Last week, I had a really bad night's sleep, but had set my alarm to wake me early to go running. As I lay in the dark, I had contemplated blowing my run off, but really, I was already awake & decided to use that time productively.
Before I headed out, I checked my email & overnight had received an email from my sister letting me know that she had been diagnosed with Lobular Carcinoma In Situ (LCIS). LCIS is defined as:
"Lobular carcinoma in situ is a condition caused by unusual cells in the lobules of the breast.
It is usually not considered cancer, but it can indicate an increased risk of future cancer. Unlike Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS), LCIS is not associated with calcification, and is typically an incidental finding in a biopsy performed for another reason."
There were two lumps close together, which her surgeon removed. Her doctors are treating it as Zero Stage Breast Cancer, although she has not officially been diagnosed as having Breast Cancer, however there is the dreaded "carcinoma" word in the title.
Prior to this discovery, my chances for getting breast cancer due to my mothers illness (View my story here) were slightly higher than that of any other woman. Now, with my sister being diagnosed with LCIS, my risk of getting breast cancer increases 4 times what it was.
So, I was really glad that I had gotten up early to go running. Running allows me to process information. Although when I headed out for my run, I was experiencing a whole host of emotions, by the time I returned, I felt like I had digested much of the information, and really come back home with my head on straight.
When I returned, my husband, Gary was awake & I told him the news, and one of his first questions was, "What are you going to do?"
So if you watched the video of my story, you know that my Mother's battle with breast cancer is why I do what I do – as a professional as well as my own health behaviors. The reason I exercise and eat nutritious foods that are good for my body is so that I can say without a doubt that I have done everything environmentally to reduce my risk of getting breast cancer. Additionally, I know that IF I am diagnosed with the disease, not only will I not second guess myself, but I will also know that my body is as strong as possible for fighting the disease and coping with the treatments.
I can't change my genetics. I can influence my environment. I can control what goes in my body and how it moves. I can be healthy physically and mentally. When we're born, we are all dealt a hand of cards; how we play those cards determines our quality of life. I may not have started playing my cards wisely until my thirties, but I realize that it's never too late to start.