The year passed, and the lump grew larger, but after yet another series of ultrasound and mammography, they again concluded that it was benign and posed no risk. Still trusting them, the news made me feel happy and relieved, as if a burden had again been lifted. Nevertheless, I didn't feel comfortable, and wanted the lump removed, even though it was thought to be benign. Unfortunately, this never happened. It was as though I had been forgotten, never receiving so much as a call to set up a follow-up appointment. I imagined they believed an operation to remove a benign lump was simply unnecessary and I did my best to ignore it, as I was instructed to do. Another year passed without any word from them, and by this time I could no longer ignore it. I visited a different doctor, to get a second opinion. His opinion was not merely a "second" opinion, but was also a profoundly different one. His tests revealed that this "benign lump" had in fact developed into a malign tumor, and had grown so large and, located in the centre of my breast, left no option but a full mastectomy. Following the mastectomy, I underwent months of chemo-therapy, experiencing months of sickness, weakness, anger and depression. Losing all my hair in the process paled in comparison to the other side effects. The good news was that my visit to the second physician could not have been more timely, because it was caught before it had metastasised, and my prognosis was good.

I learned later from my new doctor that the cancer likely began with that first puncture, years ago. The tumor was quite small, and it was missed, striking healthy tissue. It was there that the cancer probably began. They also felt that the mammography was ill advised, given my age at that time (too young), and to make matters worse, it was performed twice. Mammograms of women under the age of 40 usually don't reveal the true picture, because the mammary glands are still active. The procedure in these cases is widely regarded as "useless." That was certainly the case with me, on both occasions it was done. Additionally, I have a family history of cancer, which they knew at the time I first presented. Given the totality of circumstances, a prudent physician would have scheduled me for check-ups every three months. I was contacted once a year. And then, I wasn't contacted at all.

That this happened to me is unfortunate. That it happens to so many women is tragic. It is emblematic of a medical system that abides by the status quo, following treatment regiments long practiced, but too often not reviewed for their efficacy. I was an active patient, acting immediately, despite my fears, to address the problem. Yet the end result was the same as if I had ignored that lump for years, believing as some do that "ignorance is bliss." Waiting until it's too late is not prevention. It's gambling. With your life.

I'm sharing this here because I want every woman to know what I now know. Had I known these things several years ago, I could have avoided the cancer entirely – the mastectomy, the chemo and the continuing treatments. In retrospect I should have been more assertive when I first visited the doctor, emphasizing my family history and the associated risks which made me a more viable candidate for surgical removal of the lump, while it was still benign. They responded with an argument based on the allocation of medical resources. They urged upon me the notion that were they to operate on every benign lump, they would spend all their time doing nothing but that. They had adopted a kind of medical 'laissez faire' policy, focusing on treatment once the cancer manifests itself, relegating prevention to a back seat. I doubt that, once the costs of treating advanced breast cancer are factored in, their model which prefers treatment over prevention would survive economic scrutiny. So I urge you, if you discover any lump in one of your breasts, to visit your doctor immediately, and insist on being involved in the dialogue regarding his/her plans for addressing it. Don't passively accept a recommendation that you ignore it for the time being, absent compelling evidence that this is the best course of action. Unless removal is clearly contra-indicated for sound medical reasons, explore the cost/benefit aspect of the procedure with your physician, in terms you can both understand and accept.

Important Facts to Remember....

Don't accept at face value everything your physician tells you. Like us, they are human and make mistakes.

Ask for a detailed explanation of your condition, illness, and treatment options. Too often, patients are condescended to, and inherit a long-standing belief that "Doctor Knows Best", and time spent discussing the case with the patient is time both wasted and pointless.

In a case as serious as one involving the possibility of breast cancer, it is always a good idea to seek a second opinion.

If you're under the age of 40, remember that mammography rarely proves useful in arriving at a diagnosis, while at the same time exposing you to unnecessary radiation. Ultrasound is a more effective and safer diagnostic tool.

Be extremely wary of allowing a "puncture", especially when the lump is very small, making it difficult to target on the first attempt. And if healthy tissue is punctured in the process, this invasive technique often proves the catalyst for cancer.

If your family history includes cases of cancer, you should be examined every three months, rather than then the yearly check-up which might otherwise be indicated.

If you've been careful and persistent, and are initially satisfied that removal is not a viable option at the time, remain vigilant. If this benign tumor becomes malignant and grows to a size of 2.5 cm, despite the increase in partial mastectomies, there is still a good chance you will lose the entire breast, especially in cases where the breast is not large. Sometimes, despite the pressures brought to bear on you to be "the good" (i.e. passive) patient, you must be the one who to decide what's best for you. It's your body, your life. Trust is a good thing. But like everything else, too much of it can be a bad thing as well. Unless compelling reasons exist for doing otherwise, have it removed while it is still small.

