Coming up with a plan…

Once I found out I was positive for a mutation, I had some decisions to make. I could do nothing, which frankly, would be quite dumb. I could have radical surgeries immediately. Or I could wait on surgery but start surveillance. This is what I chose to do.

At that point in my life, I wasn’t in a serious relationship. I knew, though, that I wanted children someday so obviously removing my ovaries at 28 wasn’t the best choice. I also knew I really wanted to breastfeed any future children I had so I didn’t want to part with my milky makers yet. Thus began a ten year journey of good old fashioned boob crunches. I mean really SMUSHED in the mammogram machine. If you haven’t had one yet or if you don’t have boobs and will never have one…well. I will say this….my friend Marie from work told me the day before I had my first one….”It feels like getting your boob caught in a cab door and the cab driving away.” It’s actually not THAT bad. I only fainted once. Thats a story for another post, though.

Immediately, though, after learning my BRCA results, I started with breast MRI’s.  One a year. Once I turned the ripe old age of thirty, I added in the mammograms and I alternated the two tests every six months. That was two diagnostic tests a year. Then my gynecologist did a breast exam at each annual appointment. And I also began seeing an Oncologist and she did a breast exam, as well. So four boob checks a year. I probably should have also done self breast exams but I’m going to be perfectly honest and say I have never done one. Not smart and not something I am proud of but at least I knew I was getting four checks a year by various other ladies (doctors) and machines. 

It’s so important, though, if you aren’t having as many professional boob feels as me a year. Ladies-FEEL YOUR BOOBIES. It could save your life!

Love and boobies,

Allison

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My actual test results…this piece of paper is almost 10 years old.

I save everything. If you know me in real life, you already know this.