The title might be wondrous but it is a good catch for us to be knowledgeable about this condition. Human body is made up of billions of smaller structures of four major kinds: cells, tissues, organs, and systems. Cells are the building blocks of every organism to live. Tissues are the assemblage of cells that make up a certain organ. For instance, a group cells are able to bind each other in order to form a kidney, lung, heart, etc. When the organs are finally formed, it starts a system that delivers the functions throughout the body. In this article, we will focus on the certain tissues located in female’s body—the breast. With all my heart, I encourage all the women out there to be more conscious and cautious in maintaining the proper health services and care that our body really needs.

Ready your eyes because it is quite a long story.

In my 24 years of life, I have never ever quite imagined that I would undergone a surgery. In my mind, it will be the time of when I finally starting a family and ready for pregnancy, this is the idea I am thinking always that about a surgery (either caesarian session or normal delivery). To confirm this, I am. I undergone a surgery because of this condition called Fibroadenoma. I gather enough strength to narrate this so here’s my story about this unexpected yet relief moment of my life.

It was a blissful morning of April 2017 where my block mates were preparing bunch of documents and paper works because we were about to finalize the requirements for graduation. We planned to meet up at exactly 8 in the morning in order to accomplish the errands before 3pm. For me to be on time, I woke up 6am because I prepared myself for 30-40 minutes and the travel between our town and school is ranging from 20-30minutes, depending on the traffic. After the meal, I took a bath properly. As I cleaned my body with soap, I felt a certain solid and moveable mass on the lower left part of my right breast and it made me wonder what was that thing inside my body. While the travel was a bit traffic, I searched the reasons or causes of solid masses in female’s breast on Google. A lot of information had burst and I cannot find the answer, besides it made my mind confused because I read various conditions that led me to ‘what ifs’. The days went well and I became extra busy for graduation and finding a job simultaneously. In short, I became more focused to those things hence I forgot to prioritize my health condition.

May 2020, I was luckily got hired in a certain private school in San Isidro. During that time, my family was my top priority. I have to find a job that will help my father to sustain the needs of the family. My sister next to me was a 4th year college student, the next was a Senior High School student and the youngest was an Elementary student. Before I graduated, plenty of debts were left and needed to pay before due date. It was completely challenging because my sisters and I were both studying and the cost was tough and head-breaking. That’s it, knowing my condition, I chose to neglect myself just to provide what my family needs.

This condition lasted for almost 2 years and half, before I finally convinced myself to conduct a check-up. It was a cold night when I touched that solid mass again and I noticed its size was growing, and I cried deeply as much as I could. Sadness, fear and loneliness ate my whole function that night. I started questioned myself: Is there any thing I have done wrong? Am I bad person? Is it not enough to sacrifice myself for everyone? Do I deserve this kind of pain? Because it really sucks!

Aside from medical check-ups in schools, July 2020 was the very first time I was being checked by an OB-Gyne. I decided to have this check-up because I deserve to know what’s going on inside my body. I told everything I know to the doctor and she touched the solid mass in my right breast.

Doc: “Higa ka, itaas ang dalawang kamay at huminga ng malalim. Sisimulan ko na kapain ha.”

Me: “Sige po Doc.”

I was totally devastated when the doctor stopped and said, “Bukol nga ito, kailangan kita irefer kay Dr. C para mas malaman natin kung ano yan”. I answered, “Doc, delikado po ba yung bukol?”. “Mukang hindi naman, pero kailangan natin mas malaman kung ano yan, gaano kalaki, and honestly saying mas mainam kung ipapabiopsy mo yan. Kaya irerefer kita kay Dr. C kasi isa siyang surgeon. Wag ka mag-alala, magaling yun.”

(Biopsy is an examination of tissue removed from a living body to discover the presence, cause, or extent of a disease or certain condition)

After two days, Dr. C examined my condition. He did the physical examination like the first Doctor did. This time, it became more serious and immediate action is needed. I'll just go over what we talked about.

Dr. C: “Yes, bukol ito at mas maganda kung maiaalis natin siya jan. Meron ka bang kamag-anak na may history of cancer? Marami rin kasi ang pwedeng maging cause niyan like stress, lifestyle, pollution or any environmental harsh”

Me: “Sa pagkakaalam ko po, wala naman po. Sa side ng tatay ko po, thyroid conditions at hika po ang karaniwang sakit. Sa nanay ko naman po, high blood pressure at sort of heart conditions. Ano po yung bukol na ito, Doc?

