Where did it come from. June 2011

Again I was doing my regular shower boob wash. Now don't get the wrong idea that I spend a lot of time in this area. It is literally a quick swipe with the soap. The soap went across my right breast and I thought "Was that a bump?".

I did a quick breast exam and thought "That definitely feels like a lump"...now what?

I checked it daily and after about two weeks, I mentioned it to B and had him feel the lump. Yup it was definitely a lump.

It is funny that until someone else feels the lump it was not real. Yes I found it, t felt like a lump to me but I am not one to rush off to the doctor every time I find something. I like to make sure it is going to be something before I go.

I called my doctor the next day to make an appointment, only to find out that my regular doctor had left the building...and province. WHAT! But "not to worry" Dr. B had taken over her practice and he was "lovely".

HE?...HE? Since I was a young woman I have always had a female doctor now I was about to meet a doctor for the first time and have to whip out my boob for him. I realize this was not a rational thought at this moment but I thought...I can do this after all my husband switched to a my doctor who is female...but wait he didn't have to show her his penis...breathe....make the appointment.

So off I went to meet my new doctor who doesn't speak the best of English..and sure enough I had to take off my top and show him "the girls". Most people meet and have a handshake. I handed my boob over. Hey how ya doin'.

He felt up and down, I sat up and laid down, he compared right to left and left to right and yes there was a lump. He would recommend a mammogram and ultrasound and I should hear in about two weeks about my appointment.

Ok thanks!

So two weeks went by and I thought...hmmm. So I called the office only to find out
1. Mammograms and ultrasounds take longer to book than two weeks. On average it is three-four months and they contact you a month before the appointment.
2. He wrote on my file a referral was needed but DIDN'T WRITE IT UP

WHAT!

SO now I needed to come in and see a different doctor to have them do up the referral..because did I mention my doctor went away until July 4th. So now I was going to have to go through the same procedure again.

SO off I went- touch, touch- Feel, feel-yup you have a lump. History in the family?nope. Ok then. She wrote up the referral ...watched her do it and she said it would take 3-4 months but she would back date the referral to the original appointment date.

Ok now we're getting somewhere.

Having a lump in your breast makes your mind go to all sorts of places from "it's just a lump" to "am I going to die?". My mother has a history of fibrocystic breasts so most of my brain believed this is what I had. Mom told me if I was that concerned I should call and see if I can just get a mammogram to put my mind at ease.

So I thought..I should call the doctor, but he is away until July. I called the next day to see if any appointment had been made and yes. October 5th was my date. In my mind that was a long way away. After talking it over with B and Mom I decided to take matters into my own hands.

I called the breast screening clinic and she typed in my health number and it came up that I had an appointment on October 5th. I told her I just wanted a mammogram and she recommended not breaking my other appointment as if I break the two it could be a long wait for the ultrasound...if you ever get this answer..ignore it as this is not true. I'll explain later. I also tried to go to the private MRI clinic as I was willing to pay for an ultrasound...but FYI they don't do ultrasounds on breasts.

Then I rolled over in bed one night a week later and OWW. What the hell was that. I looked on the sheets and there was nothing there..and thought--strange. I laid back down and again..OWW. So I felt my breast..I seem to be doing this a lot and getting nothing out of it. ...and the lump hurt when I pressed on it.

Since I was heading into the long weekend I decided t was only a couple of days away so I would wait until July 4th...which happened to be my birthday ....my 40th birthday.