....I hope this will be helpful for some of you, and that my experience helps other women avoid what I've gone through because the medical establishment seems entrenched in the status quo of often inadequate means for detecting breast cancer at the earliest stage, or in treating it only when it manifests itself as a serious, and all too often fatal illness. During my hospitalization, chemo, and in speaking with other women about this, I've learned of far too many cases like mine. I want you to be fully informed, to know what you can expect. 

One out of 8 women will develop breast cancer. The medical community will continue to make more mistakes than advances in their approaches to treatment and prevention, despite the mounting evidence which suggests that not enough is being done to combat this terrible illness. Physicians face hard choices, with the growing demand for their services, and economics can't be ignored. But doctors are spending too little time with their patients, failing to engage them fully in their own care, and important information, potentially life-saving information is either overlooked, or never elicited. I've lost faith in the system. I invested my trust in a doctor once, fully and without reservation. No more.

If any of you have questions, or just want to talk about this, please don't hesitate to contact me. Wishing you well

These are Paulo Coelho’s words and I agree with it 100 %...

Traveling in a different way

Imagine you have won this prize:

Every morning you get 86.400 € to your account.

But here are some rules, accompanying the reward:

Bank takes back all the money you don’t use within a day.
You can’t put your money to some other account, you have to spend it.
Bank can stop the game any time and closes your account forever.

WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO????

You’d probably buy everything you want, not just for you but also for people you care about.
Maybe you’d give something to people you don’t know at all cause you don’t need so much money for yourself.

YOU WILL TRY TO SPEND EVERY CENT, RIGHT?

THIS GAME, MY FREND, IS ACTUALLY YOUR LIFE.

Every one of us has a ’magic bank’ but unfortunately we don’t see it.

Our ’magic bank’ is TIME.

Every morning we get 86.400 seconds to our account. When in the evening we lie down, all seconds we haven’t used that day are lost forever.

SO, WHAT DO YOU DO EVERY DAY WITH YOUR 86.400 SECONDS? Aren’t they worth more than same amount of money?

THINK ABOUT IT!

Enjoy seconds of your life. Life can end without warning and time passes quicker than you can earn 86.400 €.

WISHING YOU A NICE DAY!  

You probably know about the ten commandements as "DO NOT". Human race has known them for thousands of years.

But Aboriginal rules "YOU SHOULD" are older. If mankind followed them, the ten commandments would be needless.

Aboriginal rules are true for entire mankind.

1. EXPRESS YOUR INDIVIDUAL CREATIVENESS

2. RECOGNIZE YOUR RESPONSIBILTY

3. BEFORE YOU WERE BORN YOU AGREED ON HELPING OTHERS

4. GROW EMOTIONALY

5. ENTERTAIN YOURSELF

6. TRANSFORM ENERGY

7. ENJOY IN MUSIC

8. STRIVE FOR WISDOM

9. LEARN SELF-DISCIPLINE

10. OBSERVE, BUT DO NOT JUDGE

Eternity doesn't know mistakes. You cannot make a mistake for human life was given to you and you research it. You can observe what is going on, and without judging you can decide what is of bad taste and smell and intuitively recognize it as bad for your path. Leave it and step forward. Like that you fulfil a demand - to love all the people - what doesn't mean you like their acts or their choice of behaviour. But you don't judge those persons as bad. Simply, they are not a part of your path. You don't put your energy to their directions. No words, no acting, no thoughts.

If you judge, you have to learn how to forgive. You have to learn to forgive others, situations and yourself.

When you observe without judging, forgiveness is needless. Observing is closely linked to understanding, deep behaviour that all is in perfect order and that we as a humans make our own decision that we are not going to live our entireness. Every single day we can get closer to chances we have. This will reflect in the world, becoming a better place.

RECOGNIZE YOUR RESPONSIBILITY (2nd rule)

You are a guest on this planet therefore it is expected you will leave it as you found it or even in better condition. You have to take care for other living beings that cannot speak or help each other. You are responsible for promises that are given by you, agreements you make and results of your actions.

You have to take a responsibility for every word you say and for your acting. You have to learn to respect and to love life and to help keep it up.

You are responsible for your body. It's a gift and it is irresponsible to neglect or abuse it.

You are responsible for everything you create and share to the world, for protecting others and for not harming life.

BEFORE YOU WERE BORN YOU AGREED ON HELPING OTHERS (3 rule)

ENJOY IN MUSIC (7th rule)

STRIVE FOR WISDOM (8th rule)

Wisdom is not behaviour. Behaviour is knowledge that can be reached from numerous of recourses: books, schools, media and experiences. It is measured by IQ. A person can be of an exceptional intelligence but without any gram of wisdom. Wisdom is a use of behaviour, is deliberated, selected decision for acting or not acting, considering welfare of all involved.

The Earth does not demand from us to go to school or to get a degree. Reading and writing are useful but not necessary for successful spiritual journey that we are living as human beings.

You have to strive for wise acting, considering the fact that all souls live human experience, that we all are visitors and guests on our mother Earth.

A proof of wisdom is to honour a purpose of all things and do what is in the highest benefit of life all over.

LEARN SELF-DISCIPLINE (9th rule)