My Daughter's Mammogram

Friday, December 28 - My daughter had a mass on her right breast that she brought to my attention in 2010.  She was eighteen years old; it was her senior year, and we were preparing for the State Track meet where she would be competing in three events.  I will never forget when she got out of the shower and called me to the bathroom asking, "Mom do you think this is normal?"  I felt a hard mass the size of a large marble.  Not only was I shocked, I was scared to death.  I'm sure I probably overreacted.  I know I immediately called my Sister and Mom.  The next twenty-four hours dragged by until I could get her in to a specialist. 

I remember taking both my daughter and my Mom to the breast specialist for their consultations.  At the time, I saw this as very ironic.  How could this be happening to two of the people whom I love most in this world and at the same time???  My daughters mass was easily explained away by the doctor as a cyst.  We were instructed that we could choose to remove it; but that it was completely harmless, and it might even go away on it's own if left untreated.  My daughter made the decision to leave it. She took the wait and see attitude.   I was comfortable with the diagnosis, and felt confident in her decision.  I understood her not wanting to have a large scar at her young age.

Fast forward two years and now my Mom has been diagnosed with Inflammatory Breast Cancer.  Suddenly, I was no longer confident and worry began to set in.  What if Chandelar's mass changed?  Would she tell me?  Was she paying attention to her health while she was training at college?  What if...?  I was so worried that I called our physician, a life-long friend, and made an appointment for her yearly well woman exam, a mammogram, sonogram, and a CT Scan. 

We spent the entire day today at the hospital for this round of exams followed by the doctors' office call.  Chandelar passed with flying colors.  Thank God!  As I type this, I feel so relieved and once again blessed.  The mass has completely dissolved.  There isn't a trace of it.  The entire breast looks great.  Nothing to worry about.  No more what if's.  And I will never have to say, "I wish I would have..." 

I have vowed that my daughters and I will have our yearly exams.  On scheduled and including the recommended breast exams and mammograms.  I hope other women also see the absolute necessity of these yearly check-ups.