CrossFit and Cancer

A blog to keep family and friends informed and to help anyone else who may have a similar diagnosis!

I am a 37 year old woman, mother of 2/stepmom of 3, wife of an incredible man, owner of Kinetic Grit CrossFit, and army veteran of 9 years. I am a daughter, a sister, a mother, a friend, a wife, a business owner....and I am an open book. I have found guidance and hope from the brave women before me who have shared their stories, and I hope I can pay it forward.

I always joke that I am never healthy for the CrossFit Open. 2016 and 2019 was a low back injury. 2021 was a terrible case of Montezuma's revenge after a trip to Mexico. Coming in to 2022, I was feeling like it might be my year (knock on wood). My body had another plan for me. Every week of the open signified a new step towards finding out I had cancer.

22.1 - Two weeks prior, I found a lump about the size of a peanut on my left breast. I thought that I had perhaps pissed off some tissue bench pressing. It was still there the Monday of the open and could not wait any longer. My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 37 - so I was not willing to take any chances - it just so happens that I am 37 right now. I made the call. Because of my family history, a mammogram and ultrasound was scheduled immediately - for 1PM that Friday. Thursday afternoon 22.1 was announced:

AMRAP15 - 3 wall walks, 12 alternating dumbbell snatches, 15 box jump over

Friday afternoon, at 1PM, I reported for my mammogram. It wasn't my first. I had a baseline when I was 30. I knew that I had dense breast tissue that not only makes it harder to read the images but also makes you at higher risk for breast cancer.

I was then shuffled to the next room for my ultrasound. I laid there trying to get a read on the technician, but I am sure they are trained to have a good poker face. She showed me the lump on the screen. I stared at it, almost expecting it to have a heartbeat. I tried to remember everything I saw so that I google the images later to try to find any clues about what the results may be.