Well, I had my mammogram and ultrasound today. But before I tell you about todays findings, I have to tell you about how I discovered the lump in my breast in the first place. You see, I don't do breast exams every month like the professionals advise. In fact, I probably only check them about once every six months. But when you have implants you really are only feeling the actual implant, so I never really knew what to feel for. It turns out that you may never find a lump if you have implants. And all the tests they have to check for them might not find one, either. I just got lucky.

On Saturday, January 10th I woke up lying on my side. I woke up naturally to the morning light and it seemed like a nice day. But then I had an itch just under my armpit. As I went to scratch the itch, my hand brushed against my breast and I felt a lump that I'm sure was not there a month ago. I turned over to lie on my other side and tried to feel if there was a lump on that side, too. I was thinking and hoping that it was just a natural bump that so many women have in their breasts. But unfortunately there was not a lump in the same place on the other breast.

I decided to do an actual breast exam. I felt for lumps exactly as doctors have shown me how. I tried it while on my back like my gynecologist does every year, and then I checked while standing up. I could not feel any lumps either way. It was only when I was lying on my side that I could feel it.  

I made a doctors appointment and was able to get in on Tuesday. The doctor had me lay on my back with my arm behind my head and she did a routine breast exam. After the exam she gave me a confused look so I explained to her how I could only feel it when laying on my side. She told me to turn onto my side and then she was immediately able to feel the lump. She told me that she would schedule me for a mammogram and an ultrasound.

Today when I showed up for the mammogram the technician asked me to show her where I felt the lump. I bent to the side pointed it out. She was able to feel it and put a sticker on the area so that she would know where to x-ray. She took eight x-rays of my breasts. Four on each side. They positioned me and maneuvered me in ways I didn't know I could bend. After it was over and the doctor looked at the results I was told that the mammogram did not show anything abnormal. They said that they would have to do the ultrasound and took me into another room.

I laid on my back for the ultrasound. The technician moved the ultrasound wand all around my breast. She moved it to the top and on the sides and completely around the entire breast. Then she told me that nothing out of the ordinary was showing up on the ultrasound. I told her that I could feel it when I lay on my side and she instructed me to lie on my side and show her where it was. I did as she asked and she moved the wand over the area I pointed to. It was then that she was immediately able to find the tumor. She told me that she was impressed that I had even discovered it in the first place. She took some ultrasound pictures of it and called in the doctor.

I knew from doing research on the internet that a solid tumor was bad and a liquid filled cyst could be easily taken care of. Unfortunately the doctor told me that the mass was solid and that I would need to have it looked at further. He also told me that it was so close to the implant that I risked having the needle rupture the implant during the biopsy. Another option would be to schedule a surgery to have the lump removed. They would check it for cancer at that time. I asked the doctor how soon I could have the results if I had the biopsy done and he answered that I would know in three days. The surgery would have to be scheduled and he did not know how soon before it could be done. I opted for the biopsy because I felt the need to know out-weighed the risk involved.

The biopsy was rather painless and I was able to watch it on the ultrasound machine. I don't know if he hit the implant with the needle or not. I'm sure I'll know soon enough if I wake up to a lopsided chest one of these mornings.

I find out on Thursday whether I have cancer or not. I am hoping for the best but am trying to prepare myself for the worst. I am just thankful that I happened to wake up with an itch. This at least gives me a fighting chance.

If you have implants, I would recommend doing breast exams while laying on your side as well as the traditional way. It may save your life.




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