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thought of making a video but ya gurl not there yet 
sooo...In light of #BreastCancerAwarenessMonth , hereâs a thread about my diagnosis & some key things I learned along my journey. hope this resonates w/ someone.
sooo...In light of #BreastCancerAwarenessMonth , hereâs 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 donât do. But thatâs what made me take this seriously. âPagetâs disease of the breastâ is what popped up. Crazy thing is my breast surgeon said I was right about that 
so i guess googling isnât so bad
so i guess googling isnât 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 âYouâre too young to see the doctor, he only deals w/ cancer patientsâ & gave me an appt. a month away. I wasnât having that. (1/3)
When I tried to schedule an appt. w/ a breast surgeon my PCP recommended, the scheduler told me âYouâre too young to see the doctor, he only deals w/ cancer patientsâ & gave me an appt. a month away. I wasnât 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 âyouâre youngâ & âdonât worryâ 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 isnât a privilege we all have) (3/3)
(ik they lowkey hate google, but insurance/going to the doc for everything isnât 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 âyouâre youngâ âitâs okayâ. 
...but it (1/2)
...but it (1/2)
wasnât until the end of the appt. that the doc seemed concerned about the wound. Sis really told me âIâll send your biopsy out right away & try to have it to you by Thursday since you seem so concernedâ. Wasnât the best response but hey, they sent it right away.
(2/2)
(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 didnât 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 didnât find a new oncologist till April, but thatâs okay. My oncologist, surgeon, nurse, and everyone I came in contact w/ at (1/2)
the new center made/makes this journey easier. Theyâre 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)
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 youâre thin, but itâs better than being constantly poked. Only problem I had was the scar stretching while it was in. Itâs 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. Iâd be spreading myself thin if I tried to work during chemo & go2 school. Loved my job, but I didnât have the stamina to be on my feet selling sneakers & doing RTS for 6+hrs
You donât have to go the extra mile or prove to anyone that youâre strong. Donât save face for anyone bby, if you feel tired thats okay.
9)THIS IS NOT A DEATH SENTENCE!!! Iâve lost loved ones bc of cancer, so I thought I was nxt.But thatâs not everyoneâs story!
10) IF YOU CAN AND WANT TO SEE A THERAPIST!!! Ik we donât all have the luxury of seeing a therapist but if you can&want to, see one. Itâs hard to adjust to news like this. I was so afraid that I pushed myself away from the wrld/ppl (shit iâm 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 âLike That Bitchâ by Flo Milli
)
, 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 âLike That Bitchâ by Flo Milli)
12)TRY NOT TO INVALIDATE YOUR FEELINGS/DIMINISH YOUR EXPERIENCE.I found I wasnât allowing myself to feel my emotions. I would tell myself âitâs 2B cancer, youâre making a big deal out of itâ and didnât 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. weâre on all types of meds that cause these changes, we donât wanna hear shit like âeat more, go to the dermatologist, etc.â
I think iâm done
this thread was long af, so thank you if you actually read thru it. I donât usually put myself out there like this 
Hope I wasnât longwinded (ignore my grammar mistakes) and that this was helpful in a way
. Please feel free to add to this much love.
this thread was long af, so thank you if you actually read thru it. I donât usually put myself out there like this Hope I wasnât 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 âiis smartsâ
took me forever to type this & no matter how many times i read this aloud slowly theres prob a few fuckups . promise my âiis smartsâ
Sending love to those living with cancer. sending love to those whoâve passed and their families. sending love to my fellow survivors and co-survivors. sending love to all
