Since October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and my late grandmother was a two-time breast cancer survivor, I thought this was a good opportunity to remind everyone to make their yearly appointments to check their breast health. Last week, I went for my mammogram. I’ve only gone for a handful of them in the past, as I’m under 40. But seeing as I have a family history, my doctor started to have me go for them when I turned 35, so we could have a baseline to work from as I age.
The first time I went for a mammogram, I was nervous. I had found a small lump in my breast that was likely a cyst, but my doctor wanted to be sure and had me go for a mammogram and a breast ultrasound, as I have dense breasts. While the mammogram wasn’t the most pleasant test I’ve experienced, it didn’t take long. Fortunately, the little lump was nothing more than a cyst, just as the doctor had suspected.
As a cancer survivor myself, having to go for any medical test produces a level of scanxiety that can be hard to cope with. I feel it every time I go for bloodwork, a neck ultrasound, and even my most recent mammogram. Despite knowing that I wouldn’t get results immediately, I was anxious for days after my mammogram and the results were all I could think about. I was so thankful that they got the report back to me quickly and said that everything looked fine. I already have an appointment with my doctor to review the results in the coming weeks, but I can’t express how relieved I was to have the test behind me and get a good report.
While it’s not always easy mentally or physically to go for these tests, it’s important, especially if you have a family history. Having dense breasts makes doing a monthly breast check on myself harder, so I’m grateful that I’ve been able to start surveillance early. If you’ve been putting off your annual mammogram, now is the time to schedule it!
And, if you want a little behind-the-scenes look at my appointment to put your mind at ease, check out this Reel on my Instagram!
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