\t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t <\/p>\n \tRelated story \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\tBusy Philipps Almost Didn’t Get the Scan That Saved Her Life \u2014 She Says One Person Changed Her Mind\t\t<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p><\/div>\n \t\t<\/a><\/p>\n<\/article>\n \t \n\tInitially, her primary care doctor and plastic surgeon suggested a full mastectomy<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tThe recommendation didn\u2019t sit right with her. \u201cI lost it,\u201d Oteri said. \u201cI said, \u2018I\u2019m not even at stage 1. What are you talking about?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tUnsure of how to push back, Oteri called her close friend, Camryn Manheim. Having grown up viewing doctors as unquestionable authorities, Oteri hesitated to challenge them, but Manheim urged her to get another perspective.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cGrowing up the way I did, doctors were gods,\u201d she said. \u201cBut Camryn is Miss Second Opinion.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tManheim connected her with Los Angeles gynecologist Dr. Sherry Ross, who advised Oteri to pause before making decisions until they gathered all her test results. That led her to Dr. Janie Grumley at St. John\u2019s Cancer<\/a> Institute, who confirmed she only needed a lumpectomy followed by radiation \u2014 saving her from a major surgery she didn\u2019t need.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tOteri had surgery in April, followed by a second procedure in May to ensure all remaining cancer cells were removed. On August 4, she rang the bell<\/a> to mark the end of her 20th and final radiation session.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tWhile a cancer diagnosis is undoubtedly scary, Oteri was surprised by her own calm reaction to the situation.<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cI have a peace about this,\u201d she said. \u201c[Usually] I\u2019m always up to panic. And of all the times, this would be the time to break down, but I didn\u2019t. No one\u2019s more shocked than me! It was like, \u2018Okay, what do I have to do? Boom, boom, boom.\u2019 I grew up with this fear in me, almost like a protective thing, so I loved how I went through this.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tShe also went to her radiation appointments alone.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cI do so much by myself anyway. I didn\u2019t even think to bring somebody along. I wasn\u2019t scared,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n \n\tLooking back on her recovery, the actress hopes her experience serves as a clear reminder for women to advocate for their health.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cThe huge lesson I learned: Trust your gut. Get a second opinion,\u201d Oteri said. \u201cAnd, ladies, get your mammograms<\/a> \u2014 don\u2019t you skip a year!\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n![\"Busy](\"https:\/\/www.sheknows.com\/wp-content\/themes\/vip\/pmc-sheknows-2020\/assets\/public\/lazyload-fallback.gif\")
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\n<\/section>\n<\/p>\n\n\t\tWhy Getting a Second Opinion Matters\u00a0\t<\/h2>\n
\n\t\tTrusting Her Instincts\u00a0\t<\/h2>\n