"THE BEST PROTECTION IS EARLY DETECTION"

I was never one for going to the doctors and only went when it was absolutely necessary. I hadn’t been to the OB-GYN in a few years and didn’t think I needed to do self breast examines. So when the pain under my arm came I just took some aspirins and went away. I played with the pain going on for several months. Then a red spot appeared on my breast and I said oh it must be just an irritation from my bra and I played with that for a couple of weeks putting it out of my mind. Well! To make a long story short, I finally went to the doc’s when the pain got so bad I couldn’t take it. The day before my mammogram I felt a lump on my breast about the size of a small walnut. I went and they also did an ultra sound on it and it was confirmed that there was a lump and was suggested that I should go see a surgeon. Well being so scared I quickly responded and he confirmed that there was a lump and that it was almost sure to be cancer. He gave me some options and then headed me towards the oncologist at the hospital and he agreed to what the surgeon said so we started the process of going to have the breast removed. Once they started the procedure, they found that 5 of 11 lymph nodes were also infected. Because the cancer got into the lymph nodes, the cancer quickly spread thru my body attacking my lung and brain 18 months later. We have caught both of these tumors quickly and the doctors are very optimistic that the radiation and the chemo both will shrink the tumors.

With the help of God and dedicated doctors and supportive family and friends I will be fine. This hasn’t been easy but I will make it.

Please do me a favor, don’t ignore your body take care of it. Listen to it and do your monthly self breast examines and get mammogram and Pap test.

"MoniqueM"

"PLEASE PASS THIS TO EVERY ONE YOU KNOW"

"AND SUPPORT THE RACE FOR THE CURE"

The Best Protection Is Early Detection



Here are three easy steps to follow

1. Monthly Breast Self Examination (BSE)
From Age 20 on, your monthly BSE is recommended
7-10 days after your period begins.
After menopause, do BSE on the first day of the month.
BSE takes only a few minutes
and cost nothing but can save your life.

2. Regular Physical Examinations
Examination of the breast by a health care professional
- Every 3 years,
At 40 and over - Annually.

3. Regularly Scheduled Mammograms
Age 40 - screening with mammography (x-ray)
should begin by the age of 40.
At the age of 50 and older this should be done annually.

Give yourself the gift of life
Schedule these exams on your birthday
The most important thing to remember "EARLY DETECTION"

"I do not receive any financial gain
from this page.
All I want from this page is that just one woman is saved from this horrible devil"

"Please take a moment and visit these links"
Breast Cancer Links

WKYC - Cleveland, Ohio Race for The Cure
National Breast Cancer Foundation
National Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Susan G. Komen's Breast Cancer Foundation
American Cancer Society


"Back Home to Country"


MoniqueM



September 1, 2003