Chapter 1: Something Is Not Feeling Right

I can smell the Christmas breeze. It's the most wonderful time of the year as they say. Every family, every home, people are so excited to decorate their houses with lanterns and bright colorful lights. Seems like at this time of the year problems or even sufferrings no longer exist. Everyone looks so vibrant with their bright smiles.

I'm done with today's shopping spree. I just bought my full wardrobe for our company's upcoming year end party. It's great to celebrate after months of hardwork pressured activities and deadlines. I'm so ready to party!

I started to try the new strapless bodices I bought from a famous brand. I specifically bought the styles to check and match with my semi see through royal blue long dress or with the silky black cocktail dress.

As I was about to wear the bodices, I noticed that something's different as I touch my right breast. Whoah! What is this? I feel like there's a lump near my chest bone, something that is never been there before. I became anxious that I stopped what I'm doing, get my phone and search the internet.

Search: Lumps in the breast. . .

Result: Cysts, Fibroadenoma, Breast Cancer

I tried to look for symptoms in each category. They say don't look into the internet for medical information because most of the time it will make you become paranoid or worry too much about something that might be exaggeratedly explained.

And so I became paranoid. This is because some of the symptoms that I searched for breast cancer seems like true to what I am observing in my right breast. Immovable lump, inverted nipple, size slightly different from the left. I just remembered my sister, who recently had a surgery to remove a cyst in her breast. I called her to check.

Hi sis! "Oh Hello" my sister responded from the other line. "What's up? Can I disturb you for a moment?" I started the conversation trying to check if she's not busy to chat with me. My sister is an Interior Designer. Apart from house designs I call her from time to time to seek advice for furnitures, drapperies, bed coverings and all. But this time, I called for medical advice thinking that perhaps her case might be similar to mine. I'm crossing my fingers.

"Sis?" She asked while I'm in my deep thoughts. "Oh what?" I said when I came back to reality. "What advice do you need this time?" She replied. "Hmmm, it's just that I felt a lump in my breast and I'm not sure if it's something serious or not. I searched the internet and it's suggesting it might be breast cancer, but I'm hoping that it's just a cyst like yours. What should I do?" I told her my doubts. "Whether serious or not, it's best to have it checked. Consult a doctor and have it checked. Don't conclude based on what you read in the internet." She responded. "Ugh ok then, thank you Sis. I'll hang up now, I will try to have a doctor's consultation within this week. Thanks for you time." "No worries. Take care." Then she hangs up.

I decided to observe the lump within 7 days. I'm hoping it might be a normal occurence because I just had my period last week. It might subside for sure. Let's wait and observe.