Everyone has 24 hours in a day but most of us would say “there’s never enough time for me”. Life is busy as you are focused on your family, your career, and perhaps being a caregiver to your loved ones. It can be a real challenge to make self-care a priority as you work through your daily task list. Yet, it is important to spend time on yourself and focus on your health and wellbeing, including your breast health. There are so many reasons to make screening mammograms a part of your annual routine.
Good breast health awareness and annual screening mammograms can help detect breast cancer early on when it is the most treatable.
Read on to find out more from, Mrs C*, a 63-year-old homemaker on why she advocates and believes that it is essential to make breast health a priority at every age.
Q1. What makes you step forward to schedule for a mammogram?
I was given two choices as options by my breast specialist for my due mammogram date and I asked what is different and good with 3D mammogram compared to the one (i.e. 2D mammogram) I had been recommended all these years. My breast specialist told me it’s better and clearer, and thus strongly recommended.
So, I thought to myself, why not? Thus, I agreed to try it if my health matters a great deal to me.
Q2. Can you share with us your experience while going through your 3D mammogram scan?
I walked into the room ready for the procedure with some ‘drag’ as I remembered it was long, uncomfortable, and painful though bearable.
The sonographer assisting me was very professional, so it somehow psychologically put me at ease. I positioned and did what I was instructed by her and within 20 minutes, everything was done! I do not even feel the slightest stress, discomfort, and pain like all these previous years of mammogram done. It was done so fast without much fuss compared to my previous mammogram experience. I felt like the machine ‘mould’ to my comfort.
I remember once doing mammogram few years ago, the sonographer had some issues with the clarity of the results, so she was instructed to get me to do it a second time – with the dreadful thought of having my breasts being pulled, stretched and clamp again certainly was not my ideal morning to being with.
Q3. Based on your personal experience, what would you like to share with other women out there on the importance of breast care and breast check?
I believe breast cancer or cancer itself of any kind is an ongoing fear and battle for many in this world. Today, we are all very blessed with new and high technology to expand and help with various research, studies, and discoveries as treatment etc. But we women all need to do our part to do self-check at home, go for mammogram and ultrasound checks as advised by our doctors or healthcare.
I would say if we had to be ‘greedy, it’s better to be double ‘greedy’ for our health.
I used to do an ultrasound check once every six months for few years but now, I am feeling very assured by my doctor that all is good, and I do not need ultrasound every six months, but it is all still up to me if I would like to continue with this routine twice a year.
We have all heard of many cases where during a mammogram or ultrasound check, and no breast tumour or cancer was detected then cancer just suddenly hit and was detected in a late stage.
I believe continuous stress, anger, unforgiveness, resentments and all negative emotions or attitudes has much to do with some cases of sickness and illness. Science can only tell us so much.
We should always take charge of our own health, be in pink of health – and so to spend time fruitfully with our friends and family.
*Patient’s name has been changed
Article contributed and reviewed by patient Mrs C* and Solis Breast Care and Surgery Centre.
