I am torn with this discussion.  Four years ago my sister-in-law  and I both 
found lumps on the chest wall of our left breasts.  Both lumps  were not 
revealed by digital exam.  We both had mammograms that  discovered them.  Our 
biopsies were within two days of each other, and both  of us needed a sonographer 
to help find the lump to be biopsied.  We found  out our results on the same 
day.  I barely had 15 minutes to revel in my  BENIGN diagnosis.  It was all too 
surreal.  Within minutes, my  sister-in-law called with her malignant news.
 
From then on, it was like a whirlwind.  I won't bore you with the  details.  
I attended her funeral last November.  We don't know  whether we are benign or 
malignant by how it feels on the outside.  Some  people, like my 
sister-in-law Jill Albert, find out too late.  Please read  about her and the family she 
left behind at _www.jajf.org_ (http://www.jajf.org)  
 
Still I worry about whether having annual mammograms greatly increases the  
risk of breast cancer.  At this point, I am too afraid not to  know.  My 
sister-in-law had several benign experiences before she  got the real deal.  Later 
tests revealed that she was high risk for BRCA 1  and BRCA 2.  She left behind 
two children, ages 11 and 13, and a  husband of 17 years.   Until a better 
diagnostic comes along, I  suppose I will stick with regular mammogram 
screenings.   
 
 

Debbie Albert, RN, Ph.D., LMHC, IBCLC, RLC
Advanced Lactation  Care, Inc.  
Tampa, FL





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