Teyana Taylor welcomed television viewers into her world in a big way on the latest episode of her E! reality series We Got Love, taking cameras with her as she was rushed in for an emergency breast cancer biopsy.
The difficult situation was made even worse by the fact that Teyana, 30, would be separated from her husband, NBA star Iman Shumpert, 31, and her two baby daughters, Rue and Junie, for a week after the procedure
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While nervous about cancer she also knew it could be the result of her cholestasis, a liver disease that makes pregnancy extremely high risk.
It was because of this disease that Teyana was forced to deliver her daughters a month early, and she noted that after she began producing milk she could feel the lumps hardening and forming in her breasts.
The situation is further complicated because Teyana has dense breasts, which makes it harder to detect abnormalities with a simple mammogram.
The choreographer’s daughters were also on her mind after the surgery as she asked the doctor when she could “hold [her] babies again.”
That then led to a bit more devastation when she was informed it would be six weeks, a difficult proposition for a mother who was already missing her children while in recovery.
“It’s tough, I’m definitely overwhelmed because I miss my kids so much, I miss Iman so much,” Teyana admitted in a confessional during her recovery.
“I think that’s probably the longest I’ve been away from them. My number one priority is to hurry up and get back home, but I know I need to take care of what I need to take care of as well.”
The story did ultimately have a happy ending, with Teyana getting the news that no cancer was detected from the biopsy and then getting to travel home to Atlanta and be with her family.
The girls were thrilled to see their mother, with Junie presenting Teyana with a homemade card and some flowers while saying: “I love you Mommy!”
Rue, who is just six months, had not gotten the memo about mommy’s surgery and just wanted to be picked up and held once Teyana walked through the door.
“Rue don’t understand what’s going on. She’s like, ‘Pick me up, hello, what are you doing?'” said an amused Teyana.
“I can’t do any tight hugs. I don’t even know if I’m going to last six weeks.”
She then later reflected on motherhood, and the complications she is dealing with because she decided to give birth, saying: “I don’t regret anything. I accept every single body scar, everything that comes with mommy-hood, but the changes physically, mentally, emotionally, it’s crazy. As mommies, we really are super-women.”
Who Needs A 3D Mammogram?
It’s no secret that no two breasts are alike, not even on the same body! Some are bigger, some are smaller, some vary in shape, and some have different-sized nipples and shades of areolas.
And some breasts can be more “dense” than others, something Teyana Taylor had to deal with when she got her biopsy.
Most people with dense breasts are completely unaware of the fact. That is because it is something that happens in women of all shapes and sizes and races, and can’t be detected by touching the breasts.
It is important to know that dense breasts make it more difficult to detect cancer on a regular mammogram. Because of this, some doctors suggest seeking out a facility that offers 3D mammograms. That’s definitely something worth discussing with a doctor.
But bear in mind that the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force a panel funded by the government whose recommendations are followed by many doctors doesn't recognize the need for 3D mammograms. Consequently, some insurance companies may not pay for it unless it is deemed a medical necessity.
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