Have you ever been in a dangerous situation? What was it, how did you deal with it and how has it changed what you do moving forward?
On October 24, 2023, while undergoing an examination of my right breast in a doctor’s office—with the doctor sitting behind a desk and my mom by my side—I heard some of the worst news I can recall up to that point. The doctor told me, “You have cancer”…
At first, the fear that overwhelmed me wasn’t for myself, but for my mom. The fact that she found out in such a sudden way was very worrying to me. Then, after leaving the office, getting home, and reliving the moment I heard the news with a clear head, I realized that, most of the time, the word “cancer” is synonymous with “death.” I thought of my children; they were constantly on my mind. I tried to think of them as my source of inspiration to draw strength and keep fighting against what I knew was coming—tests, treatments, and so much more…
After that diagnosis, when I underwent further tests and looked more closely into what another medical center had initially thought I had, it turned out that it wasn’t what they had told me; it was a hasty diagnosis and, of course, completely WRONG. What was initially thought to be cancer turned out to be mastitis—a rare condition where my breast became completely filled with pus. There was treatment, medication, a happy ending, and of course, after all that, a life of prevention.
From that moment on, I came to understand many things, such as: health is no game; being proactive can save you; life is fleeting and we can lose it in a matter of seconds; we must prepare our children for an independent life (no matter their age); and we must live fully without putting ourselves at risk.