October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October 1, 2014

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October 1, 2014

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

 

Well here we are, October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month and I’m still fighting the good fight.

I’m just waiting on the results of the Oncotype DX test to help determine if I need to go through chemo or not. Of course, I’m hoping for a big, fat NOT.

I want to tell all of you lovely ladies to be sure to get your mammograms and do your breast self exams. Don’t do the BSE because you are “looking for something” but rather do it so that you know what YOUR breasts feel like.

We all have some bumps and weirdness going on deep in the breast tissue so knowing what yours feel like on a regular basis will help you know if something changes.

I’ve always been sort of lackadaisical about the BSE  but better about mammograms. I had a mammogram on June 5th. and It came back clear.

It was on the night of June 27th (yes, just a couple of weeks later) when I found the lump myself. The mammogram missed it because my breast tissue is too dense.

Even though I wasn’t a gold stay BSEer I knew enough to know that the lump I felt wasn’t typical for me. I found it on Friday evening and called my insurance company Monday morning.

And I am certain that I saved my own life. Or at the very least saved myself from even more surgeries and treatments.

So from me to you with a big pile of love, “Know your tatas!”

 

 

 

Vicki O'Dell

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  • sdlouise October 2, 2014 at 11:29 am

    We are really dating ourselves here. I haven’t heard ‘tatas’ in decades. And I’ll get right on it. (Guilty as charged.)

    • Vicki O'Dell October 6, 2014 at 6:03 pm

      Yes, please take care of yourself SDLouise.
      All of the cool kids say, “Tatas”. 😉

  • Barbara Moore October 1, 2014 at 11:37 pm

    Vicki I want to tell you that you really and truly are an inspiration to me. I think you are so strong and good willed. Thank you for sharing your experience with us and showing us how to fight the good fight. My prayers are with you as you go forward.

    • Vicki O'Dell October 6, 2014 at 6:05 pm

      Thank you Barbara. ♥♥♥
      Didn’t you have surgery not too long ago too?

  • Grammy Pauline October 1, 2014 at 11:32 am

    Hi, Vicki,
    Colette Correia couldn’t have said it better … so I won’t even try, except to send you my heartfelt best thoughts that things will go well for you.
    Don’t forget, Vicki, we O’Dell women are a strong lot … especially IF we’re married to an O’Dell man.

    I was told many years ago that … “The Lord will give you as much strength as he thinks you’ll need to handle any situation.” I know it carried me through several stressful times … with a very serious auto accident and then when 2 of my men had cancer .. so I hope it will help you too because I’ll be praying for you every day for a swift recovery. At least it won’t hurt to pray.

    I ‘m not a very religious person but I know prayer works as does my son. My Indiana sister in law is .. so she got a prayer line started, He had stage 4 cancer and through all of the surgeries, chemo, radiation and the worse of all ( for him) the loss of his curly hair …. And prayer, he was finally given the green light. Today he still has to have medications and check ups and now believes prayer works because he has beautiful head of Straight hair… and his life is back to ‘normal’ (if life is ever normal) doing his favorite hobby .. Geocaching which gets him out in fresh air and hiking.

    So if he can do it so can you …. just hitch up your boots, take a deep breath, stiffen your upper lip an say a little prayer and then .. tell the devil to take a hike!

    I’ll be interested in hearing your progress be it thick or thin.
    My best to you
    Pauline O’Dell

    • Vicki O'Dell October 6, 2014 at 6:08 pm

      Pauline,
      My maiden name is O’Dell. My husband has a different last name. So I’m an O’Dell woman through and through. Well, if you don’t count the O’Riley side, that is. 🙂
      I think that positive thoughts or positive energy – no matter what name you give it – does a world of good. Look at me, I’m a prime example. I have so many wonderful people sending out payers, healing thought, light and love – it doesn’t matter what we call it. It’s all GOOD. And I’m doing well.
      I’m thankful for all of those positive thoughts. I know they help. 🙂
      Vicki

      • Pauline O'Dell October 6, 2014 at 9:38 pm

        I wasn’t planning on e-mailing you again and taking up your precious time BUT … as I was reading your reply the name “O’Riley” popped up like an orange flag, I was dumbfounded over the coincidence …. that is my ‘sister’/slash/cousin’s last name also. What a small world we live in.
        Just curious … you can answer or not … but where do you live as to state and town?
        I hope you are progressing for the better in your battle…but like I have said .. from
        one O’Dell to another O’Dell ..
        “You can’t keep a good (O’Dell) woman down.”
        Pauline

        • Vicki O'Dell October 11, 2014 at 2:35 pm

          Hi Pauline,
          My parents families are all from WV.

          V

  • Colette Correia October 1, 2014 at 9:08 am

    You are an inspiration to us, I appreciate your honesty in sharing the emotions that you are dealing with at each stage of this journey. I wish you only the best and hope you can feel my virtual hugs!

    • Vicki O'Dell October 6, 2014 at 6:09 pm

      Colette, Thank you so much. It’s the support of loving, kind women like you who will get me through this. ♥

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