It can be tricky to remember to do your monthly beast self-exams, but they are important to make sure you detect any signs of possible breast cancer early. Here are some tips to make sure you do not forget this important health preventative measure.
1) Keep a sign in your shower – It may seem a bit strange, but one of the best ways to remember to give yourself a self-exam is by hanging a small sign on your shower. One of my employers gave these out to raise awareness for breast cancer, and it really is a great way to be reminded of the self-exam on a daily basis. You may not want to have this up if you have a lot of guests, but it can make a great reminder.
2) Put it in your calendar– Schedule your monthly breast exam in your calendar and make sure you stick to it. Treat it as anything else you might have in your calendar. You can always cross it off your list when you are done as a way to make sure that you don’t forget.
3) Same day every month – You can always perform your breast exam on the same day of every month. Choose a day that is easy to remember, like the first or the last of the month, that way you cannot forget. You do not need to worry about writing it in your calendar if you are used to the same day. Make sure you time it correctly with your menstrual calendar that can interfere with your cycle.
4) Enlist help – Talk to your partner about helping out with your monthly self-exam and make sure they remember as well. Choose a monthly date night, or a special marker to remember that it is time to check.
5) Program an alarm – These days you can set an alarm on your smartphone to remind you once a month that you can use to remind you when it is time to do an exam.
6) There is an app for that – There are several apps available that can show you how to do an exam and remind you when it is time. Most of the apps are free and are easy to download. I have Pink Bra which includes a great how-to cartoon video and a reminder alarm.
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