It's scary, isn't it?
Harper's Birthday - Part 5!
Yes, thats why I get my mammograms like a good girl! LOL
Think Pink, everyone!
Can you imagine if men had to worry about this every year ?
Unfortunately, if that was the case, they would have found a cure eons ago.
My hat is off to you ladies for having to go through this, but like pirl said, thank God they have this option now.
I agree, Pirl! My close friend and former co-worker just had a double mastectomy with 2 different types of breast cancer. All of that on top of caregiving for her DH with progressed Alzheimers in his early 60s. I missed seeing her in Fla. because I had the flu. She is an amazing inspiration.....very positive spirit!
I just know too many women who have had a mastectomy and no amount of discomfort is worth dealing with breast cancer.
My friend returns to work Monday from her breast cancer surgery. We want to decorate to welcome her back and all wear pink or something. Anyone have any creative ideas?
My aunt (and godmother) had radiation first. Then it returned and she had a double mastectomy. Now it has spread. Matter of time.
Not your best creative idea, Victor. I don't think that's the tone we're looking for.
JD - men should be worrying about something else: prostate cancer!! At my brother's funeral, another brother's wife who is a nurse practicioner, gave a lecture on getting checked for prostate cancer. My brother was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer at 47 and died the day after his 50th birthday. My brother always thought these things happened to other people. Check-ups for early detection are the best! This cancer is on the rise and striking younger men. In younger men it is also more aggressive and deadly because the hormones are more active. It is an awful way to go - my brother's cancer spread to this intestines and he had to have a colostomy, then his bones which is extremely painful, and then the liver. Now I'm sounding like my sister-in-law, but she's had it tough lately - took care of her mother who died from cancer, then my mother and father who died from congestive heart failure, my brother and just six months ago her own father who had lung cancer. Being the medical person in the family she ended up overseeing their health care. The lesson here - regular check-ups and mammos!!!!!! Eleanor
And don't neglect the colonoscopy! It saved my life.
I'm hoping by the time I'm 50, the pill with the camera will be commonplace.
Harper's Tough Love birthday...
Harper's bizarre...
Harper's bizarre birthday.
(Harper is NOT bizarre. Harper is cool. So there. :P)
I thought that was understood. Trying to conserve typing.
Trying to conserve energy here due to complete exhaustion. Good night and sweet dreams to all.
Me too. I'll be retiring soon. Long day for me today as well. Got lots done though. Not much cleanup left. Nite Pirl!
Nite, pirl and friends.
It's lights out for me in 8 minutes.
Dave47 A recovery party with a Pink Theme. . . . well, you want to imply strength, power, etc.
Why not a Pink Panther Party (I was originally thinking Pink Tigers - but Pink Panther stuff might be easier to access and download.
My best to your friend, Dave! Whatever you do will mean a lot to her, I'm sure. You are a nice friend!
Yeah, I like the Pink Panthers welcome back idea!
And while we complain about having mammograms, we're still HAVING THEM! It's more of a solidarity thing, it's being able to say the word BREAST out loud without dying of embarrassment, it's allowing ourselves to be sexual beings with those things on our chests. We're all still having mammograms, as appropriate. I mean men, do you like those prostate checks they do on you? Tell us all about it, right here! (Happy birthday, Harper.)
xx, Carrie
Depends how long her nails are.
LOL
Carri --- you go girl/
I remember when we had a Disney Cartoon to explain Menstruation and the boys had to go to the Gym.
Thank you for the return of the Womans Movement in the sixties. Thank you Carri for tending the flame.
Our former neighbors here were both doctors. The wife had to leave the classes when they learned about male genitalia although she became the Pediatrician while he was the Gynecologist and he, naturally, never had to leave the class. That was back in the late 20's and early 30's.
Love the new era for women. My mother had to hide her pregnancy as did other women."Belly bumps" are beautiful. I was a grader in the 40's. we had the cartoon in the 12th grade just before junior high. I knew nothing about pregnancy when I had my four. You can bet I told my daughters bout birth control, they were teens in the early 60's. When "the LOVE generation" was experimenting with everything and sexual freedome was rampant, before AIDS.
We've seen a lot pirl .Glad to be where I am.
Yes, Jo Ann, so am I.
Yes, mammograms are absolutely better than the alternative. Birth control is a wonderful thing, and a wanted pregnancy is even more wonderful!!! A teenager is something else altogether, and TWO teenagers at once, well, this is almost harder than a newborn, but different.
Kudos to us all who have lived through any or all of the hard things we have and are living through. And Happy Birthday Harper! xx, Carrie
Ya'll must hang garlic and silver crosses around this forum to not get a "visitation". Of course being off topic is never an issue here as I have yet to figure out what the topic is on any of these threads 'cept...
Happy Belated Birthday Harper dallin'.
MaypopLaurel
Bummer! My friend came in yesterday with news that she has to have another operation. It appears to be preventive, she still has a good prognosis. But they want to remove all lymph nodes on that side. Then maybe radiation and/or chemo. She was thinking none of the above was a real possibility.
We will go with pink on Monday, but it will be more solidarity and less celebration. I can't begin to explain what a wonderful & caring group with which I work. I am blessed. And thanks to all of you for your support & suggestions.
Dave - I'm sorry your friend has to go through more surgery. My thoughts and prayers are with her. It's an awful ordeal to go through but glad to hear the prognosis is good. Eleanor
Yes - same here, Dave.
Thanks folks.
She is older than me, but I have had the opportunity to watch her grow & blossom over the past 15 years, both as a person and as a professional. She is quite wonderful & quite the character.
Does she garden? Bring her to the R-U; I would love to meet her! (And am so sorry to hear more treatment is needed - I'll bet she's scared. I would be.) xx, Carrie
Dave - I think your co-workers are very lucky to work with you. I will keep your friend in my prayers too. Treatment has come a very long way. BTW, did any of you see that the recent research on Alzheimer's is extremely promising for a vaccine sooner than later? That is good news!
Yes, I read that. Can't come soon enough.
No Carrie, Marj is not a gardener.
Dave47, My very best to Marj. I have been the best of friends with a women who has had two bouts of Breast Cancer, many years apart starting at a young age. I was her primary support when she had her first diagnosis when her kids were young. DH and I were her main team during her surgery, and treatment, as her X was useless and not concerned, and her family was not medically educated and far away. The next time she was rediagnosed was a real kick in the head as she was sure she was clean and was unexpected by all, but she got through it.
Then this winter, some 22 years after her second bout, she needed to have the old reconstructive surgery done again, as the old breast implants had failed. So we went back to Mass Gen in Boston for her surgery as her dear husband of 15 years had died recently, therefore, DH and I were her support once again.
I am amazed how much has happened in the last quarter of a century about Breast Cancer both medically and emotionally. The fact that you as a man and her co-worker are openly talking about her cancer and understanding her needs is beyond great. I applaud you. Pink cupcakes, Pink lilies, Pink balloons and Pink Feather Boas and Pink Candy and all my PINKISH best to her. My friends attitude was that she had cancer, it didn't have her. Patti
She's very lucky to have you guys for friends, Patti.