This is a tribute to an especially caring health consultant/masseuse therapist in my life, Mickee, who educated me in basic breast care, amongst many other things.

During a massage, I complained to Mickee about very sore lumps in my right armpit. Of the two, one was the size of my little finger, reaching from the center of the pit into the breast with a smaller companion reaching upwards towards the shoulder. They both were very sore to the touch; sore enough to interfere with the normal positioning of my arm. Any movement of my right arm would rub and cause more discomfort.

The mental chatter was along the line of "Oh no, oh no, oh no!"

Since nursing my daughters (youngest now 29) I have had very sensitive breasts, with dozens of little fibroid cysts. Infrequent mammograms, (just who invented this procedure?) were very painful. Even the lure of finally being able to join the local Dragon Boat Team for breast cancer survivors wasn't enough to make the prospect of breast cancer appealing.

Under Mickee's tutelage, I learned about breast manipulation. This could save your life by preventing breast cancer. Learn this procedure and make it part of your daily routine:

1. In the shower while slippery with soap, I was to grasp each breast firmly and rotate each several times while applying pressure with my palms in a circular motion to the sides nearest the armpits.

2. Then firmly draw a line with my fingers from the base of the breast/pit junction up to the collarbone (clavicle).

3. Then firmly draw a line with my fingers from the inside of the elbow up to the collarbone (clavicle). This helps drain the lymphatic nodes and "shows" the path to drainage.

The results were incredible. Within a few days the soreness was greatly lessened. Within three weeks, the lumps were gone. Completely. For the first time since nursing my babies over 30 years ago, there are no lumps or cysts in my breasts.

I have told every woman willing to listen about this method of self-help and self-maintenance. It isn't necessary to wait for a problem to develop to begin self-care. Please help pass on the message.

Give them a twirl ladies - daily!

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