thought of making a video but ya gurl not there yet sooo...In light of #BreastCancerAwarenessMonth , here’s a thread about my diagnosis & some key things I learned along my journey. hope this resonates w/ someone.

1)KNOW THAT YOURE NEVER TOO YOUNG for cancer or any other illness/disability. March 12, 2019, at the age of 19 I was diagnosed with stage 2B breast cancer. Oct 10, 2019 I had a double mastectomy, and reconstruction 9 months later. whewww, and for the nxt 5yrs Tamoxifen

2)LISTEN TO/PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR BODY!!! I was so stuck in my monotonous routine of school, work, repeat that I ignored my symptoms. For two months I had experienced scabbing (which eventually never healed) and discharge of my nipple. (1/2)

I felt inclined to do a self-exam after noticing my right breast was slightly bigger than my left (and googling). Initially, I found a lump that was no bigger than a skittle behind my areola. But when I met with my PCP she found an even larger mass when examining me. (2/2)

Might i interrupt to add that I googled my symptoms, which ppl say don’t do. But that’s what made me take this seriously. “Paget’s disease of the breast” is what popped up. Crazy thing is my breast surgeon said I was right about that so i guess googling isn’t so bad

3)PLEASE ADVOCATE FOR YOURSELF WHENEVER YOU CAN!!!
When I tried to schedule an appt. w/ a breast surgeon my PCP recommended, the scheduler told me “You’re too young to see the doctor, he only deals w/ cancer patients” & gave me an appt. a month away. I wasn’t having that. (1/3)

We hear too many stories about ppl being diagnosed late because their concerns were ignored. My PCP ended up getting me an ultrasound appt. at a local hospital. For the 2nd time I heard “you’re young” & “don’t worry” from the woman doing my ultrasound. (2/3)

I told her about how I googled my symptoms and she went on a mini rant about google. (ik they lowkey hate google, but insurance/going to the doc for everything isn’t a privilege we all have) (3/3)

4)SPEAK UP FOR YOURSELF UNTIL SOMEONE LISTENS!!! I got called back for a core biopsy after a 1 1/2 in mass was found. During my biopsy, I made the doctor & same nurse from prior aware of my concerns MULTIPLE TIMES. I was met with “you’re young” “it’s okay”. ...but it (1/2)

wasn’t until the end of the appt. that the doc seemed concerned about the wound. Sis really told me “I’ll send your biopsy out right away & try to have it to you by Thursday since you seem so concerned”. Wasn’t the best response but hey, they sent it right away. (2/2)

5)YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO CHANGE/FIND ANOTHER DOC(WHEN YOU CAN)!!! I finally got an appt. w/ that breast center. I met with the oncologist and didn’t like him. I felt like I was being treated like a case and not a patient. With that being said I looked for another place.

6)MAKE SURE YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE WHERE YOURE BEING TREATED AT!!! After tryin to get into Sloan Kettering & only 2 options from my insurance. I didn’t find a new oncologist till April, but that’s okay. My oncologist, surgeon, nurse, and everyone I came in contact w/ at (1/2)

the new center made/makes this journey easier. They’re compassionate, make sure i understand everything, and overall make me feel like a person and not a case. on the last day of chemo my oncologist brought me flowers & my NP and I did a lil dance. (2/2)

7)GET A PORT!!! I went thru 4 cycles of Adriamycin for 2 mos, 12 cycles of Taxol for 3 mos, & Herceptin/Perjeta for a yr. Bbbyyy, after the 1st cycle my veins were doneee. When I went for my 2nd cycle they it took 3 nurses & 3+ times to find a vein. (1/2)

Granted ur left with a minor scar & it does show if you’re thin, but it’s better than being constantly poked. Only problem I had was the scar stretching while it was in. It’s healing up pretty fine now w/ the help of CicaTape (2/2)

8)BE KIND TO YOURSELF/DONT SPREAD YOURSELF TOO THIN!!! I was I was in my 2nd yr of college & working PT. I’d be spreading myself thin if I tried to work during chemo & go2 school. Loved my job, but I didn’t have the stamina to be on my feet selling sneakers & doing RTS for 6+hrs

You don’t have to go the extra mile or prove to anyone that you’re strong. Don’t save face for anyone bby, if you feel tired thats okay.

9)THIS IS NOT A DEATH SENTENCE!!! I’ve lost loved ones bc of cancer, so I thought I was nxt.But that’s not everyone’s story!

10) IF YOU CAN AND WANT TO SEE A THERAPIST!!! Ik we don’t all have the luxury of seeing a therapist but if you can&want to, see one. It’s hard to adjust to news like this. I was so afraid that I pushed myself away from the wrld/ppl (shit i’m trying to get back)

11) CANT NO MF MAKE ME FEEL ASHAMED OR EMBARRASSED FOR MY SCARS AND (DOUBLE) MASTECTOMY. IM LIGHT, IM LOVE IM A SECCYY MF, AND DONT HAVE TO PROVER IT TO ANYONE. (thassa lil something i like to tell myself in the mirror while bumpin “Like That Bitch” by Flo Milli)

12)TRY NOT TO INVALIDATE YOUR FEELINGS/DIMINISH YOUR EXPERIENCE.I found I wasn’t allowing myself to feel my emotions. I would tell myself “it’s 2B cancer, you’re making a big deal out of it” and didn’t want to burden others wit my diagnosis.Allow yourself to experience that grief

13)@ OTHERS, IF YU KNOW SOMEONE LIVING W/ CANCER PLS KEEP YA UNSOLICITED COMMENTS ABOUT THEIR WEIGHT, HAIR, SKIN, ETC. TO YASELF. We know how we look. we’re on all types of meds that cause these changes, we don’t wanna hear shit like “eat more, go to the dermatologist, etc.”

I think i’m donethis thread was long af, so thank you if you actually read thru it. I don’t usually put myself out there like this Hope I wasn’t longwinded (ignore my grammar mistakes) and that this was helpful in a way. Please feel free to add to this much love.

seriously tho, ppl ignore my grammatical errors. Chemo brain is real took me forever to type this & no matter how many times i read this aloud slowly theres prob a few fuckups . promise my “iis smarts”

Sending love to those living with cancer. sending love to those who’ve passed and their families. sending love to my fellow survivors and co-survivors. sending love to all