**may i have your attention, please....**

It's Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and as a Survivor, I'm telling you all to get out there and get those Mamograms....and fellas that means your gals, also!

"eyes"

Thanks Eyes!

Been there done that! Now if we could just figure out how to pump em back up after they flattened them! :}

LOL Zany

Sure beats the alternative Zany, but in your case I'll spring for you a Push Up!

"eyes"

Breast feeding baby is a sure bet for not getting breast cancer(LeLeache League)...wish more doctors would tell women this.

As most of you know I just completed both chemo and raditation treatments for cancer.

I can not tell you the number of YOUNGER women my wife and I chatted with being treated for breast cancer. I'm talking women in their 20's and 30's.

Please ladies get that Mamogram every year and urge your family and friends to do the same.

IT COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE

Paul

NAW Eyes! Think I'll jest let the poor patheticaly flattened things hang loose! Just happy they are lump free!

I lost a dear friend to Breast cancer a few years ago and just hope all women out there know that early detection can save their lives!

While nursing can reduce the chance it does not guarantee the mother will not get cancer. So please you young mothers out there take care of your bodies too!

What is so hard about Cancer is there are no real precursors.

i lost both my grandma and an aunt to breast cancer. my mom is a breast cancer survivor. she finished her last chemo treatment of 12/26.
my doctor thought i was crazy when i INSISTED on a baseline. i heard, well youre only 33....i was like i dont give a rats butt, how old i am..i want it now, and if you want refer me, ill go however high over your head to get it done. needless to say, i had it done, and im okay..but i now have a starting point for future mammograms.
thanks for the reminder eyes

Schmetterling.....I am a breast cancer survivor and I nursed 3 babies so you can tell Le Leche that is definitely not the case. Also, ACS tells women not to worry so much if there is no history of cancer in their families. There is NO history of cancer on either side. I had a lumpectomy and 34 treatments of radiation. And to date...a 4 year survivor - THANK YOU GOD!!!!!!!!!!! And yes eyes...Ladies, PLEASE get your mammograms......vic

MsJen good for you for insisting on a baseline mammo! I work for a Dr. and the boy would not hesitate for a second if anyone no matter what age had a family history of breast ca. I have seen him on the phone fighting with insurance company's over just this issue. He really get's ticked when they try to tell him how to treat His patient's!
Glad that yours was fine! I have had a basline test also and all was o.k.
To all of you gals that have endured and overcome this disease my hats are off to you! sue

1 in every 8 women will have it. Is it really someone else? And who are U to that other person? And MEN....you can have it also!

"eyes"

I have mine every 6 months as a 'high risk' patient. I just made my appointment this week! Thanks for reminding everyone.

I also lost a good friend to breast cancer.I agree there is NO age limit to when it will strike.My friends daughter was also diagnosed at age 22 after the birth of her first baby...she opted to have both removed, she has since had 1 miracle baby 4wks ago & still cancer free.

Ah, thank you for the reminder. I got the letter from the hospital a couple months ago that I was due again, but never made the appointment. I'll do it soon, I promise. I am also at high risk.
Joan

Do it now, Joan.

"eyes"

I have mine every yr in Sept. (birthday month) that is how I remember it as we don't get a reminder. I have lost a sister and my mom also had breast Cancer. I have had several lumps removed but so far so good. I always have a ultasound as well as Mammo.

Another breast cancer fact you don't hear often, having an abortion increases your chance of having breast cancer by 14%.

sally, no disrespect, please back up your % with facts and documentation. I, personally don't beleive your figures.

Haven't heard that statistic, Sally. Sorry, and I follow all new evidence very carefully.

"eyes"

I'm only 31 and had to have a mammogramm done last year. I ended up having a biopsy. Luckily it was only an infected lymphnode and they took it out. Thank god!!

Glad you said something Vic, will keep my mouth shut on that issue from now on then. OOPs.

How many of you have gone for your mamo?

"eyes"

Me!
Had mine, always do it in February around my birthday, I also had my first one in my 30's, because of family breast cancer..So far so good..Please go ladies..
Larkie

My % was reported about 4 years ago by Dr. Emily Senay (sp?). I believe she's on CBS morning show. Her percentage,not mine. Believe what you wish.

Sally, I know 17 women personally who have had (and 4 died) breast cancer. None of them had abortions. I would have to see more vital statistics to really believe it. It would be to good a thing to just say, don't have an abortion and breast feed your babies and you are safe. Actually I think I heard a rumor of this type about 15 years ago and that was never tracked down either. I want to see it in print.

