Listiner's Story

Listiner shares her story to raise awareness about the importance of early breast cancer detection and diagnosis.

I knew something was wrong as I did my self-breast exam one fall day of 2019. I had just come home from working out at the gym and was doing my self-breast exam in the shower and felt a hardened area in the upper right part of my breast. You see, I had just participated as a panelist at a women’s health summit the week prior and one of the other panelists was a nurse who talked about the importance of a monthly self-breast exam. That reminded me I missed doing my self-breast exam over the last few months, so I made a mental note to get back on track. How often do we take care of everything and everyone else around and neglect the most important person in our lives, ourselves?

Well, I thank God that I got back on track, because the series of events that led up to me now being a cancer survivor were all God-ordained. Once I discovered the lump I made an appointment to see a nurse practitioner for further examination. Now here is the interesting part, I had already had my first annual mammogram earlier in 2019 which came back normal. So part of me was thinking maybe it was a cyst from working out too much. I got the referral to have a diagnostic mammogram and ultrasound. As I made the appointment I begin to feel anxious. I called my best sista friend and confided in her what my concerns are, so we prayed together and hoped for the best. 

On the day of my appointment, I dropped my son off at school and headed straight to the hospital to get the examination done. First, they did the diagnostic mammogram which is a little different from a regular mammogram, as they have a targeted area they need to zone in on for further imaging. The positioning of the lump was in an awkward area for the imaging to be done so it took more time to make sure the tech got the right amount of film at the right angle. Then the next step was the breast ultrasound. I laid on the table and the ultrasound tech said he had to bring in the radiologist to take a further look. The radiologist started talking about lymph nodes and needed to get a biopsy for further examination. My heart dropped! Being a healthcare professional myself for the past 20 years I already knew that this wasn’t just a cyst but something more, so I began to pray and cry right there on the table.

Oh, and did I mention that this was happening around the Christmas holiday? I tried to keep a positive attitude, but to be honest I was nervous and afraid. I then took the next steps to make an appointment for the biopsy, but unfortunately, the hospital I was being seen at was no longer accepting my insurance, and my primary care physician at the time was not able to assist me in finding another in-network hospital. I had to do the research myself, which I was disappointed about because I knew from personal experience that I had helped my own patients in the past with finding another provider. Needless to say, I did the work, I looked up a few hospitals in my area that were listed in insurance and went before the Lord in prayer to guide to the best one for me and I was led to Swedish Hospital which was the BEST DECISION EVER!

The care I received from the initial appointment for my breast biopsy up until now as I finish my radiation treatments has been phenomenal. First, let me say that I am a big baby when it comes to procedures and needles, so on the day of my biopsy I was afraid and tearful. This beautiful soul named Corina in the Women’s Health Center held my hand the entire time of the biopsy and told me funny stories. When the results came in and were forwarded to my primary care physician, Corina called me to let me know.

When I decided to switch all of my care to Swedish, she set me up with an appointment to see another beautiful soul named Linda. A breast health navigator at the Women’s Health Center, Linda’s dedication to what she does is amazing and heartwarming. She created a binder for me, walking me through it step by step of what to expect. She even walked me over to the surgeon’s office to set up the surgery consultation. She prayed with me before I left that day and even came down to see me on the day of my surgery.

The road afterward has been rocky but with my faith, family, friends, and the amazing team, especially Dr. Cilley, my chemotherapy nurse, and Rosa at the Cancer Treatment Center, I have been journeying along with my healing and recovery from Stage 2 breast cancer quite nicely.

Here are a few things I have learned on my survivor's journey:

• Self-care is important and essential
• Make seeing a  healthcare professional a part of your lifestyle
• Listen and pay attention to your body
• Don't be afraid to speak up about things that concern you
• Faith is a must to keep you going, especially on those days you want to give up
• It's okay to change providers if you feel you are not getting the treatment you deserve
• Research and advocate for additional support services when needed
• Allow family and friends to help you
• And most importantly YOU ARE NOT ALONE

To schedule a mammogram, request an appointment or call 773-878-6888. 

Published October 7, 2020