It is almost October. Some of you have no idea what that means. It is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This is the month that you will see pink EVERYWHERE. I hate this disease. In 1999 it took a woman who meant the world to me and a lot of other people. It took the classiest woman I have ever know. It took "the MaryKay lady." She fought it for all she was worth and in the end, it took her earthly life. I will not say it beat her, she ultimately won because she is in Heaven with Jesus and in no more pain. I HATE this disease. I hate the fear it brings. I hate the uncertainty. I hate the empty holes it leaves in lives. I hate that I have two precious cousins who have a Nanny they will never know. I hate that it leaves woman with transformed bodies(i will not use misfigured as some like to say). I hate that it leaves women bald. I hate that I am 23 and already have to take steps to prevent it.
With that being said...I do not live scared. I know that my chances of having this disease are HUGE. I my Nanny died from it. My greats auntS(that is multiple) died from it. If my mom would get on it, she can be tested for the gene. I will eventually be tested. I live my life assuming I have it. For those of you who don't know about BRAC1 and BRAC2, they are a gene that, if you have them, SKYROCKETS your chances of having it. If becomes a "when you get it" no "if" thing. I take precautions. Medicines I take are carefully selected depending on their chances of increasing my risk. I had my first mammogram at 20. They cannot actually do mammograms on young women because of the density of breast tissue at that age, so they did a sonogram, but it was the same. I perform self checks. I already know that after I am through having children, I will have a bilateral mastectomy. Some may say that is radical. I prefer prevention as opposed to having to fight it. I think it would be idiotic of me to keep these two oversized melons on my chest that are ticking time bombs when there is a surgery that makes my chances of getting the disease that killed my grandmother less than 1 percent. Heck I will have two new ones that won't ever sag! :) Yes, I do know what goes into the surgery. I do understand the time it takes to heal, the psychological aspect and the pain. I prefer them over chemotherapy, radiation, and still having to have the surgery. My grandmother had all three. I witnessed them. I may have been 10 when she died but Oh did I witness it. I also know the pain the disease causes to loved ones. I do not wish to see that. I am more than aware another kind of cancer could lay claim to my body. I cannot prevent that. BUT I can do something about breast cancer, and I sure as heck intend to.
With that being said I encourage all of you women ESPECIALLY those over 40 GET A MAMMOGRAM. Yes, it will be uncomfortable. GET OVER IT! Your life is important. Deal with some unconfortableness for a few hours. Do self checks every month. There are directions all over the internet. Teach your teenage girls how to do them. They should start early. Young women do get this disease. Do not teach them to be ignorant about a disease that is killing far to many people. Know your family history. Yes, women without a history of it CAN get it, but the chances of you getting it if it runs in the family are higher. Do not think it won't be you. That is the worst thing. Be prepared and get ahead of this disease.
Also, wear pink this month. I intend to wear my pink ribbon pin every day. My "Save the Tatas" magnet is on my car. My mom is supposed to be getting us pink lights for our porch.(what a cute idea!) My brother and I are planning on getting the word "hope" tattooed on us this month. The "e" will be the ribbon. That is what I have with this disease. I approach it with hope. I hope people become aware and take precautions. I hope people defeat it. And I hope for a cure.
My Nanny, Flora Hinkle, was a fabulous woman who was taken far too soon. But I KNOW she would be so proud of the steps I take to prevent what happened to her from happening to me. I also know that she would be proud that I talk about it. That I encourage women to take steps to love themselves enough to pay attention to their bodies. Her legacy lives on everyday. In my mom. In me. In those two precious 10 year olds who never met her, but have her spunk. In the Mary Kay I put on my face everyday! In the joy I find everyday. Heck, one day I might even drive a pink car in her honor(she owned 2!) :)
With that being said...I do not live scared. I know that my chances of having this disease are HUGE. I my Nanny died from it. My greats auntS(that is multiple) died from it. If my mom would get on it, she can be tested for the gene. I will eventually be tested. I live my life assuming I have it. For those of you who don't know about BRAC1 and BRAC2, they are a gene that, if you have them, SKYROCKETS your chances of having it. If becomes a "when you get it" no "if" thing. I take precautions. Medicines I take are carefully selected depending on their chances of increasing my risk. I had my first mammogram at 20. They cannot actually do mammograms on young women because of the density of breast tissue at that age, so they did a sonogram, but it was the same. I perform self checks. I already know that after I am through having children, I will have a bilateral mastectomy. Some may say that is radical. I prefer prevention as opposed to having to fight it. I think it would be idiotic of me to keep these two oversized melons on my chest that are ticking time bombs when there is a surgery that makes my chances of getting the disease that killed my grandmother less than 1 percent. Heck I will have two new ones that won't ever sag! :) Yes, I do know what goes into the surgery. I do understand the time it takes to heal, the psychological aspect and the pain. I prefer them over chemotherapy, radiation, and still having to have the surgery. My grandmother had all three. I witnessed them. I may have been 10 when she died but Oh did I witness it. I also know the pain the disease causes to loved ones. I do not wish to see that. I am more than aware another kind of cancer could lay claim to my body. I cannot prevent that. BUT I can do something about breast cancer, and I sure as heck intend to.
With that being said I encourage all of you women ESPECIALLY those over 40 GET A MAMMOGRAM. Yes, it will be uncomfortable. GET OVER IT! Your life is important. Deal with some unconfortableness for a few hours. Do self checks every month. There are directions all over the internet. Teach your teenage girls how to do them. They should start early. Young women do get this disease. Do not teach them to be ignorant about a disease that is killing far to many people. Know your family history. Yes, women without a history of it CAN get it, but the chances of you getting it if it runs in the family are higher. Do not think it won't be you. That is the worst thing. Be prepared and get ahead of this disease.
Also, wear pink this month. I intend to wear my pink ribbon pin every day. My "Save the Tatas" magnet is on my car. My mom is supposed to be getting us pink lights for our porch.(what a cute idea!) My brother and I are planning on getting the word "hope" tattooed on us this month. The "e" will be the ribbon. That is what I have with this disease. I approach it with hope. I hope people become aware and take precautions. I hope people defeat it. And I hope for a cure.
My Nanny, Flora Hinkle, was a fabulous woman who was taken far too soon. But I KNOW she would be so proud of the steps I take to prevent what happened to her from happening to me. I also know that she would be proud that I talk about it. That I encourage women to take steps to love themselves enough to pay attention to their bodies. Her legacy lives on everyday. In my mom. In me. In those two precious 10 year olds who never met her, but have her spunk. In the Mary Kay I put on my face everyday! In the joy I find everyday. Heck, one day I might even drive a pink car in her honor(she owned 2!) :)
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