I don't wear pink.  I never have and it doesn't look like I'm going to start at 56.

I went for my mammogram yesterday--all is well.  As I drove into the driveway of the radiology clinic, several of the parking spaces were decorated with pink balloons and signs which indicated that they were "privileged" spaces for those getting mammograms.  I parked elsewhere.

My mom died of breast cancer when I was 12, in 1967.  She was 40.  She was ill for several years prior to her death.  She had a radical masectomy at age 37.  Her sister, my aunt, died of the disease in 1985, at age 62.  I also have a great-aunt who died of the disease.  This is an affliction I have lived with all my life, from childhood.  I had a fibroid tumor removed at 18; we now know this was, most likely, an unwarranted procedure.  I've had one biopsy, four years ago, no cancer...yet.

I started getting mammograms at 35.  I have never missed a year but I do stretch those years out a bit, sometimes, 15, 16 months.  I get there though, sometimes with a cancellation....or two, but I do drag myself in.  I have to believe that early detection has some value.

I live in Connecticut.  I recently read that a study showed the "surprising" results that higher income women aren't getting checked and are being diagnosed with higher stages that earlier detection might prevent.  Living with this fear all my life, I'm not surprised.  I'm surprised that the folks who studied this were surprised!  Makes sense to me. 

Facts are---perhaps there are some advances but, from what I can see, there haven't been that many.  I believe more women are diagnosed because, well, we have mammograms now.  I also believe that, if we truly understood the course of this disease, many women would not need treatment--many of these in situ stage 0 cancers would never matasticise on their own.  We will learn, like with my fibroid all those years ago, that sometimes no treatment is the answer.  So, while those women are now counted among the survivors, I wonder if they are "false positives" to a situation which really hasn't progressed as well as we'd like it to progress, i.e.--where is the cure?

So, I'll forego the pink balloons, thank you.  I'll take a balloon when we cure the damned disease or diseases.  I don't see this happening any time soon, do you?

Years ago, I learned that you are supposed to start getting mammograms 10 years before the diagnosis of your first degree relative.  For me, that would have meant 27.  When I learned this, when it became a recommendation, I was in my late 30s.  I feel I gained 8 years of peace regarding my annual anxiety.  But, as I type this, damn it all, my daughter is 25!!!!

I hate breast cancer.  I'm not really thrilled with all the pink people either---cure the damned disease and be done with it.  The ribbons rather insult the courageous women who have dealt with this throughout time.  I have to wonder, given the present state of American healthcare, if it's more profitable to not cure certain things.  I must say, however, that it is a bit of a relief not to have to be humiliated by the disease, as my mom was, way back in the 60s.  At least we can say the words "breast cancer" without having to whisper.  If the pink ribbons helped this, I see some value.

Anyway, I'll see that damned machine next year, like usual.

And, FTR, I'm really an upbeat person, honest!!!  This is just an extremely sore subject for me.   

Phyllis Johnson, Health Guide

10/ 8/11 7:51pm

Sandy, thank you for your comments.  

 

Your point about early detection finding tiny tumors that might never have grown is a good point that researchers still don't have a definitive answer for.  I personally believe it saves breasts, if not lives.  Being able to have a lumpectomy because a cancer was found early is an advance.  However, early detection is not a cure or even better, prevention.  Until that day comes there is still work to be done.

 

I can understand why you don't wear pink.  As I mentioned in an earlier comment, I'll keep on wearing it because it looks good on me.  I also am more ambivalent about the benefits and drawbacks of Pink-tober than you are.  I agree with you that the ribbons have had the effect of making it possible to talk about breast cancer instead of whispering about it secretly.  I have to believe that some of that talk saves lives.  However, as I mentioned in a recent post, no amount of pink can pretty up breast cancer.  

 

I'm sorry that your family has had such a terrible history with breast cancer.  I'm glad that you have avoided it past the age it has hit the rest of your family.  I pray that both our daughters escape this disease that has affected our families.