How It All Began

Sometime earlier in December, I thought I had bruised my ribs.  My right side felt sore.  I couldn't remember what I had done to it, but I must have done something, because I felt bruised.  I ignored it as best I could, but after several days, I found myself feeling around my ribs to try to find the bruise or knot causing all of the pain.  There wasn't anything obvious, but I did feel a... firmness on the side of my right breast.

That was odd.

I get my breasts checked every year at my annual appointment, and even remember to do breast self-exams every few months, and I had never felt anything like this before.  It wasn't what I would have defined as a lump, but it was... firm.  And the left side didn't feel like that.

When Jamie got home from work I had him verify the difference between my right and left sides, and he said I should make an appointment to have it checked out.  I promised I would do so, and then - of course - googled "firmness in breast."  Everything I read said that a cancerous lump would be more lump-like and would definitely not be painful, so I shouldn't worry.  I decided to make an appointment anyway.  I had promised, after all.

I had an appointment on December 20 with Dr. Patel. Dr Le - my normal OB/GYN - wasn't available and I wanted to see someone sooner rather than later.  He felt both breasts and could feel the "lump" right away.  He said he was 90% sure it was fibrocystic changes in the breasts and nothing to worry about, but told me to schedule a diagnostic mammogram and bilateral ultrasound to be safe.

It being the end of the year (already met the deductible!) and wanting peace of mind as soon as possible, I spent that afternoon calling different locations to try to schedule something before the end of the year.  Methodist West, in Katy, could fit me in on the 26th. 

So that was my next step.