Well, what can I say. I didn't do the research. I didn't write the report. I don't even remember what report Dr. Senay was referring to. I was surprised that the percentage was so high when I heard it. As I said, believe what you wish. She didn't say that having an abortion would cause you to get breast cancer. She didn't say if you didn't have an abortion, you wouldn't get breast cancer. She reported that having an abortion would increase your chances of getting breast cancer by 14%.

Last night I got very upset because of the breast feeding and abortions things on here and I apologize to anyone whos feelings I may have hurt, but Ladies (and Gentlemen, it is now a problem for men to) GET THAT MAMMOGRAM!!!! Nothing you have done or not done protects you from this terrible disease. Do not think you are safe because "statistics" SAY YOU ARE! Get that mammogram, do your breast exams every month. Then if the worst happens you can catch it early. You will not die! It is too important to take a chance on.

I so agree. My youngest sister, just turned 40, had a scare last week in that they found a mass on her first mammogram. It turned out to be nothing but they will check her every 6 months.

I also get my on an annual basis when I have my annual exam. If I don't make my appointment for exam, gynecologist calls me up and gives me a nudge.

My 25 yr old niece is just starting radiation after a double mastectomy! She is very brave. Dr didn't want to do a mamogram on her but she felt a lump. May have saved her life. Chemo was rough on her but she lives day by day!

Deanne, day by day turns into year by year! I was 43 when mine was diagnosed, and I had a total radical masectomy. Ladies you can live without a breast, or two, and it difinitely beats the alternative!
Age, gender, history.....there really are NO precursors to this dread disease.

"eyes"

Hi, I've been a little under the weather, so have not posted, but I have read this thread for obvious reasons. In defense of Sally, I wanted to say I also read something about the cancer-abortion link, somewhere in the vast pile of stuff I've read since my diagnosis almost a year ago with ovarian cancer. Last night, I went to the various cancer sites to check it out, and must say there is plenty to read. I think it was the National Cancer Institute that had the greatest number of studies available. One of those held that abortion could actually double your chances of getting breast cancer, while others seemed to indicate the idea of such a link was not well founded. I bookmarked one URL, but can't recall how to get it into this forum. If you just start with "breast cancer, abortion", you can eventually end up finding enough data to confuse you. It has been said that anything can be proven with statistics, and I think that's amply demonstrated here. If you are seriously concerned, I would urge you to read all or most of the reports, which go back a number of years. Within some of them, you might find other links to further enlighten or confuse you. Ultimately, you must make your own decision regarding what to believe. However, reading about the factors involved with ovarian cancer has proven to me that I must not have it, despite the fact that something was there, something had spread, something caused me to be awfully close to death. Something was removed, I had chemo, my labs now read much differently. But it couldn't be ovarian cancer that caused all this, because studies indicate I am low risk.

Thanks for coming to my defense Aimee. And she's right. All you have to do is a search on 'abortion breast cancer'. There are a lot of links. But I did neglect to support the value of mammograms. I get mine every year. However, statistics are valuble in educating us. They are not written in stone and not meant to be taken that way. They have a lot of variables. For instance, it seems that the abortion/ breast cancer link is even higher for women who have abortions in their teens. Statistics are certainly not meant to be added up to 100%. This forum is a great place to get advice and support and everyone has an equal right to make a post. If anyone chooses to disagree with a post, they have a right to do that too. That's one of the things that makes America great. So, please, no more nasty emails. Thank you.

This message was edited Friday, Oct 19th 3:02 PM

NO More Nasty emails!!! I started this thread to bring awareness to something that has touched so many of our lives, and will no doubt touch a lot more. This is one of my ways of bringing these important issues up......I value all information, whether I have heard it before or not. I think that this has been substantiated, so let's all focus on the main idea of this thread.......TO SAVE LIVES!!!

ooooooooooooo i knew there was someing i forgot to do....

NANA!!!!!! DON"T YOU PUT THIS OFF!!

"EYES"

Eyes, I was referring to an email that was sent to me personnally. Not your post. Sorry if you misunderstood my post.

If I may add one thing I learned from the cancer sites, it seems there is some support for the theory that women who work the night shift are at greater risk, as the added light exposure does something to upset their hormones. Maybe I know a little more about my own case, as I am a confirmed night owl. Didn't work the night shift, but I did put in many hours, after hours, sewing, cleaning, etc. I had my first mammogram this summer, because my oncologist insisted after metastatic ovarian cancer. Clear, no problem, but at least I know that's one thing I don't have to worry about at this time. The peace of mind makes it well worth my time. And yours!

Indeed it does, my friend, indeed it does!

"eyes'