Jonna's journey with breast cancer
Donation protected
Let me start from the beginning. Many of you already know the whole story but it may feel good to get it in writing, for myself. And some of you are just now learning about my diagnosis of breast cancer.
I basically discovered my breast cancer on my own and here is how it all started. I work out twice a week with a trainer, I call him ‘my Mario’ but he is really everybody’s Mario. We workout in a small group doing kick boxing, boxing and strength training. Love it! Anyway, once a month we do assessments and each time we did this one assessment, I would have discomfort in my left breast. I always blamed it on nursing. Thinking that I was just not giving milk equally on each side, or something. This went on for months.
Finally, in January, I went home and gave myself a breast exam and sure enough, there was a hard lump about the size of a walnut. I called my doctor the next day. Eventually got into the doctor who ordered me a mammogram. I finally get to the mammogram at the end of January only to be told I have ‘dense’ breast and that it is “nothing scary”. When I specifically asked about the lump, I was told again, “it is nothing scary”. They wanted to blame it on the fact that I was a nursing mum, it must be mastitis or a clogged milk duct, or hormones. I went to my follow-up appointment at my doctor in February , she asked how my lump was, any changes. I told that it was now twice as big and hurt really bad, that I was having shooting pains through my nipple. Her response, “huh”. Again, hormones, clogged duct, all because I was a nursing mum. And sent me on my way.
By this time, it is April and my lump is so large that you can feel it when you hug me, my bras are not fitting right and it stands on its own when I lie back. I also now feel a lump in my arm pit. I skip my doctor and go to a breast specialist. They get me in right away and give me an ultrasound. I can see that the ultrasound is showing a lot of black. Black is not good. Dr. Ludington’s shoulders slumped and I knew. However, being a very positive person, I told him it was okay, we would get a biopsy and then know for sure. He knew. I had the biopsy the next day and the following Monday, April 25th 2016, I was diagnosed with Invasive ductal Carcinoma (IDC) Triple Negative Cancer. And that my friends is the beginning of a very long journey.
I hope you join me.
Much love,
Jonna
Money given to Jonna's gofundme campaign will go to cover medical expenses and lost wages.
I basically discovered my breast cancer on my own and here is how it all started. I work out twice a week with a trainer, I call him ‘my Mario’ but he is really everybody’s Mario. We workout in a small group doing kick boxing, boxing and strength training. Love it! Anyway, once a month we do assessments and each time we did this one assessment, I would have discomfort in my left breast. I always blamed it on nursing. Thinking that I was just not giving milk equally on each side, or something. This went on for months.
Finally, in January, I went home and gave myself a breast exam and sure enough, there was a hard lump about the size of a walnut. I called my doctor the next day. Eventually got into the doctor who ordered me a mammogram. I finally get to the mammogram at the end of January only to be told I have ‘dense’ breast and that it is “nothing scary”. When I specifically asked about the lump, I was told again, “it is nothing scary”. They wanted to blame it on the fact that I was a nursing mum, it must be mastitis or a clogged milk duct, or hormones. I went to my follow-up appointment at my doctor in February , she asked how my lump was, any changes. I told that it was now twice as big and hurt really bad, that I was having shooting pains through my nipple. Her response, “huh”. Again, hormones, clogged duct, all because I was a nursing mum. And sent me on my way.
By this time, it is April and my lump is so large that you can feel it when you hug me, my bras are not fitting right and it stands on its own when I lie back. I also now feel a lump in my arm pit. I skip my doctor and go to a breast specialist. They get me in right away and give me an ultrasound. I can see that the ultrasound is showing a lot of black. Black is not good. Dr. Ludington’s shoulders slumped and I knew. However, being a very positive person, I told him it was okay, we would get a biopsy and then know for sure. He knew. I had the biopsy the next day and the following Monday, April 25th 2016, I was diagnosed with Invasive ductal Carcinoma (IDC) Triple Negative Cancer. And that my friends is the beginning of a very long journey.
I hope you join me.
Much love,
Jonna
Money given to Jonna's gofundme campaign will go to cover medical expenses and lost wages.
Organizer and beneficiary
Lindsey Pernell Silveira
Organizer
Chico, CA
Jonna Del Fava
Beneficiary