Dr. C: “Ganito yan, explain ko sayo ng mabuti. Sa tingin ko, yung bukol na iyan, masasabi ko na 80% is hindi masama, but mayroong 20% na kailangan nating malaman kung ano talaga yan. The best way is to have a biopsy or kukuha lang ng tayo ng tissue sa bukol para iexamine. Pwede rin naman na ipatanggal mo na ng buo yung bukol nayan para wala ka ng iniisip, mas mainam din kasi yon kung ipapatanggal mo na ng buo. Malaki na rin kasi, siguro nasa 2 to 3 centimeters na.”

Me: “Sige po Doc, sasabihin ko po sa bahay. Kailan po kung sakali ang operation at papano po yung mangyayari?”

Dr. C: “Magpa-ultrasound ka muna para makita mo kung gaano kalaki or kung ilan ang nandiyan. Wala naman na ako nakapa na iba pang bukol bukod jan. Pero sa totoo lang, kahit hindi ka na magpa-ultrasound kasi it is very obvious na pang-opera na siya. Pero nasasaiyo pa rin ang choice. You have two terms. Since this is a minor surgery, pwedeng gagamit tayo ng general anesthesiology na papatulugin ka or ang lalagyan lang ng anesthesia ay yung part ng breast na bubuksan pero gising ka at naririnig mo yung ginagawa namin. I think, sa itsura mo ngayon na kinakabahan at namumutla, magpageneral anesthesia ka para pag gising mo, wala na, okay na. Out-patient ka naman kaya after ng surgery, you can go home. After your next menstrual cycle, pwede ka na magpa-opera. Since tapos na mens mo ng July, pagkatapos ng mens mo ng August, text ka lang sakin, ischedule na natin yan.

Me: “Okay po Doc” (Halos hindi ako makatayo, nanginginig at hindi mag-sink in sakin yung mga narinig ko during that time. Kahit minor surgery, still it’s surgery at alam kong may mali na nangyayari sa katawan ko).

Before I about to step out the door, Dr. C gave me a smile and courage to face this operation because I told him that at my age, this was the very first check-up I had and the outcome was turned out like this. I got home safely with fear and anxiety, how can I tell my condition to my mom? That I need to undergo a surgery? Where we can find enough money if the cost is expensive? I was just holding my face with my bare two hands, crying and in pain. (Wala pa naman yung surgery pero nasasaktan nako).

I talked to my mother and she was very surprised because even years had passed, I did not told her about this (only the day I knew that I should undergo surgery). As the days went by, she hardly convinced me to have a second opinion to his OB. So, I let her and we went to the clinic for another check-up. The check-up day came and the physical examination was the same like the two doctors did. Her OB-Gyne is a pioneered General Surgeon in UST so she really knew well how human body works, besides she served as a doctor for several decades and almost of the doctors here in Cabiao were her student. Just like what Dr. C told, she also advised me to have ultrasound and undergo a surgery to remove this solid mass in my breast.

I had an ultrasound and the result was just the same as what they said.

My menstruation was in the 5th day so I immediately texted Dr. C to schedule my operation and he scheduled it in 2 days (I chose general anesthesia para paggising ko, sakit mula sa pagkakaopera nalang ang mararamdaman ko). I almost prayed every minute of the day that the operation would be successful and never to be repeated. So, I came in the hospital at exactly 9am, changed clothes and sit in the wheel chair to go in operating room. As the man pushed the chair, I caught a glance to my mother to have enough courage to face it. That time, I want go back, burst in tears and hug her so tight so I can able to surpass this. I entered in operating room, laid me down on the bed and they started to talk to me in order to alleviate my nervousness and attention. Dr. C was finally arrived with eagerness to help me in this burden and started the process. The general anesthesiologist injected the desired amount of anesthesia into my serum and my world turned dim at peace.

My consciousness turned back at 12:30 in the afternoon. Oh, yes! The duration of the sleep was too long to the point that my mother was terribly worried to what was already happening to me (because she was waiting outside the operating room from 9:40am). When I opened my dizzy eyes, everything was moving because I was still under in anesthesia and its effects were not disappeared yet. The nurse noticed my movements so she gave me antibiotics and water (honestly, I was too thirst that time). After this, I finally saw my mother and hold her hand gracefully. (I survived Ma, I survived!!)

