Full Version: National Mammography Day
QUOTE
A handsome, middle-aged man walked quietly into the cafe and sat down. Before he ordered, he couldn't help but notice a group of younger men at the table next to him. It was obvious they were making fun of something about him, and it wasn't until he remembered he was wearing a small pink ribbon on the lapel of his suit that he became aware of what the joke was all about.
The man brushed off the reaction as ignorance, but the smirks began to get to him. He looked one of the rude men square in the eye, placed his hand beneath the ribbon and asked, quizzically, "This?". With that the men all began to laugh out loud. The man he addressed said, as he fought back laughter, "Hey, sorry man, but we were just commenting on how pretty your little ribbon looks against your blue jacket!" The middle aged man calmly motioned for the joker to come over to his table, and invited him to sit down.
As uncomfortable as he was, the guy obliged, not really sure why. In a soft voice, the middle aged man said, "I wear this ribbon to bring awareness about breast cancer. I wear it in my mother's honor." "Oh, sorry dude. She died of breast cancer?" "No, she didn't. She's alive and well. But her breasts nourished me as an infant, and were a soft resting place for my head when I was scared or lonely as a little boy. I'm very grateful for my mother's breasts, and her health."
"Umm", the stranger replied, "yeah". " And I wear this ribbon to honor my wife", the middle aged man went on. "And she's okay, too?", the other guy asked. "Oh, yes. She's fine. Her breasts have been a great source of loving pleasure for both of us, and with them she nurtured and nourished our beautiful daughter 23 years ago. I am grateful for my wife's breasts, and for her health." "Uh huh. And I guess you wear it to honor your daughter, also?"
"No. It's too late to honor my daughter by wearing it now. My daughter died of breast cancer one month ago. She thought she was too young to have breast cancer, so when she accidentally noticed a small lump, she ignored it. She thought that since it wasn't painful, it must not be anything to worry about."
Shaken and ashamed, the now sober stranger said, "Oh, man, I'm so sorry mister". "So, in my daughter's memory, too, I proudly wear this little ribbon, which allows me the opportunity to enlighten others. Now, go home and talk to your wife and your daughters, your mother and your friends. And here . . ." The middle-aged man reached in his pocket and handed the other man a little pink ribbon.
The guy looked at it, slowly raised his head and asked, "Can ya help me put it on?"
The man brushed off the reaction as ignorance, but the smirks began to get to him. He looked one of the rude men square in the eye, placed his hand beneath the ribbon and asked, quizzically, "This?". With that the men all began to laugh out loud. The man he addressed said, as he fought back laughter, "Hey, sorry man, but we were just commenting on how pretty your little ribbon looks against your blue jacket!" The middle aged man calmly motioned for the joker to come over to his table, and invited him to sit down.
As uncomfortable as he was, the guy obliged, not really sure why. In a soft voice, the middle aged man said, "I wear this ribbon to bring awareness about breast cancer. I wear it in my mother's honor." "Oh, sorry dude. She died of breast cancer?" "No, she didn't. She's alive and well. But her breasts nourished me as an infant, and were a soft resting place for my head when I was scared or lonely as a little boy. I'm very grateful for my mother's breasts, and her health."
"Umm", the stranger replied, "yeah". " And I wear this ribbon to honor my wife", the middle aged man went on. "And she's okay, too?", the other guy asked. "Oh, yes. She's fine. Her breasts have been a great source of loving pleasure for both of us, and with them she nurtured and nourished our beautiful daughter 23 years ago. I am grateful for my wife's breasts, and for her health." "Uh huh. And I guess you wear it to honor your daughter, also?"
"No. It's too late to honor my daughter by wearing it now. My daughter died of breast cancer one month ago. She thought she was too young to have breast cancer, so when she accidentally noticed a small lump, she ignored it. She thought that since it wasn't painful, it must not be anything to worry about."
Shaken and ashamed, the now sober stranger said, "Oh, man, I'm so sorry mister". "So, in my daughter's memory, too, I proudly wear this little ribbon, which allows me the opportunity to enlighten others. Now, go home and talk to your wife and your daughters, your mother and your friends. And here . . ." The middle-aged man reached in his pocket and handed the other man a little pink ribbon.
The guy looked at it, slowly raised his head and asked, "Can ya help me put it on?"
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I hope you will all indulge me to share a page from my life.
My mother died in 1992 of breast cancer at the age of 57. She fought the illness for 9 years. I watched this beautiful, vibrant, incredibly funny and intensely loving person turn into a fragile shell. I watch her slowly and painfully drift further and further away from the once incredible being that she once was. I sat in the hospital listening as my father said "It will all be ok,,,, you'll go home soon." I also listened as my mother told my father she wouldn’t be going home again.
I was so blessed. My mother (moma) brought me into this world, raised me to be a strong person and loved me no matter what I did. I looked up to her for so many things. She was one of the most influential people in my life.
A few days before my mother died, she was very sick. I ran to the bathroom of the hospital and grabbed a small spit pail for her. She must have seen the terror on my face, felt the horror I was feeling in watching her die. Instead of being upset that she was dying (and she knew she was) she touched my arm, looked and me and said though all that pain and agony, "Don't be scared, everything will be alright. All things happen for a reason. You’re strong, you have to be strong for everyone else"
She was thinking of her family instead of herself.
The days lingered as I watched her deteriorate drifting in and out of a semi-coma. The day of her passing, my siblings and I talked my father into taking a break. He had been there night and day without many breaks, watching her struggle to live. He’d been gone about one hour when she opened her eyes and looked around the room. I jumped up and ran to her, sat on the side of her bed and watched her struggling to breathe.
