THIS is not the kind of journey one hopes to make ever in their lifetime but it’s said that sometimes we choose the battles and sometimes the battles choose us.So here I am- a chosen one- not hand selected like Harry or Neo but chosen to join some 1,074 brave women living with Breast Cancer in Guyana. My story is just another thread in the maleficent web woven by cancer globally and yet I hope that sharing my experiences– tiny in the general sphere of things- but tremendous to one person- will help others diagnosed with Cancer and their families to find strength in our shared struggle and to remind everyone that Cancer may be a minute away from affecting you (or someone you love) if you are not proactively making healthier choices.

I’m not trying to give anyone medical advice–any medical information shared is strictly for your academic knowledge and is only meant to educate rather than instruct, to be used for reference when discussing your own situation with your doctor as each woman is different and no two cancer cases may be alike. I hope that in sharing my experiences I can make someone else’s journey a bit smoother.

I have a wonderful support group of family and friends but it’s not important to know my name. It could be Mary, it could be Jane. It could be Bibi. It could be your mom, your aunt, your sister. It could be anyone; it could even be you because if there’s one thing about Breast Cancer- IT DOES NOT
DISCRIMINATE.

I am not married. I do not have children. I haven’t even hit the ‘dirty thirties’ so when in 2014 I felt a marble sized lump in my right breast I visited a Cuban doctor and was diagnosed as having a “Fibroadenoma”, she advised me that it was nothing to worry about unless it became painful or grew larger I shouldn’t be alarmed as it was a very common cyst among women in my age group (I was 27).
Whew, sounds great to me- thanks Doc but of course you know I rushed home to google that Fibro- ad- some- word. (Note: so says the person who can say supercalifragilisticexpialidoshious without missing a beat but is reduced to spittle to this day when saying Fibroadenoma. ).The following is taken from a few online medical dictionaries and should give you an idea of why I was not alarmed by the cyst and why I didn’t get a second opinion which I should have done. Remember, Question EVERYTHING and ALWAYS get a second opinion:

1. Fibroadenomas are benign breast tumors commonly found in young women. Fibroadenoma means “a tumor composed of glandular (related to gland) and fibrous (containing fibers) tissues.”
2. Breast fibroadenomas, abnormal growths of glandular and fibrous tissues, are most common between the ages of 15 and30, and are found in 10% of all women (20% of African-American women). They are found rarely in post-menopausal women. I would share Guyana’s stats but currently there is no research available.
3. Described as feeling like marbles, these firm, round, movable, and “rubbery” lumps range from 1-5 cm in size. Giantfibroadenomas are larger, lemon-sized lumps. Usually single, from 10-15% of women have more than one.
4. While some types of breast lumps come and go during the menstrual cycle, fibroadenomas typically do not disappear after a woman’s period, and should be checked by a doctor.
The doctor asked me when I discovered the lump and about my family history. I had found the lump about two months before visiting her and my genealogical information wasn’t too helpful in painting a better picture of what I should expect medically. I did an ultra sound at the St. Joseph’s Mercy Hospital but here are a few of the diagnostics tests that your doctor may ask for:
•Mammogram. An x-ray examination of the breast.
•Ultrasound scan. A technique that uses sound waves to display a two-dimensional image of the breast, showing whether a lump is solid or fluid-filled (cystic).
•Fine-needle aspiration biopsy. A minor procedure wherein fluid or cells are drawn out of the lump through a small needle (aspirated).
•Core biopsy. A procedure wherein a larger piece of tissue is withdrawn from the lump through a larger needle.
•Incisional biopsy. A surgical procedure wherein a piece of the lump is removed through a cut (incision).
•Excisional biopsy. A surgical procedure wherein the entire lump is removed through acute (incision).

In retrospect, I would have done a few things differently; I would have gotten a second opinion and / or a fine needle aspiration biopsy to determine if it was indeed just fibroadenonoma, but given my age what else could it be? I relaxed and continued on with my normal life in Gt. I attended my 8-4 job daily; I had bacon filled sandwiches for breakfast; a Chinese fried rice for lunch; frozen margaritas on Fridays and, like the conspiracy theories I’m often fascinated by- my own DNA was conspiring against me. It was mutating a gene fault rapidly, multiple times, replicating this code throughout my blood, and I, slowly sauntered over to help my friends set up tents for our outdoor excursions, clueless that a war had been declared on my body. (Continues next week)