The Mammogram That Saved My Life: This is Your Reminder to NEVER Skip Yours
Every October for the past five years, I’ve thought about writing this post
Every year, I hesitated.
Not because I didn’t want to talk about it, but because it’s still emotional. But it always will be because it felt like I truly flirted with death. But this month - Breast Cancer Awareness Month - feels like the right time.
I’m here today because I went to my mammogram. That’s it. That simple, boring, uncomfortable, “I’ll get to it later” appointment saved my life. And I am grateful every single day for going.
The Backstory
In March 2020, just as the world was starting to shut down for COVID-19, I went in for a regular annual physical. My doctor reminded me that since I was done breastfeeding (my daughter was only 9 months old at the time) and had just turned 40 earlier that year, it was time for my first mammogram.
I had no family history of breast cancer. No symptoms. Nothing suspicious. I even remember thinking, “I’ll probably get a false positive - they always say that happens on your first one.”
But something in me decided to go that day. I was already out, and it seemed easy enough to check it off the list. So I did.
The Call
The next day, my doctor’s office called and asked me to come back for another screening. At that point, the pandemic headlines were ramping up. Everyone was being told to stay home, to avoid unnecessary appointments. I figured that I would go in soon, but wait for this all to blow over (little did I know how long that would be!). But when the nurse said, “We really need you to come in,” I felt that deep gut feeling that this mattered.
That second screening led to a biopsy. I went alone because I wasn’t allowed to bring anyone with me, masked, anxious, walking into what felt like a scene from E.T. - everything wrapped in plastic, everyone in full PPE.
The staff was incredibly kind. They knew I couldn’t bring anyone with me. A few days later, the call came: It’s breast cancer.
Navigating the Unknown…Alone
I was diagnosed with stage 1A breast cancer - pretty much as early as it can be caught - but hearing those words still made the world tilt. I remember standing outside, holding my baby, phone in hand, crying to a friend: “How can I have breast cancer?” Everything was so heavy already, and now this?
No one knew what the coming months would hold - not for me, not for the world. I didn’t know if I’d need chemo, if I’d be able to see my daughter’s second birthday, or if treatment would make me vulnerable to this new virus everyone was terrified of and didn’t understand.
Eventually, we built a plan: lumpectomy, six weeks of radiation, and five years of medication. I did it all - alone in waiting rooms, masked, scared, but grateful that I was a lucky one. Many women weren’t able to get their mammogram as planned, or were delayed by months or longer.
And now, five years later, I’m cancer-free. Every scan since 2020 has been clear. But I still knock on wood everytime I say that.
The Lesson
I tell this story because if I had waited even a week, it might have been a different story. The pandemic shut down mammogram appointments just days after mine. Early detection saved my life - literally. I feel sick everytime I think about how I almost just left because I wanted to go for a walk and grab a coffee, with a plan to just go back “sometime next week.”
So to my midlife women, especially those juggling families, careers, and everything in between: please don’t skip your mammogram. Even if you think you’re too busy, even if you think your risk is low, even if your brain (and your calendar) are full.
The Executive Function Connection
If you’re like many of my readers, executive functioning challenges can make it hard to prioritize your own care. You might forget to schedule that appointment, or put it off because it feels stressful or inconvenient.
But this is one of those moments where your systems and reminders matter.
Put a recurring reminder on your calendar for your birthday month every year: “Schedule my mammogram.”
Ask a friend to do it with you and hold each other accountable.
Keep your health care folder or app notes updated so it’s easier to follow through.
And if you’ve been putting it off? Stop reading right now and call your doctor’s office to schedule one.
Because sometimes, the most powerful form of self-care isn’t a bubble bath - it’s the phone call that keeps you alive.
I Am Grateful Everyday
To everyone who supported me - my family, friends, and the people who sent funny texts as I drove to radiation - you carried me.
And to every woman reading this: please, schedule your screening. You never know - it could be the thing that gives you five more years, and counting. 💗
Disclaimer: While Dr. Liz is a licensed psychologist, the information provided herein is intended solely for educational purposes. Services offered by Empowered Focus, LLC are not to be considered a substitute for mental health therapy. Individuals requiring mental health therapy are advised to seek support from a qualified mental health provider in their respective localities. A valuable resource for locating such providers is Psychology Today.