Think Pink

Breast cancer used to be a word that was rarely spoken of without some sense of dread. It was like hearing a death sentence being handed down. Now it has become a word that is tagged with pretty pink bows as more and more this type of cancer is diagnosed early enough for successful treatment. More and more survivors are out there to tell their story.

I am one of those women. The diagnosis was first given when I was in my early forties. I had yet to have gone in for the recommended baseline mammograms so I was fortunate. My symptom was a simple tingle across the nipple when fabric rubbed and it was not a pleasurable tingle but one that was a daily irritant. I finally mentioned it when seeing my physician for something completed unrelated. Luckily for me, he insisted that it was time for me to have that mammogram and it showed a small tumor lying just behind the nipple. A tumor that I would not have found by self-exam until it had grown much larger. A simple surgery and biopsy confirmed the diagnosis and treatments began. Six weeks of chemo and three years of follow-up care until another tumor was found and again I went through treatments. It has now been over ten years without any further evidence of its return so I call myself a survivor but I have learned to be more careful with my health. I adhere to the prescribed, age appropriate exams.

So wear your Pink and support the cause of cancer research but don't forget to take care of yourself!

First Frost

When I got up this morning and stepped out onto the back deck, I could still see traces of the light frost from the night before as it slowly gave over to the sun. And though the sun was bright, the temperature never made it beyond the low 60's so I spent most of the day sitting in a pool on sunlight, curled on the couch with afghan and book.

I am reading bit and pieces of Jimmy Carter's White House Diary. It is one of those books that you do not have to read from first page to last but simply pick a date that interests you and go from there. Carter was very straight forward with his documentation of his days in Office and pulled to punches in putting down how he truly felt. It was interesting to read about his thoughts on the day that Reagan was sworn into office and he stood next to him, looking as if he was not at all following the ceremony. In fact,as he states it his thought were all on the hostage negotiations and he was praying that there would be no last minute change of mind from Iran that would leave the delicate negotiations in the hands of one who would screw it up. As we all know there was no last minute change of mind and the hostages were freed and Reagan gladly took the credit for it.