October 2020 post 1

October is breast cancer awareness month. October is also a big month for me, this year and every year. 10/1 is my wedding anniversary, 10/27/2020 I have my oncology checkup, and 10/31/2020 is the 2 year anniversary or my diagnosis. I’ve decided to make a goal of 10 blog posts in October to help me manage my anxiety this month, while also spreading useful information that supports the fight against breast cancer.

Today I posted on my Facebook page about where to find free or reduced priced mammogram screenings. Mammograms are great if you’re over 40, but please, please, please dedicate one day a month to check your ta-tas. If you don’t already do it, start. Unless you’ve got a known, high risk predisposition to breast cancer, regular screenings aren’t recommended until you are 40 years old. If you’re interested in where to get mammograms in WI for free or low cost, that info can be found here: https://www.freemammograms.org/state/wisconsin?fbclid=IwAR1lcP9AZ-s0g0pqn60eohPtjltkmtCdFRy7XQ1nFM2vZZOOWi19urE_-f8

I detected my tumors myself, and a former coworker dubbed them “Monday and Tuesday”, as a joke, because they’re the worst days of the week. I made an appointment with the nurse practitioner at my OBGYN office for an exam, who seemed to think that Monday and Tuesday could very well be cysts, but to be sure she had me schedule a mammogram and ultrasound. The mammogram and ultrasound appointment was a week and a half later, on Halloween. Before I left the imaging office the radiologist had been very honest with me, advising I had every marker they look for with breast cancer. Two days later I sat at the hospital learning about my treatment options, what type of breast cancer I had, and how advanced it was. Initially they told me I was early stage 2, but eventually I learned I was late stage 3, grade 3, triple negative. Five weeks later my genetic testing came back positive for a BRCA1 mutation. Only 10-15% of breast cancers are triple negative, and a BRCA1 mutation increases your risk by 60% of getting cancer. Many times if you do get cancer with a genetic mutation, it’s triple negative.

https://www.cancer.org/cancer/breast-cancer/understanding-a-breast-cancer-diagnosis/types-of-breast-cancer/triple-negative.html

https://ww5.komen.org/BreastCancer/InheritedGeneticMutations.html

So how can you combat something like your DNA? That’s a hard question, but one I’ve thought about unendingly. Diet is one way I’ve worked to be healthy. Low sugar, lots of fruits and vegetables, and mostly eat seafood, nuts, and legumes as a form of protein. I haven’t given up meat, but I do limit it. I don’t deny myself a treat here and there, but my diet is different than it was. I also try to get at least 30 minutes of cardio in at least 5 times a week. Usually it’s either my stationary bike or a walk, but I DO IT. Now, admittedly my weight isn’t as low as I’d like, but I am working at it every day. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-causes/diet-physical-activity/diet-and-physical-activity.html

My next post will be about my opinions and experiences with natural deodorant, and why I insist EVERYONE SWITCH, ASAP.