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Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Surgery tomorrow (again)

Tomorrow morning I start my reconstruction process. I am still undecided about how I want the final product - implants or tummy tissue - but I know I need to get the expanders in and get the process going. I am not really nervous about just more concerned about making sure I have everything I need etc since this is outpatient at a different hospital with a different doctor. So the routine I have become accustom to won't work for tomorrow.

Tonight I am trying to get the house somewhat clean and soak in the bath to relax for a bit. Hopefully this will be a quick recovery!

Friday, October 12, 2007

Rough week

This week is the one year mark of my testing, biopsy and diagnosis. A year ago today I was driving home from work when the doctor called back and told me it was positive for cancer. I had been calling his office all day trying to get the results. I held it together until I got home and then waited for my husband to get home. Once I said it out loud to him I lost it. The whirlwind of tears, tests, research and doctors had begun. I would never be the same person again.

It is a rough day to remember but I am so thrilled to be sitting here a year later to recall it. I didn't really do anything to note the day other than a friend bought me coffee and I might have a drink later to "celebrate". Today was Passionately Pink for the Cure day at work and it was wonderful to see so many co-workers in pink and we raised almost $300. I also had a meeting at the hospital about a survivor panel I will be sitting on next weekend. So my day was again surrounded by reminders of breast cancer but they were positive reminders!

Next week is the beginning of my reconstruction process so I will be down for a few days. Then November 1st will be my one year as a survivor since that is the anniversary of my surgery that removed the cancer.

Monday, October 1, 2007

Welcome to the sea of Pink

Today begins Breast Cancer Awareness month. Be prepared to see pink everywhere. I think it is great that so many are doing so much to create awareness and raise money but be warned. If you want to buy something to support the cause make sure that it truly is. Companies that offer to donate $5 from a $200 item are not necessarily in it for the cause. Sure that $5 will add up if they sell alot of product but think of how much they are making off this deal simply by making it pink.

I admit I own a pink ice cream scoop and pink measuring cups among many other pink items but the ones I will always go out of my way for is Yoplait, Avon, Levis, Coldwater Creek, Ford, and obviously anything that gives to or is related to Komen for the Cure. There are others out there but these ones and a few others have been around long before it was trendy to "Be Pink" and support awareness. Check out www.thinkbeforeyoupink.org to find out who is truly helping the cause. They go even further to point out that Ford gives a lot of money but continues to produce cars that make exhaust chemicals that are tied to breast cancer. Same for many of the make-up companies that continue to use cancer causing toxins in their products while giving to cancer research.

All that said, I am not sure that any press (or in this case pink) is bad press (pink) when it comes to creating awareness about breast cancer. I know October will be a difficult month for me. All the coverage of breast cancer and seeing pink everywhere will be a constant reminder of how much my life has changed. I was also diagnosed in October so the memories will be even stronger than normal as I approach my one year "cancerversary".

I read an ad on the back of a cancer survivor magazine that I just love! "Whoever said winning isn't everything as never had to fight cancer." Winning and doing the celebration dance in the zone is what it is all about!