MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN 40-60ish
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Lol!!
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Eli and Momine - lol. There is a commercial on tv (not sure if Canadian or not) about a middie learning pole dancing and not doing very well at it. It cracks me up every time I see it.
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Pre-empting the Pinktober Revolutionary doctrines that will be abounding on this discussion board, I thought I'd get my thoughts in one day early.
I don't hate pink. As a color, it is nice enough. I wear pink clothing as much now as I ever did, which is not very often as I just don't have the coloration for it to look flattering. I kind of agree with people who think that some of the "pinkifying" is trying to put a cuteness/cleverness on B/C that ends up trivializing it, but I find some of the slogans funny anyway. I can't help it. Now, the anti-Pinks have their own backlash of sayings, and they are even funnier. The first time I saw the expression 'Focktober," I thought it was simply clever. (It was in Barbe's signature line. Did you coin that word, Barbe, or where did it originate?)
Pink branding doesn't annoy me. I can turn a blind eye to it most times, except when it is paired with really funny products, like garbage dumpsters or anything worn on a toolbelt. Then, I laugh a little. I don't buy things specifically because they give a nickel to some B/C organization. I don't avoid them either, out of any righteous disgust over pink-sploitation. I still shop under my prime directive, to buy for value. To get that good deal. If I shopped in a strictly political sense, I don't think there would be all that much I could purchase that didn't exploit (or even harm) someone or something in the global community.
I don't hate awareness. In fact, I love awareness. I love it in the sense that I feel that action almost always follows thought, therefore getting ideas out there is necessary leading up to eventual action.. But in the scheme of B/C, awareness really is just the tip of the iceberg and I can understand how disappointing it is to find out how much money goes for awareness, and rallies, and PR, etc. I think we'd all like to see a larger portion being used for research toward a cure. (However, the cynic in me thinks that even if more $$ went to research, there would be some scandal of misappropriation or misuse before very long. That's just me. I'm not the best cheerleader for human nature. I've watched too many 20/20 exposes.)
The Pink Revolution is near and dear to some on BCO. It has become a cause. If this applies to YOU, that's cool. Everybody has got to have something. There are other things that rankle me more. I guess I just feel more like an observer to Pinktober, than a participant. Ditto for the backlash movement as well.
In my pics at the top, you may very well see themes of pink sisterhood this month. I 'll post those in any month, if I like them. Hopefully, no gag reflexes will become activated. Well, don't have much more to say about Pinktober, just that I hope it never overruns all the fine spookiness to be found at the end of the month.
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Well said E. I agree wholeheartedly with your position(s).
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If any of you are my FB friends, you may have seen my post last night ranting about Pinktober. Eli said it much better though
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marlegal, I wish you would repost here...just 'cause I won't get a chance to read it otherwise.
Oh, and anyone reading here, don't feel like you have to have the same opinion as I do. I'm really kind of sitting on the fence. If you are fed up with Pinktober and absolutely hate it, I would be interested to know the specific reasons it galls you so. If you love the whole idea of Pinktober, and are out there all month showing a commitment to pinkness, you can tell about it here. I just want to say, EVERY WOMAN who has Breast Cancer has earned a right to HAVE an opinion about this ONE WAY OR ANOTHER! It's a long month. Who knows? We might even change our minds in the course of the next 31 days. Several times, even.
I like that pink brain in a jar so much, I almost want it for my avatar this month! Or maybe just keep it in my "icon row." It's SO symbolic!
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I love pink. Always have. Was a girly little girl and never outgrew my love for hot pink. That said, it burns me that people use "my" color to sell their products and claim they are supporting breast cancer (whatever the h*ll that means) when they are really just selling a product.
That said, I have nothing against "awareness" Strange as it seems to us now, living as we do in the all awareness all the time zone, there are people who don't think they need to do self checks or to see their drs, because "I don't have a family history" or "I eat right and exercise" "I'm too young" or whatever it is we tell ourselves to convince ourselves we aren't at risk. This time last year, I was one of the unaware. I'd had a lump, and a mammogram, but was assured everything was OK, so I was going along all blissfully ignorant...
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I'm on the fence. I was saved by a mammo and it appears that breast cancer has come a long way in treatment and survival. But....I am no expert. Maybe I will feel differently next Pinktober or if I progressed. Still too new to all this maybe. I am going to support my PS and be in the photo shoot with him tomorrow wearing pink for a magazine cover. I liked the color pink before BC. Hopefully I don't get sick of it.
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Let it out, ladies. I just never get tired of reading how others feel about Pinktober. The awareness thing might rub us the wrong way at times, because we were forced to become hyper-aware real quick, upon getting that Dx, but Cindyl makes a good point that there is still a lot of ignorance and misconceptions out there.
