My Maternal Grandmother died of breast cancer, my Mom struggled with it for 11 years, till she passed in 1987. As I promised Mom I had my mammogram each year on her birthday after that.
In 2006, my old cat, Jack, who had already saved my life once, began getting on my chest and persistently kneading my right breast till it hurt. If stopped him, he jumped up and started again. It was aggravating, and began to really hurt, but I didn't "hear" what he was telling me.
I went for my mammogram that year and though in the back of my mind I had always suspected one day I would hear the words, it was still a shock; I had 2 DCIS along with 2 LCIS IN EACH SIDE, all pre-cancerous, stage 4.
Having watched my Mom's struggle, I had decided long ago, if the time came, I'd have a bi-lateral mastectomy.
My Oncologist wanted lumpectomies w/chemo and was very unhappy , and became very rude to me. Looking back, Im surprised I didn't do what he said, but my mind was made up and my surgeon luckily, agreed with me.
At my post surgery appointment my surgeon came in smiling and said "Sue, you made exactly the right decision..." All the pre surgical tests I had failed to detect an invasive cancerous tumor near my ribs, but they got it all and my lymph nodes were clear.
I left the room completely speechless. As we got into the elevator I burst into tears, for all the women who like myself would normally have just done what their Dr told them instead of listening to their inner voice and I was SO happy for once I had believed in myself enough to listen to mine.
Andover, SD