THERE'S MORE TO BREAST CANCER THAN PINK RIBBONS

Yesterday this "re-post" began floating around on facebook.

November is Diabetes Awareness Month. It isn't pink or sexy. It doesn't involve boobs, football players, or cute t-shirts. It's about being grateful when you/your loved one wakes up in the morning. It's 3am blood sugar checks, needles, low blood sugars and high blood sugars and the smell of insulin on your hands after changing a pump site or filling a syringe......swelled feet and achy bones. Dry skin, endless finger sticks, counting carbs. That's a diabetics LIFE. Re-post this if you have or love someone with diabetes........

  I have heard comments during my "journey" about breast cancer "getting all of the attention" and understand what people are saying and know it is nothing personal, but people speaking from their own pain.  So, I try my best to overlook it.  I'm thankful for the support I have found while fighting breast cancer, but believe me...having breast cancer has not been "fun and games".

I am afraid that the "marketing" of breast cancer has turned people off and I can understand that.  Sometimes it makes my own stomach turn.  I mean, when I walk in stores and see pink sweepers on sale for breast cancer, I just roll my eyes.  But, I have embraced the pink ribbons, race for the cures, cute t-shirts, and don't even mind watching those football players.  Some of these things have helped me keep my spirits up while fighting this disease.  I have appreciated the support, when I found none from some of my own family members.  When fighting this disease, support is so important...and I have found it in some family members, some very dear friends, and even strangers (and football players).  

It was hard to ignore that "little thing" going around on facebook.  I think we all need this reminder that there is a "real disease" and "real people" behind that "sea of pink" that you may feel is shoved down your throat in the month of October.   Look beyond the "marketing" and try to remember that breast cancer touches so many people's lives and we're just doing the best we can to keep our spirits up while we fight this disease.

I wanted to share my own facebook post with the rest of you who may not be on my facebook.  Feel free to share it on your own facebook, if you wish.

For the record, breast cancer is not pink or sexy or football players or cute t-shirts. It is a life-threatening disease. It is biopsies, mri, chemo, radiation, going bald, getting sick, throwing up, fatigue like you've never felt before, low white blood cell counts and medication to combat it, low red blood cell counts and blood transfusions, doctor visits (more than one doctor) consume your life, surgeries, losing a part of your body and being disfigured, reconstruction if you choose that, which means more pain and surgery, dry skin, sores in your mouth, dry mouth, loss of appetite, sleepless nights, needles and more needles, a port put under your skin in surgery, monthly port flushes, achy bones from medication, financial burdens, hospital and doctor bills, ekgs. blood draws, and the continual fear after treartment is over that it may return in a main organ....liver, brain, lung, bones....and eventually kill you.

Please don't minimize breast cancer into being pink and sexy and football players and cute t-shirts. These things may help a person get through their journey, but it does not symbolize the life of a breast cancer patient. No matter what disease is affecting your life, it is important to you and I empathize with whatever you may be going through. But, comparisons aren't necessary to bring awareness to your cause. No disease is pretty and I pray for all who are suffering from any disease.

As one friend put it...."any disease a person is fighting sucks".

I support those who are battling other diseases as well as breast cancer, and just taking that one sentence out of that original post works just as well to spread the awareness of diabetes.  If you are on facebook, will you please re-post this for Diabetes Awareness Month.  Thank you!

November is Diabetes Awareness Month.  It's about being grateful when you/your loved one wakes up in the morning. It's 3am blood sugar checks, needles, low blood sugars and high blood sugars and the smell of insulin on your hands after changing a pump site or filling a syringe......swelled feet and achy bones. Dry skin, endless finger sticks, counting carbs. That's a diabetics LIFE. Re-post this if you have or love someone with diabetes........

No News is Good News!

Right?  Nothing medical going on in my life right now, but next week I will be going to my oncologist for my 3 month check-up.  I have to go tomorrow and get the blood work done.  I'm eager to go see him again and of course hope to hear the "all clear" words.  I'm eager to get the bloodwork done so he can watch for signs of any returning cancer.  This is my only way of "keeping an eye on it" and catching anything returning early....or to know I remain cancer free!  It is a part of my life now, but I'm glad they follow-up and have ways to detect any returning cancer.  I at least feel like I'm "doing something".

I also have a "sleep study" scheduled for next week.  I was diagnosed with Sleep Apnea last year and have had to wear a mask to bed, along with oxygen.  Once a person loses weight, it can be possible to not need the mask or oxygen any longer, so since I've lost so much weight (50 lbs), my doctor is going to do another sleep study to determine whether I still need it or not.  I would love to be able to get rid of it!  The "sleep study" requires an overnight stay in the hospital hooked up to gobs of wires that monitor you while you sleep.  LOL...imagine trying to sleep with wires hooked all over you....it's extremely hard!  Nothing painful though....you just go to the hospital and sleep.  LOL!  I'll tell you more about all of this next week.  Maybe I'll even slip a camera in and take a shot of me and all of my wires to show you!  You would be surprised how many people are walking around with Sleep Apnea and have no idea!  I didn't even know what it was until I was diagnosed, but for years I've complained about being tired all of the time!  It was a blessing to find out why!  When you have sleep apnea, you don't reach your REM (rapid eye movement) sleep which is required for your body to rest!  So, while you may be asleep, you are not into a deep sleep and night after night after night, your body really isn't getting rested.  It's all very interesting.  I never felt rested after a night of sleep and just dragged around all day.  Do you ever feel that way?  Do you wake yourself up snoring?  Do you quit breathing while asleep and gasp for air?   If so, you just might have sleep apnea!  Here's some information here!
http://www.bing.com/health/article/mayo-MADS00968/Obstructive-sleep-apnea?q=sleep+apnea&qpvt=sleep+apnea

My surgeon's office called me yesterday with a cancellation for THIS THURSDAY (tomorrow!!!) and wanted to know if I'd like to have my surgery then!  Oh my, I wasn't prepared for that since my surgery is scheduled for Dec. 2.  Oh boy, it was tempting, but I turned it down.  If they had called a week ago I probably would have taken them up on it because I was so uncomfortable.  But, now the muscle is pretty relaxed and I feel better and I just wasn't ready to go have surgery this week!  For one thing, we have a "little getaway" planned for Thanksgiving weekend and I plan to go swimming in a heated indoor pool....so surgery NOW would have nipped that plan in the bud!  Plus, I have been working so hard to get prepared for Christmas before the end of Thanksgiving....almost done with my shopping and will begin wrapping soon, will be decorating soon....surgery would have derailed my best laid out plans!  And, it would have been at a different hospital than all of my other surgeries and I just want to stick with the same hospital where I have been very pleased.  As tempting as it was to get my implants TOMORROW....yep, I made the right decision.  I've waited this long....I can wait a little longer!

Until next time....celebrate your health!  We take it for granted, but any day can change our whole life.  My sister and her husband are finding that out right now as he is being diagnosed with a rare lymphoma and has gone blind.  Your life can change that fast!  So, if you are healthy, be thankful and have empathy for those who may not be so healthy....no matter what their disease.  All illnesses suck!
Cindy