Me: “Ma, sobrang hilo ko hindi ako makatayo. Umiikot yung paningin ko.”

Her: “Eh may anesthesia ka pa kasi, ipahinga mo muna sarili mo bago tayo umuwi.”

Me: “Ano balita? Nakita mo yung bukol? Napictureran mo ba? Ano sabi ni Doc?”

Her: “Oo, Nakita ko yung bukol. Pinakita sakin ni Doc. Parang giniling na baboy na pinagdikit-dikit, laman talaga siya na namuo. Malaki na rin pala kaya buti pinaopera na natin. Hindi ko na napictureran at nagaalala ako sayo. Ang tagal mo nga magising at kinabahan na ako, nakailang beses akong magtanong sa nurse. Ang sabi ni Doc, baka nakuha mo raw yun sa mga pagkain ng matataba, masyadong maalat, mamantika at macholesterol kaya ingatan mo na raw yung mga kinakain mo”.

Me: “Osige, di na ako magjaJollibee, joke lang. Minsan nalang hehe.”

We got home safely and very careful to every movement I made. I chose to keep it in secret and did not tell to any relatives primarily because I wanted silence and rest at all. I do not want any issues and chikas either. For almost 2 weeks of medication, I felt good day by day. The hospital texted me that the result of my biopsy was arrived. With fear and anxiousness, I went to the hospital and got the result. I opened the envelope and found out that the solid mass was FIBROADENOMA (approximately 3cm).

What is Fibroadenoma?

Fibroadenomas are common benign (non-cancerous) breast tumors made up of both glandular tissue and stromal (connective) tissue. Fibroadenomas are most common in women in their 20s and 30s, but they can be found in women of any age. They tend to shrink after a woman goes through menopause.

Can fibroadenoma turn into cancer?

Most fibroadenomas don't affect your risk of breast cancer. However, your breast cancer risk might increase slightly if you have a complex fibroadenoma. (Mine is simple fibroadenoma consisting only one).

Are fibroadenomas dangerous?

Fibroadenomas do not usually cause any complications. It is possible that a person may develop breast cancer out of a fibroadenoma, but this is highly unlikely. According to research, only around 0.002 to 0.125 percent of fibroadenomas become cancerous.

What cause Fibroadenoma?

The cause of fibroadenoma is still unknown, but they might be related to reproductive hormones. Fibroadenomas occur more often during your reproductive years, can become bigger during pregnancy or with use of hormone therapy, and might shrink after menopause, when hormone levels decrease.

So, fibroadenoma is a benign or non-cancerous mass in female’s breast. Even its main cause is still unknown and needs further studies, hormones may play a big role in this condition. Dr. C said that unbalanced hormones and diet were the main keys why I had this kind of condition. Moreover, abnormalities in the growth of cells, too much estrogen levels, and physical stress and trauma are some factors that may contribute in growing fibroadenoma. The term fibroadenoma combines the words “fibroma,” meaning a solid mass made up of fibrous tissue (fibrous connective tissue is composed of parallel bundles of collagen fibers and the breasts of the female are mostly made up of connective tissue or taba/laman), and “adenoma,” a mass of glandular tissue (glandular tissue is the part of the breast that makes milk). In short, namuong taba o laman.

Even this condition left scar on my skin, every time I see how long the pain I endured, it marks how strong I am to face this another fight in my life. I have learned in myself that if I can fight in my own, I can win without being burden to anyone. It was really a hard experience that I had this condition and might repeat again, maybe it’s not depending on what and how my body works. So, to keep it safe, I engage myself more in eating fruits and veggies, healthy lifestyle and good environment. It takes a lot of courage to me to be able to share this because I might afraid to be judged. Nevertheless, I chose to construct this article in order to awaken especially women that you must take enough care and love your health as much as you could. You are the only one who responsible in checking and maintaining your body to become healthy and fit. As I closed this chapter, I am deeply hoping that this condition will never ever happen again. Conducting follow up check-ups is also a big help to monitor breast and any conditions in our body.

Health is Wealth!

If your cells want to be happy, make them happier!

PS. (Secret lang natin 'to Te phen haha)