October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, so I would like to share my story in the hopes of bringing attention to early detection.

I’ll start on Dec. 30, 2020, when I joked with friends about how I hadn’t had a mammogram in five years because I’m a big baby and I always find excuses not to go: It’s uncomfortable; it’s too expensive; I don’t have time; and my breasts are dense and they will end up doing tests with needles, and I really hate needles! Plus, there was no family history of breast cancer, and I was only 47, so I was considered low-risk.

Two days later, I noticed a strange “dent” in the side of my left breast. I thought, well, that shouldn’t be there! Oh well, I’m sure it will be gone tomorrow. But it was still there the next day, so I Googled “dent in breast,” and I found a chart of lemons showing breast changes that can be a sign of cancer, and the second one said “dimple.”

See the chart here: https://www.knowyourlemons.org.

I immediately called my doctor’s office and asked if we could move up the date of my mammogram. I doubted they would, since it took me over a month to get that appointment, but when I told her my symptom, she said, “Can you come tomorrow?”

At that appointment, the doctor said, “I don’t feel a lump — more of a thickening.” But after reviewing the mammogram, she wanted me to get an ultrasound. I said, “Can we do that tomorrow, or maybe next week? I have too much work to do today.” Nope — they really needed me to come back later that same day. Uh oh, that sounded bad! After the ultrasound, they said, “You need a biopsy.” A big needle, no thank you! I said, “How about sometime next week?”

“Nope — you have an appointment tomorrow.”

Six days later, the biopsy results came back.

Jan. 12, 2021 — That was the day I heard the words that would change my life, “Unfortunately, it IS cancer.” Those words run on repeat on a constant loop in my brain. They still bring tears to my eyes when I type them.

My life was a bit of a blur after that day. I underwent six rounds of chemo, 33 radiation treatments, three surgeries, 82 doctor appointments and racked up medical bills totaling more than $500,000.

Photo: © Tracey Cullen

I can’t believe it’s been four years, and I’m happy to say I’m cancer-free. And I will never miss my annual mammogram again!

The next time you feel you’re too busy or it’s too uncomfortable or it’s too expensive … please look at those numbers and think how much worse it could be if the cancer isn’t caught early.

ID 161494265 © Siam Pukkato _ Dreamstime.com

So, if it’s been a while since your last mammogram, why don’t you take a few minutes to book one today?

— Tracey Cullen, art director