You wake up feeling fine, no nightmares, no aches all is okay. You thank God for another new chance at life and just before you jump out of bed, you place your right arm under your head, using your left hand you move your fingers gently around your right breast in circular motions covering the entire breast area and the armpits. You repeat the same on the left side… but something grabs your attention.
For a moment you think it’s the breasts getting excited with the finger movements or think nature is being nice to you.I mean, when you have small breasts ,sometimes you hope for a miracle that they will be bigger. So you check again, this time paying more attention, telling yourself “it’s not what I think. it’s not what I think” … right there, your fears are confirmed, it’s a lump!
Everything that you can imagine will flash right away in your mind! You will wish it away, give yourself a few days to let it fade away. Doctor google will be your friend and the only line that will remain stuck in your head is: the only way to be certain that a lump is not cancerous is to have a tissue sampling (biopsy). You pray about it, then you call the people who matter to share your fears and they will end up at this place, go get checked!
Photography by: Otieno Nyadimo
Then the bold step: the checkup.
There is something about doctor’s that is calming, no matter how big your worries are. Their eyes are a reflection of hope and strength. There is a certain surety in their voices that says, whatever it is, you shall pull through… First is the assurance that not all lumps are cancerous before asking a series of questions. Age, any history of breast cancer in your family and reproductive factors.
Exposing your breasts is the least of your worries at this point as the doctor asks that you point the location of the lump for him to check. The guy moves his fingers asking questions: any discharge on the nipples other than milk, any recent nipple retractions or abnormalities, reddening of the skin (when you are nilotic black as I am…black is all you know) or any skin dimpling. The little lump is still there not as you hoped.
The doctor will then recommend a mammogram. In between waiting for the results, there is a roller coaster of emotions: hopeful,afraid, thoughtless…all in all, you hope for the best. We all have these moments in life where hope has been restored by just a word. My favorite word then was, it’s benign! not cancerous! That right there was new hope.
With two options at hand: let it be with a possibility of growing bigger or have it removed for peace of mind. I went for peace of mind. We all love peace, don’t we? The surgery is simple, walk in, walk out and just a little scar… a scar that becomes a beauty spot, I almost don’t remember how the breast looked like without it.
Sitting there too afraid not to check yourself or get checked…don’t be. It’s better to be safe than sorry because being female is the first risk.
Love & Love
The adrenaline rush from reading this alone is enough to send me to get checked even before feeling a lump.
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Awesome article. Caught me there for a moment, wah!
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Waaaah, just reading the article brings multitude of emotions. I should get checked. Great article Archie…. Keep it up…. Baraka
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what are you waiting for … take the courage
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The pics are also dope!!!!!
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thank you
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The article most awesome… Loved reading it.
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Soo courageous and encouraging too, thanks our dear sister.
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Waaaah, just reading the article brings multitude of emotions. I should get checked. Great article Archie…. Keep it up…. Baraka
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Wow, great piece well written, I am an ardent silent follower of this blog. This one i couldn’t`t keep silent. Keep blogging , you are going far.
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Thank you Mercy
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My little sister is getting really good at this..good stuff mami on this piece. ..now am off to having myself checked. ..kudos
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We should get checked. Nice read Rael.
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Love love this read, and the report at the end, benign. Also, stunning! love the photo concept of the wrap.
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Nice piece Recho….really inspiring…women are just God’s special creatures….
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Endelea kutukumbusha na kutupa moyo.
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Awesome post! Love the pictures too!
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Thank you…
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I have followed and fallen in love with each of your article. There is so much beauty and strength I this post. I have a proposition for you…kindly let me know how you are comfortable communicating.Thanks
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Thanks Shiira, I am glad that you keep coming back. Kindly get in-touch through rael.tomboy@gmail.com
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The words here were hand picked….The courage crowns it all. Keep it up Tomboy , 🙂
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