How Did I Develop Cancer, Anyway?

One of the reasons I was in denial about having cancer for so long is that I felt I was doing all the things they recommend for preventing cancer. While I do have some family history of cancer, I have none on my mother's side of the family. Two aunts and a first cousin on my father's side died of breast cancer, however. I breast fed all four of my children--the last one I nursed for three years (and if she had had her way, I would have nursed even longer!). I followed a healthy diet (for the most part). I practiced auto-urine therapy on a regular basis (see previous post about this therapy). I checked my breasts often and had my massage therapist massage my breasts and also check for lumps. When I discovered the lump (that I now know is cancerous), it already felt rather large. I was surprised that it had appeared without earlier detection--so I thought it was probably a fibroid of some kind. My GP checked it, and noted that it moved freely--also a good sign. In the beginning, the lump seemed to "wax and wane," sometimes seeming larger, sometimes smaller. A thermogram didn't indicate a characteristic cancer-looking heat pattern.

I wonder why I developed cancer?

One explanation has to do with trauma to the tissues. I had read that one potential problem with mammograms is that the machine presses the delicate breast tissue, possibly damaging it so that cancer cells could get started there. I had avoided mammograms for this reason. However, seven years ago I did damage my breast tissue significantly.

I was in Russia with my then four year old daughter. We were on our way home, and leaving from the older airport in Moscow (a horrible airport!) To get to my gate, we had to go through a hallway that had been added onto the main building, and the hallway was about 2 inches higher than the floor of the main building. There was no warning (or if there was, it was in Russian), and I was hurrying along, laden down with our baggage. I tripped on the lip and fell flat on my face and chest. I was carrying a bag over my left shoulder, and the bag broke my fall a little on that side, but the right breast came down hard on the concrete floor--BLAM! I was dazed and shaken up, but able to get up and continue on to the plane. I always carry Bach's Rescue Remedy with me in my purse, and I took some of it which helped calm me down.

By the time we got to New York, my right breast was showing signs of bruising (along with my face and shoulder), and it was sore for several weeks after that.

My friend Kyla, who is a massage therapist and lymphodema specialist (she massages the lymph system to help move lymph along), told me that many of her clients had told her that their cancers appeared in locations where they had previous physical trauma. I feel certain that the fall in Russia was the beginning of my cancer.

I don't know if there would be any way to prevent cancer from forming after a physical injury. If I had realized the danger, perhaps I would have been more diligent about checking for cancer, and I could have caught this much earlier.