People often ask me how I found my breast cancer, you can read about it HERE, women every day are diagnosed with breast cancer, some through self detection and some through mammogram. Sometimes it’s actually a woman’s partner who stumbles on a lump!
Personally I was crap at doing the monthly check in the shower, I had no freakin clue what I was looking for.
Should I soap up? Do I put my arm behind my head or above my shoulder? Should I do it before or after my period?
Bloody hell, after kids I was so lumpy it was like trying to find a stone in a mound of gravel.
Then when I did suspect something was amiss for a brief moment I didn’t want to know. Instead I wanted to bury my head in the sand and talk myself out of the possibility that something was wrong. Stupid! So dumb, please don’t ever do this…get checked straight away because early detection is absolutely vital to a good outcome.
So what do you look for? When is it really cause for alarm? I have the best graphic EVER that I stumbled on just after I was diagnosed…a picture tells a thousand words and this one can save your life so I’m going to let it do all the talking.
Pretty freaking good huh? Print it off, put it somewhere where you can refer to it when you are doing your monthly checks.
Still wondering what you’re feeling for when doing a self examination? Check this out…
Oh and if want to know about what goes on in a mammogram read my post HERE. How do you go at self breast examination? I’d love you to share this post far and wide, it just could save a life. Did you know about all these signs of breast cancer?
Til next time
Jen x
images from Worldwide Breast Cancer
OMG This is so good. I was a nurse but like you Jen my boobs had lumps and bumps and I had no idea what I was feeling most months. I will print this off for further reference and tell all my friends to read this post. Thanks once again for a fabulous blog. You are awesome. Tracy x
Excellent Tracy…it’s too good not to share x
Dear Jen, I just read your story and the above post a dim in tears. I too have been through this, 5 years ago in July and I feel for you. It’s such a different journey for everyone. I hated talking about it and still do, so being able to follow your honest and heartfelt accounts of your journey make me feel like someone out there understands and knows how shitty it all feels. My heart and love goes out to you. You are such a strong and beautiful role model for women everywhere. Hugs xx Sharon (@dublin062 on Instagram) I live in Oz but my whole family are Irish and their nickname for me is Dublin!!! ?
Hi Sharon
Sorry you went through this too, it is pretty awful but thankfully we are still here ? I know many woman who can’t or don’t want to talk about it, we’re all different which is great. I’ve always shared from the beginning, if it helps than I’m happy to do so. I’ll see you on IG, thanks for introducing yourself xx
Hi Jen. Such an important post.
Mammograms are SO important too. A lady I work with had her first ever mammogram because she had just turned 50.
This mammogram revealed advanced breast cancer- apparently everywhere and difficult to detect.
She has since had a double mastectomy and is recovering well. Great work, Jen x
My first ever mammogram revealed invasive breast cancer at just 41. I hope your work colleague is recovering well Erin x
Excellent post Jenni, I want to share this with my friends. Keep doing what your doing Jenni, you bring so much awareness and I am sure you are helping many people.
I have had lumpy left breast since my 20s, so get them checked out when ever I feel something changes. I started mammograms in my early 40s when I was feeling sharp shooting pain on my left breast, something I had never felt before. The third time I was due for a mammogram was last year aged 45, they called me back for an ultrasound, I thought it was going to be the usual left lumpy breast Turns out they picked up something on the right one (I had not found this or felt it).
I ended up having a core biopsy on it. Thankfully it was ok, fibroadenoma. Yes it was scary. I also had a spot that I was ignoring, turns out that was hard tissue most probably due to the underwire of the bra. GP sent me off for ultrasound on both in August. I still need to be checking though. Sometimes I feel like I am stressing about all these things, but it is important to get them checked out ASAP.
Phew…what a scare! At least you are on top of things and now hyper aware, it’s better to be cautious as early detection is key x
So important, Jen. Thanks for sharing. I usually get the doctor to have a feel but now I can DIY! What a great graphic – it’s literally a lifesaver x
Thanks Sammie, I love this graphic…it really tells the story x
Jen this is so good – I will be honest, I get scared when I check my breasts because I really do not know what I am supposed to be looking for and scared of what I might find. This makes it much clearer and makes me feel that little bit braver with the knowledge so thank you hun xx
I was pretty clueless too Sonia but this graphic is a huge help. Pleased to be able to share it 🙂
I saw a tv commercial today that on Monday, Studio 10 on channel 10 8.30am will have a segment on checking breasts.
I am tuning in or at least recording it.
Thanks for the heads up x
What an excellent way to get the message across!!! I hate to admit it but i have been really complacent about having my 1st mammogram which was well overdue…..probably because I was secretly scared because of breast cancer in my family. my hubby was onto me about it for over a year. Fortunately I had the test & no sign of cancer. But now I promised myself to check regularly and thanks to u & your lemons I feel that much more confident in what to look for, thank you!!!
This is a great post. My family has history of breadt cancer so its always at the back of my mind. Like yourself and others l was not really sure of what l was looking for or feeling for…
I have alwYs had lumpy breasts so it was hard to self- examine. I had no outward symptoms, just a sharp pain and thought I had pulled a muscle. Mamo showed five small lumps across one boob! I had been feeling pretty exhausted for months and was having back pain and dizzy spells so knew sonething wasn’t right. Very important to follow your gut instinct! Diep mastectomy and now all good though!