How It All Started

About 8 years ago I pulled a muscle doing jumping jacks. Nothing exciting, but somehow I pulled a muscle located between my chest and shoulder blade. Apparently this muscle is very hard to pull, and just as hard to repair. About 2 years later I finally had enough and went for physical therapy. It helped, but I always seemed to re-pull it somehow over the years.

Again, I re-pulled this stupid muscle doing something. We were remodeling our house, so it could've been from lifting or pulling numerous things. I happened to mention this one day to the girls at work. I explained that I have this annoying pulled muscle and some days the pain shoots from my shoulder blade around my side and to the left side of my breast. These two co-workers told me I better go to my OBGYN because it cold be something serious like breast cancer! What?! Oh, that's just silly I thought to myself. How could I have breast cancer? I'm only 36 years old!? It's just a pulled muscle!

About 15 minutes later I happened to speak to one of our teachers who just so happened to recently recover from breast cancer. During this conversation she mentioned that 90% of breast cancer starts in the left breast! I felt a warm sensation run from the top of my head down to my arms! I was immediately concerned. Without mentioning anything to anyone, I went to grab my cell phone. Of all days, I left my cell phone at home. I knew if I didn't call my doctor right now I would chicken out. I know myself well enough. So, I leaned over and asked my dear, sweet cubical buddy if I could borrow her cell phone to make a quick call.

I made an appointment to see one of the Nurse Practitioners at my OBGYN office that following Tuesday. I was surprised how concerned I was when I went home that day. I did some research on the web about breast cancer (almost fainted due to my over active imagination!), and noticed pain was usually not associated with breast cancer. I didn't have a lump or anything, but I was still unsettled about it. I chatted with my husband, and mentioned that maybe I should just cancel the appointment. I probably don't have it, and for goodness sakes, I'm only 36! "Don't you dare cancel that appointment", my husband told me! "You would be fortunate if they caught something (like cancer) early. You'd regret it if you waited a year down the road", he encouraged me.