When I noticed a lump in my armpit, back in the summer of 2011, I never thought it would evolve into something serious. First, if you happen to find something like this, don’t do what I did. Go and get checked immediately. You can avoid a lot of problems later on down the road. Don’t try to self-diagnosis yourself by going online and researching. Get to the doctor or hospital fast.
At the time, my husband was attending Culinary School in San Diego, while I was living with my family in Phoenix (as we are currently), when I noticed a small, tiny lump in my armpit. I pretty much ignored it, thinking it was nothing more than a pimple, or perhaps an ingrown hair.
Over time, it grew larger. So, I went and looked online to see if I could learn what it was. As I said above, this is a big mistake. NEVER try to self-diagnose any health problems. Go and see a doctor right away. That’s what they are for.
Anyway, I assumed it was just a cyst, and began researching all sorts of home remedies and using all kinds of over the counter products to remove the lump in my armpit. Nothing worked, and by December of 2011, it had grown to the size of a lemon. At the time, I had no income and no insurance, so my brother offered to pay to take me to an Urgent Care center.
Now, around this time, I also noticed that my left testicle had become enlarged. At the Urgent Care Center, the doctor looked at the armpit lump, and I told her about the testicle issue. She would not do anything with the lump, and told me to go straight to the Emergency Room.
So, off we went to the hospital, where they examined me, and then set up an appointment for me to see a Urologist, because of the testicle lump, as they felt the “lump in my armpit” and the enlarged testicle, could be connected.
In tomorrow’s post, I’ll write about my experience with the Urologist, and how he actually helped set everything in motion, for me to get the medical care I needed.
If you are reading this, and are noticing similar issues, PLEASE go to the hospital or see a doctor right away. Don’t wait around like I did. I could have avoided a lot of issues, if I had taken the lump in my armpit more seriously.