Lumps

My close gal frenz sent me an sms 2 days ago that she has booked her operation for her surgery.

Just the start of the new year, she has to discover this horrible news that the twitching of her finger for the last 4 years is due to a brain tumor sitting on her nerves.

She tried to cast it off as a minor issue but I know she is worried like hell.

So am I for her.

She will be placed under local anaesthetic, of which the doctor will shave off part of her hair, cut open the skin and flesh, and will proceed to saw open her skull.

When the brain is exposed, she will be woken up and be asked to move her fingers throughout the operation so that the doctor can gauge the precise position to extract the tumor.

I almost puked my lemon tea when I heard that.

Going through a major surgery is bad enough, but to be awake in the middle of it is something that I cannot imagine.

The breaking of my nerves during my minor surgery of the extraction of my wisdom tooth few years ago still sent quivers down my spine till today.

Having someone saw open your skull and shaken awoke in the middle of it, and feel the tugging of your head, knowing someone is cutting out part of your brain, followed by the hammering later is a nightmare not everyone can swallow.

I pray for her.

Courage is only what I can offer her at this point of time.

Lumps and tumors are something that we will never want to cross path in all our lives.

The experience will be a traumatizing one, and considering the high cost of treatment to be incurred too.

Five years back, two of my close friends have also discovered lumps in their breasts.

* why do all of my friends seem to have tumors? *

One of them got it removed but the other friend, knowing hers is benign too, wanted to save the cost of surgery and till this day, still carrying that time bomb around inside her body.

Most lumps are harmless, but most doctors will advise to have it remove coz there are still chances of it turning vicious one day.

I have pursued her many times into a surgery but her stubborness still insists on saving the money.

We women dun spend too much time thinking about our breasts compared to our male counterparts, but still if a lump is detected, a regular mammogram or a ultrasound scan is not too much to ask for.

No doubt that the cost of checkup is steep, but if you can splurge on an ipod or an O2, surely the cost of saving your own life is justifiable.

I am also guilty of not going for regular checkup.

I remember when my other friend has made up her mind to go for the surgery, I have shyly asked her how does a lump feels like or looks like on the breast, coz I am not sure of how to check for one.

The next one hour that followed have us groping and squeezing our own breasts trying to check for lumps. She gave me a whole, life experience lecture from the start of her discovery to her decision to remove the benign mass.

She even put down her bra to let me see the lump in her left breast and let me touched it so that I can know what a real lump feel like, and not fats.

After that intimate sharing session, I will always check for lumps after my menses.

Initially, the groping and squeezing of my own breasts brought a faint flush to my face, as I am not used to groping my breasts.

All the squeezing and pressing carried on for only a few days.

Soon, as with most women, laziness sunk in. I stopped and I dun bother anymore.

For women who have husbands and boyfriends, well.... good for you coz you have someone to unintentionally check it for you. =P

For someone like me, I will TRY to remember to do a check as and when.

I wish lumps will never find any women in the world.