Living with Breast Cancer

My 35 year-old sister was diagnosed with breast cancer 2 months ago. Over a year ago, she felt a small lump in her breast and asked her OBGYN about it during her yearly physical. The gyno dismissed it as nothing and told her she was “too young” to be getting a mammogram. In November of this past year, she went back to the same gyno and again, brought up the lump. After getting the same dismissal, my sister this time insisted on the mammogram. Thank God she did.

Several biopsies and tests later, it was confirmed to be cancer. While we’re still waiting for clearance on her organs and bones, it had already spread outside the breast to her lymph nodes. Of course we’ll never know but can’t help but suspect that if the OBGYN had not been so complacent and been more thorough the cancer may have been contained to only the lump and saved her and our family the fear, stress, and uncertainty we have faced and will continue to face during months of chemo to stop any further progression. PLEASE trust your own judgement when you suspect something is wrong!! If you know something doesn’t feel right and you request a mammogram, don’t let a doctor talk you out of it (a good doctor worth their salt probably would not). It could save your life…