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Honestly, I didn't make the appointment a few years there when my primary doc referred me for mammograms. I prioritized it off the list because of being younger or no family history. I can't imagine what would have happened if I didn't go this time!!!! I wasn't even good about self exams. My tumor grew from 7 mm in Feb to 1.3 cm in April.
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I participate in runs, walks etc and will be holding a small fundraiser this Oct 13 to raise awareness and education about metastatic bc. I agree also that there is a lot of misinformation out there. I hope that I can do my part to help spread the word that bc is NOT to be taken lightly. I also submitted an article to the local paper regarding "think before you pink".
I am not an "in your face" type of person, but I do take opportunity to let others know that we have a long way to go in finding a cure.
I have purchased pink products in the past and will likely continue to do so (depending on the item). However, I am much more careful and I am certainly more aware of the pinkwashing and cause marketing that is out there.
I have always liked pink as a colour to wear. I now think twice before I don a pink article of clothing because of the association that it has with bc. The first thing I think of when I see a pink shirt, scarf etc is bc. Maybe it is because of my dx - not sure. The link below is a song by a Canadian artist that describes how maybe one day pink can be just a colour again.
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elimar, I "invented" Foctober for another thread that wanted "sayings" for how we felt about the month of October. I'm pretty proud of it, to be sure.... some have re-spelled it FOCKTOBER, but mine is the pure form...
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LOL
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Credit where credit is due, Barbe. Shame on me for not observing the correct spelling. If it ever gets into really wide usage, spell check will take care of that.0
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Marlegal can't wait to see your photo of the newborn.
chacha I had to have an MRI before my BMX. Mammo's never read well on me and the BS said if they found anything they would do a SNB at time of BMX. If they found anything in pathology after the fact you do not have enough breast tissue left to shoot the dye into for sentinial nodes. I hope I'm not too late for the pocket party
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Sherryc, You are not late for the PP. In fact, I just took my raisin cookies out of the oven. They are kind of like the old Sunshine Golden Fruit cookies (that no longer exist.) So enjoy! Still warm in the pocket. In going with the squishing of chacha's mammo, these cookies get squished flat before baking. I didn't have the giant sugar, so mine just have the regular size sugar on them.
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I loved the color pink before BC so I'll keep wearing it now. Since BC I am much more aware of the pink retail out there. I don't usually purchase items as i don't really now where their money is going. I'll graciously accept a gift from someone as it is more about the thought than where the money is going. That being said I think awareness has come a long way and even though people pass on their mammo's I don't know of anyone that is not aware they should have them so I would like to see a shift and more money go towards research on finding a cure and better yet a vaccine for BC. I know they are in a trial study right now with it so maybe it is on the horizon.
Since we all know how important mammo's are I'll put a plug in now for colonoscopies. Screening is everything in finding cancer early. I am thin, eat healthy, exercise, and no family history of any kind of cancer. I just turned 50 so was a good girl and went for my colonoscopy and low and behold I had a pre cancer polyp. Would not have turned out well if I had ignored what I knew I needed to do.
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Elimar - OOH. Would you share the raisin cookie recipe? Have some bookmarked but personal recommendations are better. Or are they "virtual" cookies? I think they might have cookie sprinkles in giant sugar crystals.
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Points For Being Timely Dept.:
I made that comment on the last page about maybe getting to skip the mammo squishing, since my Breast Center is getting an ultrasound screening tool. Well, lookie here, at this BCO article which is all about what I had mentioned.
Points Taken Away Dept.:
Well, looks like this will be in addition to the mammo squishing for dense breast people, so no getting out of the squishing. However, did you see that this is not for use on breasts that have HAD SURGERY. That let's all of us poor squished sisters out of the equation, doesn't it? Big breakthrough for the young dense breast gals getting their first images, not so much for dense and scarred up little ol' me (or you.)
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elimar, didn't read the article as it has the word "screening" in it. We are ALL beyond screening!!!
As for people who skip their mammos, it's like others who continue to smoke knowing the risks. We are all adult enough to decide for ourselves what risks in life we are taking.
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Barbe, At five years, I hope to be back to annual screenings again, me and my scar tissue that is.
luvmygoats, I got it online, when I was trying to find out where one of my favorite cookies disappeared to (and it turns out to be the fault of those darn Keebler Elves!) Here's a link:
Golden Fruit Raisin Bars0 -
Elimar - Thanks so much. That is not one of the one's I bookmarked. And from KIng Arthur Flour Co. I see raisin biscuits this weekend. Are they difficult to form? Not a patient baker, LOL. Again, thanks!
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Eli the cookie look wonderful. So maybe I won't eat healty today, haha
After BC and before my BMX I was alternating mammo/US and MRI every six months on both breast becauce of dense breast tissue and mammo's did not read well on me at all. Hence BC was not found in mammo. when I had the US done mammo missed the lump in my good breast but US found it so off they came, tired of the worry of what was being missed.
