Pretty in Pink: Think of the Girls

These are mom's buttercups.  No, they're not pink, but they are pretty, aren't they.  I remember the day she and my dad dug and planted the bulbs for these all along the ditch bank in front of our house facing the road.  Mom didn't get many roses during her lifetime, but she had buttercups. They multiplied so much that they reach farther down the road each year.  Every spring they are a beautiful reminder that Hope Lives.  

In 1998 my mother was diagnosed with Paget disease, a rare form of nipple cancer.  She underwent chemotherapy and radiation and was in remission four years before the cancer returned and metastatized in her liver, spine, and brain.  She died in 2001 after undergoing radiation and one round of chemo during that recurrence.  

With early detection my mother might have been saved.  Now that I have a family history (my mother's mother also had breast cancer), I am diligent about getting my yearly checkups and mammograms--and also about getting the word out.  

My mom's specific type is very rare, but breast cancer in general is not.  Hers started as an eczema-like rash around the areola.  The doctor treated it with steroid cream, but it did not help. Finally her cancer was found via mammogram and confirmed by biopsy.  She had a modified radical mastectomy.  The important thing to remember is any kind of change from the norm in your breast could be a signal.  Do self-exams so that you know what is different month to month.  Take care of the girls!

A mammogram does not prevent breast cancer.  It is not a guarantee that the cancer will be caught in time.  But in many cases it does find cancers so small they can't be felt.  Sure it's a hassle to get undressed and have the girls "smashed," as one friend put it.  Sure it is inconvenient to take time out of our day to do it.  Yet the last one I had took less than half an hour.  Thirty minutes of my day for a year's worth of peace of mind.  It is worth it!  

In 1985, a surgeon, Dr. Gordon Klatt,  decided to raise money in honor of his patients. He walked a track for a solid 24 hours with his friends, who sponsored him by donating money to run with him.It was such a huge success that he put together a formal Relay For Life event in 1986.

Most every town now has gotten on board with cancer awareness.  When the American Cancer Society came up with Relay for Life, volunteer fund raising increased dramatically.  There are so many ways you can help raise awareness and funds for a cure.  Most Relay for Life events are set up to go overnight.  People set up booths and tents, cook food, walk tracks, set up sponsors, and have honorary and memorial luminaries.  It is a great way to honor someone you know who is a survivor and also to memorialize your loved ones who lost the fight.  My hope and prayer is that new cures will be found daily, or at least effective treatments and comfort measures.

Thank you for stopping by and taking a moment to read.  It is a subject very close to my heart.  Find out what your hometown is doing to support cancer research and get involved.  Spread the word.  It's not hype, it's your health.  If you liked my page, please feel free to link to it and add me to your fan clubs.  And feel free to share your stories here.  I love survivor stories.  And I will mourn with you in your loss.  It is no shame to cry.  As long as your head leaks, it won't swell.  Bye now.