Tag Archives: mammograms

On My Soapbox: Facebook Statuses {Spin Cycle}

20 Friday Jan 2012

Posted by in breast cancer

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It keeps happening. Now, Facebook friends, I know you mean well, and you have jumped on the bandwagon for a good cause.

You know what I mean; the status you posted that was just a color. The status that made me believe your sex life was spicier than mine. (On the chair in the kitchen!) The status that made me believe you are expecting a little bundle of joy and you’re craving peanut butter cups, or that you are going to move to London for 2 months.

But think about those poor chumps who actually believe you, and comment back “How exciting! When are you due?” Or, “I’m going to be in London in two weeks! Let’s meet up!” until finally, in exasperation, you have to post, “It’s really a breast cancer awareness thing.”

Huh?

Moving to London is about breast cancer awareness?

A while back, when bra colors were the breast cancer awareness rage on Facebook, I posted this status instead:

Bra colors, schma colors….My last mammogram was in September, 2009…when was yours????*

I got some great responses from women who had had their mammograms and from those who had one scheduled soon. This was my favorite comment:

In October & I thank God every day for MMO’s. Since my very first one saved my life almost 30 years ago Feb. 4.
Love you, my sister in Christ,
Jean

What an inspiration Jean is! She is a member of my church, and continues to be a survivor.

What really frosts me, though, are statuses like this one. I’m not reprinting the whole thing because it just irritates me so much.

The normal boobs ( . )( . ) the silicone boobs ( + )( + ) the perfect boobs ( o )( o )…..

And the list goes on, ending with “Save the boobies!!!”

However, this list is missing some boobs. Where are the scarred boobs (/. )( . ) missing boobs  ( . ) X  fake boobs with tattooed nipples ( x )( x ) or red radiated boob ( . )( . )? Phrases like “save the boobies” or “save the ta-tas” irritate me SO MUCH. It doesn’t matter how early breast cancer is diagnosed, your boobs will never be the same. You will never be the same. Breast cancer awareness is all about saving lives, not saving boobs.

Please, the next time a message appears in your Facebook inbox, resist the urge to post your favorite candy bar in the name of breast cancer awareness.

Thanks, Gretchen, for letting me get up on my soapbox. I’m getting off now. Go see her for more people who are standing up for what they believe in!

*My latest mammogram was in November, 2011, and it was perfectly normal. 🙂

 


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Half the Time as You

14 Monday Nov 2011

Posted by in breast cancer

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I’m not the youngest woman in the waiting room any more.

Okay, I’m probably ONE of the youngest women who gets a mammogram (I’m not THAT old), but I can’t honestly say I’m THE youngest any more.

On the way to my mammogram, I was more nervous than I should be. I’ve had mammograms for years, so why was my stomach in knots? I think I was more nervous about being able to pick up Emmy from preschool after my appointment than my actual mammogram. My mammogram went very smoothly with nothing to report. As I was complaining about how this left nothing to blog about, Ed told me that yes, this is what we want, remember?

After registration, which took about 15 minutes, and waiting for my name to be called, which was about twenty minutes, I was finally ushered into the changing room. (“Undress from the waist up and put the gown on with with opening in front.” Yes, I think impatiently, I know.) By this time I was getting antsy since I only had 45 minutes before I had to be at Emmy’s preschool. Once I had the gown on and was called into the mammography room, I was in and out, and was able to pick up Emmy right on time.

The ease of my mammogram didn’t prevent me from getting an age-old stress headache; the kind starts in my back and works its way up; the kind that I always used to get on the day of doctor appointments and hospital visits. I suppose I’ll never grow out them.

But I take back what I wrote before. I was the youngest woman in that waiting room!

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