Do you remember how I was an Ambassador for Estee Lauder Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign in 2011? Boy, was I glad I learned a few things through that experience, namely how to perform a breast self examination.
You see, one fine day last month while I was taking my afternoon nap, I felt an unusually sharp ache on my left boob (I was reclining on my side). Out of curiosity, I began to examine the area and to my horror, discovered what suspiciously felt like a lump. *GASP!* Initially, I was like “This can’t be right…” and proceeded to feel my right boob to see if there was any symmetry on the other side. Perhaps it could’ve been just tissues or something, but via comparison and contrast, this lump could only be felt inside the left boob.
So at this point, I started freaking out silently and whipped out my phone to text mi madre, aunt and sis to sorta check whether they had any helpful insights to share on their own respective breast health. From what I recalled, my sis said she had a painful lump near her armpit not long ago (which turned out to be an inflamed lymph node and subsided by itself in the end). If memory served correctly, I also recalled my mom telling me she went under the knife before in this mammary department (I’m still ambiguous as to what exactly took place because between her and I and a circus of three different languages, many things often got lost in translation). My mom urged me to get it checked out asap and three days later I was on the surgery table for the removal of the lump. It was diagnosed as a fibroid.
The surgery took about forty-five minutes, performed under local anesthesia. Naturally I was extremely nervous and I was extremely glad when it was over. My mom had flown into town and accompanied me throughout, God bless her!!! :”)
There’s a scar underneath that dressing, about two inches or so. I thought the surgery itself wasn’t as bad as the RECOVERY. I hate the recovery part, because that’s when the anesthesia wore off and the crazy burning throbbing began and I felt like my skin was being ripped off from my flesh. Argghhh!!!
I didn’t tell too many people about this surgery because it was going to be a fast and short procedure, so there was no need to alarm anyone. But a handful of really close friends knew and sent me their well-wishes. Thank you so very much for that. I appreciated it a lot. (Although I did get yelled at for bringing the phone into the surgery room and social media-ing while being cut open…. puwahahahaha, I was nervous and the phone was a good distraction! Besides, I don’t have any plans to be in a surgery room often so might as well document in photos while I had a chance.)
This was the fibroid that got removed from my left boob. The fibroid was about the size of a shrimp, and shaped like one too I thought! The surgeon let me squeeze it and it felt like a very tough rubbery springy lump that had resistance when squeezed. O_O Everyone (namely female family members and close girlfriends) whom I showed this pic to all exclaimed: “The fibroid’s huge!!!” in holy sh!t fashion. I didn’t think it was that big, but I guess perception of size is subjective. :x
See what I told you about the fibroid looking like a shrimp? While it was sent in for biopsy, this bowl of shrimp dumpling soup was what I had for dinner that night. Hahahaha, I’m so sick. :X But the resemblance is totally uncanny, right? I suppose only I find the humor in this. But eh, I’m SO MIGHTY GLAD that the fibroid was no longer in my body.
The biopsy result came back and the fibroid was declared as non-cancerous. PHHHHHEEEWWWWWW!!!!!
But! When I had breast ultrasound pre-surgery, the surgeon had informed me that there were a handful other smaller fibroids lurking in there, so I have to continue monitoring for further anomaly. This means that frequent breast self examination is a must from now on. For the time being though, it is relatively safe to leave them alone. :[
I am well. So please don’t panic. If anything else crops up, leave the freaking out silently to me.
Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, introducing……… ELVIS PRAWNLEY! :P My friend Val suggested that I slap on a mustache on my fibroid and give him a nickname, to make him less gory. So here you go, Elvis Prawnley with his chorus of shrimp can-can dancers. Hehehehe. *sick humor*
(I have too much time on my hands to actually create a graphic for this. Post-surgery recovery period boredom, clearly.)
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