In March of 1986 when I was 42 years old, I woke up to a pain in my breast. My breast felt heavy and I had to hold it up to get out of the bed. I thought nothing about it but every day it got worst. Then I noticed that my breast started to be too big for my bra. I made an appointment to see my OB-GYN.
A few weeks later he checked my breast and said it was nothing. Just lumping breast. By May, it was very obvious that something was wrong. I asked my Doctor about having a mammography. I did. Several weeks went by without hearing from the Doctor, so I called him. He said he had the report which he said "had a lot of words on it". Now he referred me to a Surgeon.
The appointment was in July. I took my husband with me but the Surgeon said there was nothing. Was that amazing, no way, I was mad. Now what?
In Aug. the Surgeon called me to come in for another appointment and he did a biopsy. Guess what CANCER. Now how did he explain why it was missed. "You have no history in your family". I had the surgery in August, a modified radical and thank goodness, I have been cancer free ever since.
Unfortunately my sister 3 1/2 yrs younger died in 1996 because she was not treated in time. There have been other family members who are breast cancer survivors. What a close call.
Monroe, GA