I know that she was looking for him. Did she want him there? Or was she making sure he was gone? I softly rubbed her arm and told her that I loved her. I thanked her for being my mother and told her it was ok - go home.
She slipped away that wintery afternoon at 5:20, January 21, 1992. At that moment, I lost the biggest influence in my life to a monster called breast cancer. I stood in a hallway and listened as a man, who had never cried in front of his children, weep in anguish over my mother, questioning aloud why God had taken her and telling her to wait for him - he’d be there soon.
So I wear that pink pin, in memory of my mom; in memory of other moms. I wear it in honor of my two sisters, my brother and my father. I wear it for myself. I wear it for the next person who has to hear a doctor say, you have breast cancer, for the next husband whose wife comes home with that news, for her children and her grandchildren.
I wear that pink pin, in hopes that one day, I'll turn on the TV and hear a news commentator say, "A Cure for Breast Cancer has been found."
Now, go home and talk to your wife and your daughters, your mother and your friends. Encourange them to be screened for breast cancer.
That was very moving, Bela. Thank you for posting your story and bringing attention to this. There's times when I'm not very good with words, but know that you'll be in my thoughts today.
Thankyou for sharing, Bela. I am so sorry for your loss. Thankyou for addressing this important issue, which I had never thought much about until now. I too will be thinking of you today.
A very, very important issue. Thank you all for sharing.
My sister has just had a lump removed from her breast, which has fortunately turned out to be benign. A sobering reminder that disease can strike anyone at anytime.
Let me take this opportunity to encourage the gentlemen of the appropriate age among us to be tested for the early signs of prostrate cancer as well.
My sister has just had a lump removed from her breast, which has fortunately turned out to be benign. A sobering reminder that disease can strike anyone at anytime.
Let me take this opportunity to encourage the gentlemen of the appropriate age among us to be tested for the early signs of prostrate cancer as well.
Thank you, for sharing your personal story, Bela. I'm sorry for your loss.
This is an issue that hits close to home for me, as well. My step-mother has been living with breast cancer for over ten years, and every day is a struggle. I just found out last week that the pain killer they are giving her, a morphine derivative, is causing heart problems. She now has to be on oxygen twenty-four hours a day, and while they can try to reduce the pain killers, they don't know how far they can go, because the pain in her back is so bad from bones that shattered due to the radiation process.
Her life is a delicate dance with the cancer, but she fights it as well as she can, as do many, many others.
This is an issue that hits close to home for me, as well. My step-mother has been living with breast cancer for over ten years, and every day is a struggle. I just found out last week that the pain killer they are giving her, a morphine derivative, is causing heart problems. She now has to be on oxygen twenty-four hours a day, and while they can try to reduce the pain killers, they don't know how far they can go, because the pain in her back is so bad from bones that shattered due to the radiation process.
Her life is a delicate dance with the cancer, but she fights it as well as she can, as do many, many others.
Thanks, Bela and Cyan. I hope all women reading this will take advantage of this annual reminder and get a screening - and all men will take Bela's advice and encourage their friends and family members to do the same. I'm breaking out my own pink ribbon. 
Thanks DTOM and Mrs. P.
Today is not a day of mourning for me but I do appreciate your sympathies.
I wanted to share my story today because it is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Friday is National Mammography Day.
I like to have my breast examined on my birthday. Hmmm, that alMOST sounded a little kinky. lol It's my present to myself and a good way to remember to do it annually.
GET OUT AND GET CHECKED!
Today is not a day of mourning for me but I do appreciate your sympathies.
I wanted to share my story today because it is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Friday is National Mammography Day.
I like to have my breast examined on my birthday. Hmmm, that alMOST sounded a little kinky. lol It's my present to myself and a good way to remember to do it annually.
GET OUT AND GET CHECKED!
Thank you Bela & Cyan and for sharing your stories with us and for the important reminders.
Bela, be comforted in knowing you ARE strong. You must be making your mother proud. I can only imagine how much strength was required to share your story with us today. Your strength is helping get a very important message out. Thank you again.
Bela, be comforted in knowing you ARE strong. You must be making your mother proud. I can only imagine how much strength was required to share your story with us today. Your strength is helping get a very important message out. Thank you again.
Thanks Jaime.
I came in with makeup on. By the time I was through posting this it was mostly gone. Now people keep asking me if I am feeling well, LOL.
Tip: Always carry some extra makeup in your pocketbook.
I came in with makeup on. By the time I was through posting this it was mostly gone. Now people keep asking me if I am feeling well, LOL.
Tip: Always carry some extra makeup in your pocketbook.
Bela, I'm so sorry for your loss. Thanks so much for sharing.
It's a important day and an important issue. women, especially wives and moms tend to always be the last on their list of "things to take care of." what we don't realize is the terrible impact we have on our loved ones lives when we are ill or gone. So, on our "lists of things to take care of," we should put ourselves at the top and in doing so save our loved ones from worrying.
<---making an appt. TODAY!
Thanks for the reminder Bela!
It's a important day and an important issue. women, especially wives and moms tend to always be the last on their list of "things to take care of." what we don't realize is the terrible impact we have on our loved ones lives when we are ill or gone. So, on our "lists of things to take care of," we should put ourselves at the top and in doing so save our loved ones from worrying.
<---making an appt. TODAY!
Thanks for the reminder Bela!
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