Today, I finally went for my mammogram.
As I tend to do, I had already rescheduled my appointment once. Then, last week, the hospital had to reschedule it because of staffing issues. Like many medical appointments, this one was especially anxiety-provoking for me.
But I went.
And as simple as that may sound, I’m proud of myself. Because every appointment I keep, every question I ask, and every recommendation I follow is another way of advocating for my health.
When I visited the Neurofibromatosis (NF1) Clinic earlier this year, the clinician recommended that I have mammograms more frequently than the usual screening schedule. It was there that I learned women with Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1) have an increased risk of developing breast cancer.
If there’s one thing my 12-year mental health journey has taught me, it’s that advocating for my health isn’t optional. I may not be able to control having NF1, but I can control whether I show up for my appointments, ask the difficult questions, and follow the recommendations designed to help protect my health.
I won’t pretend it’s easy. There are days when advocating for my mental health, my NF1, and the neurological challenges I live with daily feels like a full-time job. Some days, I’m simply exhausted by it all. But I’ve learned that caring for myself doesn’t mean I have to feel fearless. It means choosing, whenever I can, to keep showing up, even when anxiety, exhaustion, or frustration tell me not to.
One of the hardest parts of living with a rare condition is that so few people know much about it. Before my own diagnosis, I had never even heard of NF1, let alone known that it could increase the risk of breast cancer, among so many other things.
I’m sharing this in the hope that it reaches someone who needs to hear it. If you have NF1, talk to your healthcare provider about the breast cancer screening recommendations that are right for you. And if you’ve been putting off your own mammogram or other important health screenings, consider this your gentle reminder to make that appointment.
Taking care of ourselves isn’t always easy. Sometimes it means facing our anxiety and showing up anyway.
Caring for ourselves is one of the most powerful forms of self-advocacy we have.
And after a very hot and tiresome day today, I’m celebrating one small victory the best way I know how. Since it also happens to be National Mac and Cheese Day, a bowl of my ultimate comfort food was needed. Sometimes self-care looks like advocating for your health. And sometimes it looks like giving yourself permission to enjoy a little comfort after doing something hard.
#mammagram #selfadvocacy #selfcare #nationalmacandcheeseday #mentalhealth #neurofibromatosis #comfortfood
YouAreEnough 