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luv, Not difficult but a little time consuming. Go by the tip of all good bakers: Wear white and flour all your surfaces well.
Sherryc, Turns out my "good breast" has been harboring a fibroadenoma and a cyst for probably over a decade, ONLY revealed by handheld ultrasound screening. (Or at least these were never mentioned to me after the MRI.) Those are being left alone. They don't bother me, I don't bother them.
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Thanks for the pocket party!!!.....and Eli....those cookies were wonderful!
I "ass"ume that the Mammo went well.....I kept telling myself this is the LAST one I'll have and that if anything was obviously wrong they would have sent me directly for an US. So....check that one off my list!
RE: Pink October.....Pink has always been one of my favorite colors....I still like it and wear it when I have something I bought in that color....but I dont buy anything just because its pink for BC awareness. Well....to be honest, I bought a bright pink travel bag when we went to Italy after my mastectomy. I appreciate the awareness month for several reasons, one of which is to bring awareness to areas of our world where there is inadequate screening and treatment options for women. My avatar change is San Felipe, Baja CA where my DH and I live several months out of the year. The arches are normally white but they are lighting them up pink for the month. We have both been very active in the Cancer Walks "Caminata Contra Cancer" for the last six years....way before I had the personal situation. The medical resources are VERY limited there, and it is through the generous donations of time and money from the non-native residents (US and Canadian citizens) that a Cancer screening center was opened there. Prior to the Cancer Center, women had no access to screening unless they went to Mexicali....so most didn't get screened at all. It is still a awareness issue for the Mexican residents and over the last six years we've had more Mexicans get involved in the walk to keep the Center open and provide services to those who are dectected to have BC (transportation, medication, etc).....so although none of the money goes to "research"....it all goes to fight BC in San Felipe.....and any attention we can get to keep the services available is well worth it. I'll be walking in the fundraising walk in February for the sixth year and hope to raise money to continue to keep the center open.
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Just stopping by to see how ya'll are doin'.
Why am I talking that way?!!? I don't know......
Wednesday I have my 6-month Onco check. Blood-work, TM results...the usual. Trying to remain calm; not working very well for me. If everyone would keep good thoughts for me, I would really appreciate it. It means alot to have hidden angels.
As for Pinktober, I guess if the advertising gets at least one person (notice I didn't say woman as men get bc, too) to check themselves & to get their mammogram, then I guess it is worth it. (what price on a life?) Lots of money involved though and I really would prefer to see more money go into research than pretty signs hung up everywhere or pink labels on everything from cinnamon rolls to t-shirts.
And speaking of mammograms, I scheduled my yearly just this morning for this Oct 18. Oh, how I dread that...0 -
Valjean - Hang in there - we'll all be with you on Wed. Perhaps a PP is in order?
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Good Luck today Valjean! I know we "talked" about this before, but even tho' you and I are similar in Dx, my MO never does Tumor Markers for me. I don't know if he just does it for mets women, or maybe Stage III's too, but he said he doesn't do TM on early stage. Seems like something you would want to "catch early" if the numbers started to rise. On the other hand, one more thing to trigger anxiety. You've always checked out o.k. in the past...what ARE your TM numbers? They must be LOW ones.
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Seems like my post got submitted at normal speed today, however, my bookark for my home page didn't work. BCO must be doing more maintenance.
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Did some one say PP?????
Valjean sending you nothing but positive thoughts and negative results!!!! I have my 6 month tomorrow so we are on the same doctor pattern. I'm having bloodwork(--but don't know if TM are included), chest xray and a dexa scan. Not sure why onc ordered the dexa, but I'm 51 so i'm due for my first I guess to get that baseline. Both of my dad's sisters have osteo pretty bad so I know its not something I want to mess with.
Chacha glad your mammo went well, sorry I missed the PP. You were in my thoughts. I'm 4 months out from my Diep and 3 weeks from stage 2. Still have at least one more to add the areolas and nips and some more fat grafting and tightening up the prophy side and. . . it never ends!
Marlegal--baby??? Yet???
As for PINK, my bedroom growing up was always pink(we moved alot so I had lots of different pink styles) In hs I even painted the walls an OBNOXIOUS hot pink. And then when I moved to Florida, I started collecting pink flamingos. Yeah, really tacky. Now, I advoid it like the plague. Maybe cause I got it out of my system earlier or maybe cause I just don't want everyone to think I'm making some kind of BC statement. Whatever. I am wearing my pink wristband for the month. Its my reminder of what I went thru and if someone asks--I'll tell them to make sure they get their scans. Be diligent. And then Nov 1, it'll go back in the drawer till next year.
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