"Flat Epithelial Atypia (FEA) extensively involving a fibroadenoma."

That was the diagnosis.

Fibroadenoma - common, benign, I've had one removed before merely because of its large size, and this one is small = no big deal.

"Atypia" -- well, as a dear oncologist friend of mine put it, it's "cells that are going the way you don't want them to."

Still...

IT'S NOT CANCER.

Thank God.

But, I have

a family history of breast cancer,

dense breast tissue,

a history of fibroadenomas,

a few abnormal mammos and ultrasounds and an abnormal MRI,

and a myRisk as assessment score that put me 9.6% over the threshold for low-risk of ever having breast cancer, making me a candidate for high-risk surveillance, which will include breast MRIs and mammograms every six months for practically ever.

Flat Epithelial Atypia; that and its buddy, the fibroadenoma it has so lovingly attached itself to, is what I will have removed this week.

By choice.

Because I was given the option to wait and have things checked at my next six-month appointment but decided I'm not really a wait-and-see kinda gal.

I'm more of a "get this could be troublesome thing outta me and anything else you must so I can go on doin' my thing and caring for my little nuggets without worrying about something that may or may not get eventually worse."

Not everyone would choose to go under anesthesia and take a scalpel to the boob for something that doesn't entirely demand it be removed.

But for me, I'm looking forward to the nice 70-minute nap and a bit of more certainty as to the atypia and it truly not being anything that needs further attention.

You know, when it comes to your health, you can't really ever be too on top of it.

In fact, it's super easy to not be on top of it all as it's just another ball you must juggle.

But here's what you've got to do, and it's what I'm doing and that is staying focused on the fact that tending to your health, even when it's inconvenient or takes you out of the game for a few hours or days, is worth every not-covered-by-insurance dollar and your time.

Busy people tend to think that they are immune to or can ignore or will away ill health, but they can't.
You can't.

'Cause, you know what keeps you healthy?

It's not simply your desire to be; it's your decision to have regular checkups, annual physicals, mammos, colonoscopies, getting your flu shot, taking your meds, using vitamins, and not writing off any lingering aches and pains as just a lame side effect of adulthood.

Get checked,

do your own research when you've got ish going on,

get a second opinion if you're not sold on the first,

listen to the experts,

follow your gut,

and just remember that taking care of yourself is always the correct choice.