“I had breast cancer, too!”
October is breast cancer awareness month and although I recently wrote about my own journey, I want to share some more in detail.
So, as I said previously in 2000 I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I know…scary. Whenever you hear news out of left field the fear knocks you on your ass!
20 years ago it was kind of at the beginning of the real focus on this nasty disease which actually got its notable launch in 1985. It had the ring of a death sentence which going forward we know is not the case…though it can be.
STAT ONE: Over 90% of the breast cancers originate in the milk ducts. According to the ACA those of us diagnosed with localized breast cancer (has not traveled outside of the milk duct), after 5 years have a 99% survival rate.
It starts with diagnosis. You must have a mammogram every year over the age of 40 no matter what they say, because insurance companies have tried to change that over the years to every other year. I have a friend whose niece was diagnosed in her early 20’s and it was found as a fluke when she went to have a breast reduction. Unfortunately, a few years later even with a mastectomy she was taken down. Some chose to do their work from the angelic realm sooner than expected.
Just the other day I had a long conversation with a lovely new resident in my building who also had breast cancer two years ago in her early 40’s. Her diagnosis was similar to mine and what stood out for the both of us was the defining theme we’ve heard time and again…a great way to have a very successful outcome is where you learn to be a partner with your doctor and not allow them to talk ‘at you’ but ‘with you.’
There are some really important activities that one may choose to go through when this dis-ease cascades into your body, and I want to share my list that I have accumulated over the years so that you can, if you choose, pick what may work for you.
But first, some cliff notes from how mine played out…
11 months between mammograms. Abnormal microcalcifications top right quadrant of right breast; stereotactic biopsy; lumpectomy; clear margins; none in lymph nodes; infiltrating ductal carcinoma stage one; no chemotherapy; 7 weeks of radiation; DNA test for BRCA gene/negative; Arimidex over Tamoxifen (I chose armindex until the hot flashes consumed my entire being almost 24 hours a day…ugh!! I lasted on it for about 3 months).
What I teach as a coach is being responsible for your mind/body and spirit. You can look super chic on the outside but if you don’t listen to your body and your intuition then I don’t care how many diamonds or Manolos or Birkin bags you have in your closet they will not heal the dis-ease or disfunction going on inside.
STAT TWO: Your risk of developing breast cancer increases as you age. The median age that women are diagnosed with breast cancer is 62 years old so living into your 80’s makes the chances pretty high that you may get this (my mom was diagnosed at 84 years old, stage one and she made it through radiation etc. very well and lived until she was 95!).
I feel very strongly that because we are really talented creating thoughts that are very proficient at orchestrating and perfecting feelings of doubt, guilt, judgment, insecurity, pain, shame, stress, fear, etc. forging neural pathways in your brain that we have a big part at manifesting disease. We are meticulous in crafting irrational beliefs that can run rampant in upsetting the perfect balance of how our body is to work, ergo what I refer to as Dis-ease.
But keep in mind that because we can master this diatribe, which is not so much for our highest good think, we can also saddle up with feeding our brain with yummy thoughts which will create a whole new ball game. This is where you want to be.
Whether we choose to take the high road which shows up as bright, colorful banners waving in the breeze or we stay small, safe, and sequestered in the confines of our minds is your choice and I hope it’s an easy one for you.
And here’s another coaching tid-bit. You have to practice an optimistic attitude every single moment of every single day until you are simply living it. One never achieves excellence unless you are willing to commit. A healthy mind helps with creating a very healthy body and spirit!
Below are some tips that I hope one or more will be of assistance to you, a friend or relative if ever diagnosed with breast cancer or for that matter any kind of disease or misalignment in your body
Be responsible. Don’t just take the doctors word but figure out how you are going to go forward on behalf of yourself. Research the internet with a light touch; find out about the latest techniques and studies that are going on.
