Boobs

I thought the title might get your attention. 😂

Now that I've officially started more treatment as of this morning, I thought it was time for me to raise a bit of awareness again about my situation and how it can happen to absolutely anybody. I'd also like you all to ask yourselves "when was the last time I examined myself?" That is for everyone.

I can't say I ever had a confident answer to that question, because checking myself is not something I ever regularly did. What caused me to get to the doctors was the appearance of a bruise and a lump after playing with Max. Naturally, you just assume that it's just a little play injury especially with a physical bruise as well. Eventually, that bruising turned into a dimpling which basically looked like a dip in my chest.

After a full breast examination from a GP and the discovery of a second lump I was referred to a breast clinic for an ultrasound - which then revealed a third lump after making the choice to go private for it to avoid any further delay. It was at that ultrasound that I was advised to stop breastfeeding Isobel and that I'd be sent for a biopsy on all 3 areas of the breast the following week.

It's hard to explain when you're given the news that you should 'prepare for' but the time seems to go quickly and also could not be moving any slower. It took 4 days to get my official results and as you would hear alot, nothing can actually get you ready to officially hear the words "it is breast cancer".

I'll keep saying it until I'm blue in the face:

▪️I'm 31 years old

▪️I have no history of breast cancer

▪️I am not a carrier of the BRCA gene

One in eight women are directly affected by breast cancer and only 15% of cases are actually hereditary which really isn't that high of a figure and it's just another statistic that shows that cancer does not discriminate.

I will continue more with this in future posts and share some useful websites and charities that have supported myself and my family throughout this ordeal because sometimes it is hard to know where to look.

Another thing I'll be doing over the next few weeks will be giving some shout outs on my Instagram to all of the amazing women that are a true inspirations through their own fights against secondary breast cancer - some of which I've been lucky enough to meet in person and others that have selflessly put their energy into raising the spirits of those who need it.

And I have to say that I am honoured to have joined this wonderful community.

I am a Secondary Breast Cancer Thriver.