to go in and sit down in the waiting room until it was your turn to go back. My family was of course there by my side. When I looked around I saw two women waiting. By their conversation they had a loved one in there having a mastectomy. The women were about my age and I thought most likely it was a sister or mother. My daughters complimented one of the women about her bracelet and there was small talk. Then the call came to them about how surgery was going. Then I was called back.

 I will always remember being wheeled in to the cold operating room. I said “Well I guess this is the last time my headlights will come on.” Funny thing about that is, you have heard of amputee’s still feeling their lost limbs. Well I can say when it gets cold I have phantom nipples.  I find humor in that.

 Four days later I went to my post op appointment. As we pulled up I saw a young woman walking into the office. She had what I now call a cancer scarf on. I said to my husband she is too young for this. I am a 50 year old woman with grown children and grandchildren. She has not even begun to enjoy adult freedom.  We parked and went in to the building. I was surprised to see the young woman with the scarf in my surgeon’s office. My surgeon is a breast surgeon who specializes in CANCER. How could this be? Is she the patient?  Then her mother recognized me from the hospital waiting room. It was her with the bracelet that my daughters commented on. But it had not been her sister or mother  getting a mastectomy. It was her 26 year old daughter.

  I have made many friends at the cancer clinic and to my surprise these ladies are mostly my daughter’s ages.  Some with a family history of cancer, some not. It makes me go back and remember when I was their age. This is the age, unless you had a family history of breast cancer you are on your own to detect a lump. I had the Susan G. Komen how to perform a self breast exam shower hanger in the shower. But really? I had 3 kids, a job and a husband that traveled Monday through Friday. I was lucky to get my legs shaved. I was also lucky cancer waited to visit me at 42 years old when I was getting regular mammograms.

My message here is to be aware educate yourself and your daughters. Doing monthly breast exams are very important, check not only the breast but under the arms.Always make that annual visit to the GYN. Catching cancer early is vital!