Tuesday, August 30, 2011

5 Things About Breast Cancer You Should Take to Heart

by Ann Pietrangelo
August 29, 2011
3:00 pm

5 comments 5 Things About Breast Cancer You Should Take to Heart

Living with Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
(#20 in a series)

As a triple-negative breast cancer survivor, there’s a lot I could tell you about the process. In fact, this is my 20th blog post on the topic. But the most important things I want you to take away from this series are really quite simple. I hope you take them to heart.

1. Touch yourself. Be familiar with your breasts. Get to know them like the back of your hand. Like the majority of breast cancer patients I’ve met or spoken to in this past year, I’m the one who discovered my breast lump.

2. Take breast lumps seriously. If you find a lump in your breast, don’t give in to the temptation to dismiss it. Breast cancer can happen to you. Even if you never smoked. Even if you eat right. Even if you think you’re making all the right choices. Even if there’s never been a case of cancer in your family. Even if …

3. Call the doctor. Don’t waste precious time. Sure, you’re busy, but that’s a terrible reason to die. Ignorance is not bliss. If it turns out to be a false alarm, then whew! Now treat yourself to something special for your troubles. If it turns out to be cancer, early treatment may greatly increase your chances of long-term survival.

4. Cancer treatment is a bitch. So is premature death. Remember what’s at stake for you and your loved ones. You’re tougher than you think. Be an active patient. Learn all you can, question doctors, and make informed decisions based on fact, not fear.

5. Never stop living. No matter how bad you feel. No matter if you’re bald as a newborn baby and people look at you funny or if food has lost its allure or if you’ve lost weight and your clothes hang funny or if you’re missing a breast or two and your prosthesis is the wrong size or whatever else is out of whack. You have no idea how long you’ll be here — just like every other human being on the planet, whether they realize it or not. As long as you’re alive … live.