Today is February 4th and it’s World Cancer Day. It is a day that is used to bring awareness and to offer support to cancer patients and their families and a day to remember lives that were lost.
I think it’s safe to say that if you are reading this blog then you know someone who is battling cancer or someone who has lost their life to this insidious disease.
I remember when I was younger and I would hear my parents talking about a friend that was battling cancer. I also remember that they were talking about people that were old (at least in my mind) like in their fifties and sixties. I did however lose my cousin at the age of 5 and a neighbor who was in his 30’s. This was rare and hardly ever talked about because in the 70’s children and young adults just didn’t die from cancer and if they did no one talked about it. Well times have changed and more and more people are being diagnosed with cancer and it’s doesn’t discriminate. Cancer strikes people of all ages; mothers, fathers, grandmothers, grandfathers, sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends and yes babies. Cancer doesn’t care if you just got married or if you just had a baby or if you are a baby. Cancer doesn’t care if you are rich or poor. Cancer just doesn’t care!
I am no doctor or research scientist but the statistics are pretty clear that although we are fighting like warriors to find cures and preventions we are no where close to ending this disease that disrupts so many lives. Since there are so many different types of cancer it’s hard to pinpoint exactly why people get certain cancers. We do know how to try to prevent certain cancers; for instance lung cancer may be prevented by not smoking but then people like Dana Reeves who never smoked a cigarette a day in her life succumbed to the disease. You can try to prevent skin cancer by using sunscreen and staying out of the sun during the peak hours but may still get it on a place that you always forgot to apply (like the tops of your ears)
I am writing this in hopes that until there is a cure for this monster there will be more action taken to prevent or do more screenings for early detection.
Let’s talk about mammograms. According to an article published on October (breast cancer awareness month) 30, 2015 only about 60% of woman were getting mammograms. The other 40% that are not site reasons such as no time, fear of the radiation from the test, fear of finding something, cant afford the test, pain during the test, and being embarrassed.
I’m not going to address all the reasons but I do want to talk about 2 of them; pain and embarrassment. Is a mammogram painful? In my opinion no. Is it uncomfortable? yes. But honestly who can’t withstand a few seconds of discomfort for peace of mind. Let’s talk about childbirth. Now that’s pain! But here’s the funny thing; childbirth can last hours and hours but yet we all go back for more. During childbirth you swear you will never ever ever do this again and they barely have the baby swaddled and laying on your chest when you are already dreaming of adding more of these sweet little babies to your family. But you say hell no to that 10 seconds of discomfort to save your life.
I remember my grandmother telling me that the reason she took such good care of herself was so she didn’t get sick and have to be naked in front of her doctor. This always made me laugh because apparently as a child my parents had to fight with me all the time to put clothes on. They were sure I would grow up and live in a nudist colony.
But seriously no one likes the idea of standing there in that big room with a robe on that never fits properly and once you expose the one breast for imaging the other one just sort of sits there all awkward and patiently waiting it’s turn. The technician does her best to make you feel less awkward by making small talk. I don’t know about you but I feel like if you want to make small talk with me then you should have one of your breast showing and then we can chit chat.
If you are small chested then they have to “play” around a little to grab just enough breast to get under the plates, once the breast gets in there you hope it stays long enough to get the image. If you are large breasted then you have to wonder how in the world are they going to get all that to flatten out like a pancake….. and you know they will. If you have implants they have to do even more images and that includes some with the implant and some with the implant out of the way. That requires more “playing” around with your breasts to get that stubborn implant to hang out alone for just a bit until the image can be taken.
Maybe at this point you may be thinking is she writing this to encourage us to get screenings or the opposite. I am writing this to let you know that you and every other woman that has had a mammogram feels the same way and yet survives the event. No one looks forward to it; yet when its over we feel empowered that we are taking control of our health. If you are one of the 40% that have never had one then call today; if you are one of the 60% then congratulations for putting your health above all your excuses and keep fighting like a girl.
No matter if you are the 40% or the 60% I sure hope that everyone is doing self breast exams or partner breast exams. I promise you no one knows your breast better than you spouse. Turn it into a fun date night, a couples bubble bath or massage. Just do it.
And listen to your body. My sister in law died from bladder cancer because she went so long being mis diagnosed. In her final days she shared with me many words of wisdom but one thing she said has stuck with me all these years and I will be forever grateful for those words. She said Wendy whatever you do listen to your body. If something doesn’t seem right then push and push until you get answers. Don’t let insurance companies decide if and when you get tests done.
For more information on screenings and prevention visit the American Cancer Society http://www.cancer.org