Thirteen years ago I had breast cancer. I had just moved to a different state with my family and was a little behind in finding new doctors and setting up appointments. When I finally went in for a yearly physical, the doctor noticed a lump in my breast. Try as I might, I couldn't feel it, and later, even the surgeon couldn't feel it. But a mammogram did show a mass, so I had a biopsy. When it turned out to be cancer, a lumpectomy followed, then chemotherapy and radiation. I was 47 years old. (Do the math, I'll be 60 next week!) It was stage 1 breast cancer and no lymph nodes were involved. Thank God, I've been fine since then.
So why am I writing about this on my art blog?
If you've stopped by and read this and are putting off a doctor's appointment or mammogram, please think of me. If my cancer had not been detected so early, I might not be here today. It was a crisis, it was a hard year, but I survived.
I'm so fortunate.
Please take care of yourself, and be proactive.
Life is precious.
