The Elysia Skye Breast Cancer Organization was started in July 2008 by breast cancer survivor, Elysia Skye. We are creating a global community, working towards a decrease in the risk of cancer through PREVENTION. This means education, empowerment and an understanding of the physical effect of a positive perspective. Our mission is to educate young women and men on cancer prevention, to raise awareness about cancer in women under 40 and to share a message of love, laughter and gratitude during trauma and illness. We also raise funds and act as a donation platform for those affected by cancer at any age.
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THE ELYSIA SKYE GUIDE TO A SELF-BREAST EXAMINATION
THE ELYSIA SKYE GUIDE TO A SELF-BREAST EXAMINATION
AKA
SQUEEZE YOUR TITTIES AND MAKE SURE THEY’RE GOOD TO GO!
You don’t always get it right the first time, so you’ll have to practice and you might want to ask your doctor to show you how the first time. If you don’t have a doctor, then check yourself even more often. It’s all part of loving yourself. There’s nothing wrong with giving your beautiful boobs a healthy once over from time to time.
The best time to examine your breasts is usually one week after your period begins, after your boobs stop being sore or swollen. If your period is irregular, or if you have stopped menstruating due to menopause, chemo or the removal of your uterus (hysterectomy), do your examination on a day of the month that’s easy to remember. I like the 15th of the month. Your bills are already paid, so there’s one less thing to worry about. J
Women who are pregnant or breast-feeding should check their breasts every month. Breast-feeding mothers can examine their breasts after a feeding or after using a breast pump so that the breasts have as little milk as possible, making the examination easier and more comfortable. You don’t want to make any unnecessary messes, or waste any milk. Think of all the fat babies out there who would be mad. One of them might be yours.
- Now to get started, take off your shirt and bra (if you’re wearing one). If not then soar free my child! Gravity and you can duke it out after 40). Now lye down on your bed or the floor so your breast tissue spreads evenly over your chest wall and is as thin as possible, making it much easier to feel all your breast tissue.
- Use the pads of the three middle fingers of your left hand—not your fingertips—to check your right breast. Move your fingers slowly in small circles, about the size of a dime, over and over and all around.
- Use three different levels of pressure to feel of all your breast tissue. Light pressure is needed to feel the tissue close to the skin surface. Medium pressure is used to feel a little deeper, and firm pressure is used to feel your tissue close to your breastbone and ribs. A firm ridge in the lower curve of each breast is normal. Don’t be impatient, it could save your life. Use each pressure level to feel your breast tissue before moving on to the next spot.
- Check your entire breast using a lengthwise strip pattern. That’s vertical, for you fashionistas out there. Feel all of the tissue from the collarbone to the bra line and from the armpit to the breastbone. Start in the armpit and work down to the bottom of the bra line. Move one finger-width toward the middle and work up to the collarbone. Repeat until you have covered the entire breast. Repeat this procedure for your left breast. It’s like a gentle massage, so if you get good at it, you can do this to your boyfriend’s back and he’ll think you’re a sexual goddess.
You also can examine your breasts using a spiral pattern. Again, use three different levels of pressure to examine all your breast tissue. Avoid lifting your fingers away from the skin as you feel for lumps, unusual thicknesses, or changes of any kind. If it helps to use a little bit of lotion go ahead. I really like Origins white peach, and so does Oprah. I also like Udder cream. That’s what I used during radiation.
You can also check your breasts while in the shower.
Soapy fingers slide easily across the breast and may increase your chances of detecting a change. This is how I found both my lumps, and remember I wasn’t even checking!
- While standing in a shower, place one arm over your head and lightly soap your breast on that side.
- Then, using the flat surface of your fingers—not the fingertips—gently move your hand over your breast (in the strip pattern described above), feeling carefully for any lumps or thickened areas. Since you’re in the shower, feel free to squeeze them and sing to them. I recommend Donna Summer or Kesha if you’re really gonna get into it.
Most breast tissue has some lumps or thick tissue. So if you feel something, this does not mean you have cancer. Don’t freak out, don’t panic. But always trust your intuition. When in doubt about a particular lump, check your other breast. If you find the same kind of lump in the same area on the other breast, both breasts are probably normal. Pay attention to any lump that feels much harder than the rest of your breast. To be safe, you should get it checked by a professional if you find anything. A simple ultrasound should clear you of any hypochondria you might have developed by being a woman.
Here are a couple symptoms that something could be wrong with your breasts. And don’t be stubborn and ignore them if one of them happens to you.
* Any new lump. It may or may not be painful to touch.
* Unusual thick areas.
* Sticky or bloody discharge from your nipples.
* Any changes in the skin of your breasts or nipples, such as puckering or dimpling.
* An unusual increase in the size of one breast.
* One breast unusually lower than the other.
EMAIL ME WITH ANY QUESTIONS AT 36C@LAUGHABOUTCANCER.ORG
If you find anything suspicious, and you feel that you cannot afford to get it checked out, my foundation will help you discover options you may not know you had.
With Love and Gratitude,
Elysia Skye