Check Your Boobs!

I know I said I'd give monthly reminders to do breast self-exams but I forgot to in January -- part of that awful drowsiness I was experiencing.  No excuse this month.

CHECK YOUR BOOBS!

You probably remember the drill from high school health class, but in case you don't, here's a link or two to help you out:

• from the National Breast Cancer Foundation Inc.
• from the American Cancer Society
• from BreastCancer.org
• from Susan G. Komen for the Cure

Try doing it in the shower, or laying down in bed.  Get your arm way up out of the way.  Check your pits too.

My breast lump was something like 5 cm x 4 cm x 2.5 cm.  I believe the adjective my GP used was "huge."  I love him; he was right.  It was huge and by the time we had found it, it had metastasised extensively to my liver and bones.  You've got to think that, if I'd done monthly breast exams, I would have found it when it was smaller and maybe before it had metastasised. 

So, my question to you, dear readers, is "When do you want to find your breast lump?"

Poke around.  See what you find.  Get to know your boobs.  I'll be bugging you again next month.


P.S.  I'll be reminding you on the 20th of each month because that's my birthday.  When you're diagnosed with Stage IV breast cancer, your birthday starts to take on new meaning.