October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. You may ask, What is Breast Cancer Awareness?
One aspect, is making women aware that Breast Cancer is real, and it do not have an age limit.  It has been reported in young women as well as the older women. View the news video about a 20yr old woman in Florida diagnosed with breast cancer:  http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26902429/ 

Breast Cancer awareness is also about getting the word out to every female, the importance of early detection.  You can actively participate in this process by doing routine self breast exams every month starting at age 18.  Then you add professional breast exam checks by the physician annually. By age 40 it is recommended that you start getting mammograms annually in addition to the self breast exam and physician physical exams.

Well, since I hit the magic number last year, I decided to get my mammogram a couple of weeks ago. Notice, I said decided. I knew I should have started last year, but remembered how painful it was for me approx 20 yrs ago when my gynecologist recommended that I get one after finding fibrocystic breast changes on a physical exam. Then, I considered which would I rather experience…..pain from mammogram or pain from learning that I have breast cancer later in life…AND….deal with the pain from knowing that I passed up the opportunity for early detection, early treatment and  chance of better prognosis. 

So, I finally went to get it done. I must say, I did not have big boobs then and I still don’t have big boobs, but the test did not hurt as bad this time. My technician was pleasant, patient and explained things to me, which helped me to relax. I was not as intimidated by the machine and it wasn’t as cold. Don’t know all the differences in the equipment but you know there have been major improvements in technology over the years and that is a plus.

It is true that some breast cancers have been missed on mammograms, and there are controversies about the safety of mammograms, especially when continued after breast cancer diagnosis for purposes of monitoring it and evaluating treatment.

But just like there are alternatives to medications, surgeries and treatments….there is talk of alternatives to mammograms. Now you must do your own research on it…because I have not.

For resources that contain information specific to breast cancer facts, statistics and latest research studies visit my website….. www.independentrnservices.com/breastca.htm  

ADD’l INFO:

• If you are interested in finding out.. if women who have had hysterectomy should continue having Pap Smears…visit: http://jcmultibiz.blogspot.com/2008/10/this-is-for-ladiespap-smears-after.html
  
• The following are a couple of resources for cancer in general.

          www.nci.nih.gov        
         http://www.canceradvocacy.org/   
         www.oncolink.upenn.edu

Since breast cancer awareness is a national effort, look for events in your local area these next couple of weeks. Some of the states like CA  events will spill over into Nov.
Have you heard the quote “Knowledge is Power”?
Well, life is also “Full of Choices”, hope you make the right one about breast cancer screenings. 

Well this is all for now. Be safe, until next time….
–jc