How is your health, overall? Are you treating your body well with the right foods, exercise, sleep, rest? What can you do differently? Are you wanting to go more veggie or even experiment with vegan? Perfect time in our world to do this as most countries, not just ours are becoming more planetary conscious.
Corral your posse. This doesn’t mean to rid your friends who may be more fear-based than you certainly need but ones who have your back. They will be the friends who you bring with you on your initial appointments so that when you are being told something by the doctor that creates that numbness your friend can take notes.
Listen to your body. Be mindful not to do what someone else has done in their journey if it doesn’t feel right to you and don’t refuse to check in to see just what your inner guidance/intuition/6th sense is sharing with you. Your higher self is where truth resides and it’s available 24/7. The body doesn’t lie…really.
Attitude of Gratitude. You must be optimistic about how you face each day and if that means to yell it from the rooftops then so be in. Every morning for 7 weeks of radiation I proclaimed “I love my life, I love my life, I love my life” before my feet even touched the floor (best to do it this way as energetically placing feet down first as grounding in this world is a bit frenetic!)
Meditation. Yes, once again this is super-key in helping to eliminate stress and there is always too much of this in our life. Different techniques include Transcendental Meditation, Mindfulness, Breath, Buddhism, Guided, Primordial Sound. Find one that feels right for you and understand that you cannot do this wrong. Deepak Chopra does a 21-day meditation challenge every 4 months and it’s a great way in learning how to step into learning how to start blissing out in your day!
Sono Cine. This is for women who have dense breast tissue. Nearly half of all women age 40 and older who get mammograms are found to have dense breasts. This system devised by Dr. Kevin Kelly is not a replacement but an adjunct to mammograms designed to overcome inconsistencies that can result from handheld screening. Can find cancers as small as 5 to 10 millimeters. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYcpMVgXcqA for Dr. Kelly’s YouTube. Cost is still out of pocket even though it’s a life saver. $300 to $400 may save your life and open up more time to enjoy it!
Baby yourself. Take time out every day for you even if you have to hang a sign on the doorknob that says Do Not Disturb. Do things that you always find a reason to put aside but really would like to do and just do them!
Learn to listen…to yourself, your body, signs. We are always aware of a headache, back pain, knee discomfort etc. but if it doesn’t go away in a short amount of time there may be an underlying issue. Best to get the ‘fear’ which accompanies the “omygosh, what if?” out of the way asap instead of waiting.
Diagnostic Mammogram. Have your doctor put this in your yearly mammogram order. This means you will have a radiologist look at the x-rays right after your mammogram and you will not have to hold your breath for the mail to come 4 days plus later.
My geneticist who sat with me when I did the genetic testing for the BRCA gene told me that statistics for breast cancer are usually stated as 1 in 8 however because they factor in the Ashkenazi tribe whose breast cancer stats are upwards from 40%, backing that number out it is more like 1 in 14. Those were her words and not mine.
Do your own research. Be pro-active and take a deep dive with a light touch on the internet or with breast cancer organizations like Susan G. Komen because we humans are the same but at the same time our stories are uniquely ours.
Lastly, I’m sure you are aware that men can get breast cancer too with ‘like’ symptoms though it is rare, like 1 in 800 but it’s real. Called male breast neoplasm it too originates in the breast. Yes, males have breast tissue. It appears that many males with this cancer have a BRCA mutation but of course many other things can be attributed to it like certain hormones or just the fact that those cancer cells divide faster than the healthy cells.
Please don’t be cavalier about making your yearly appointments and letting too much time lapse…(Remember I went 11 months and they found mine). If your insurance doesn’t cover it there are many resources out there that can steer you in the right direction: National Cancer Institute at 800-4-Cancer and the American Cancer Society at 800-ACS-2345.
And if you have any questions for me regarding this subject of breast cancer or anything else let me know by sending a message through my comment section here, where you can still sign up for my FREE 30 minute Breakthrough Session!!
Until next time. Thank you for stopping by!
To your brilliance unfolding always,
