Life. It always has its way of reminding you of what is important.

My reminder came in a more serious form.

Four and a half months ago I went to the "female doctor" for an annual check up. It was only my second time, so I was still a little anxious.

I figured I would just go in and come right back out with no problems just like any normal 21-year old.

Well, that is not what happened. My doctor found a lump in my breast, but he told me it was nothing to worry about.

I went back a month and a half later just to make sure it had disappeared, and to my and my doctor's surprise, the lump was still there.

Again, he told me it was most likely nothing; I was only 21.

So, I wasn't too concerned either, but he sent me to an oncologist to make sure everything was OK.

Another month passed, and it was time for the appointment. I went in knowing the lump would be gone and everything was going to be fine. Besides, I'm just 21, right?

The doctor found the lump, and the nurse performed an ultra sound. After that, my doctor was concerned so he wanted to look at it right away.

Unfortunately he told me there was something there. It wasn't tissue, but an actual mass of something.

He acted concerned, but once again I told myself it wasn't a big deal. I'm only 21.

He showed me what a benign mass looked like, and mine did not look like it at all. Then, he showed me an example of a cancerous mass.

And mine resembled the cancerous mass, although the edges weren't quite as jagged.

OK, now my doctor is acting concerned. Does that mean I should be?

He proceeded to tell me he definitely was worried, but there is only a very small percentage of women under the age of 27 who develop breast cancer.

I knew he was suspicious though. I could tell in his eyes. He wasn't used to seeing this in women my age. He even told me it wasn't normal. I'm 21.

I was prescribed four different medications to take for the following month, hoping they would take care of my "small" problem.

My grandmother was in the hospital during this time, so, I really didn't want many people to know. It wasn't a big deal, I told myself.

Well, after spending nearly $200 on medications (my parents, not me) and waiting another month, I returned to the oncologist, knowing the lump would be gone, but I still kept in mind I shouldn't be too sure of myself.

I took all of my medications, I stopped drinking so much caffeine and I even applied heat to the lump like he told me. It had to be gone.

It wasn't. I had surgery a week later, Jan. 7. The lump was removed, and Tuesday, I found out it was benign.

During the entire time, I wasn't really afraid until I found out I was going to have surgery. I knew only a small percentage of women my age were even diagnosed with breast cancer. But someone had to make up that small percent.

When friends complained of school, I was thinking of my life, and how I was going to deal if I was diagnosed with cancer.

I pushed away all of my feelings for nearly three months, and I didn't tell anyone except a few close friends. As the time for my surgery drew closer, the more people I told, and amazingly the better I felt.

I would have never written this column before.

See, I thought by letting people know about my situation they would feel sorry for me, maybe even think of me as a weaker person.

Now, that my surgery is over I've realized telling people took more courage than keeping it inside.

I realized although school and finding a career are extremely important, they aren't everything.

Family and friends are what keep you going through the difficult times.

And I'm only 21.

Jennifer Reynolds is a senior journalism major from Shreveport and serves as editor for The Tech Talk. E-mail comments to jmr035@latech.edu.