Recently in Boob Checking Category

What happens when an Anglican, an Orthodox, a Baptist and a Pentecostal all sit down for lunch? Almost 3 hours of conversation and laughter!!!

Ba-dum Tish!

Ian, Yay, Semele and I, met up for a somewhat annual Anzac Day (ish) wibmeet at the Wok Bar today.

It really is lovely to sit at a restaurant on the deck with the sea breeze keeping the air fresh on such a lovely autumn afternoon, even lovelier to do so in such good company! No shortage of things to talk about and at least one outlandish topic of conversation, this pretty normal for us. This time around it was the suggestion of a new ministry, an Orthodox/Pentecostal fellowship headed up by Ian, I think I'll be called in for Pentecostalising such a congregation... could be fun...

We finished of our lunch (3 pad thais - pads thai? and a Vietnamese beef salad - followed by fried icecream for 2 and death by chocolate and warm iced chocolate for others) with fortune cookies... I believe the others will post the contents of theirs... mine was ... "Be on alert for a new opportunity" It sounds very like a prophecy I had once (oops, that Pentecostalism just slipped out... ) I'll let you know if anything comes of it!!

All in all it's been a fabulous week/weekend with one thing and another... still, I'm looking forward to the day off tomorrow and a the chance to relax a little... it's been full speed ahead for quite some time!

At blogging, I mean.

It isn't as though I've been vastly busy really, though I've a new client who may be in the way of putting a bunch of work my way which is welcome busyness...

And then there's the business of looking for a new abode which is sneaking up. I've not found an alternate, the smurf house was a total dive... the 'kitchen at the end of the bed' kind of unsuitable... not really me... so it means I may need to find more money to move to a one bed. But I'm sure the right place will... well, manifest eventually...

I have rediscovered novels, at least since I handed in my last assignment. Hurrah... so I've been buried in those, even at the expense of TV which is rather marvellous. I loved this one. Tannenbaum's grasp of language and meticulous attention to character make for gripping stories. I have to say I've been enjoying turning the box off until there's something on I particularly want to watch and filling the gaps with reading... I started this one last night and it's proving compelling as well, and Australian which is always good!

Anyway, I was rather delightfully reminded this week that I haven't posted a Mupdate, which is very remiss as we've had very good news.

You'll remember Mum had a bilateral (both sides) mastectomy. Blech. It was largely a choice she made so as to avoid having to live with the fear that in spite of close care and early detection protocols and radiotherapy that in who knows how many months or years she'd be back in the hospital having to go through it all again. So, attached as she had been to her girls for 60yrs minus pre-pubescence, she had the chop.

Well, you may wonder what good news could come of it... But it transpired at her follow up cancer clinic appointment there was much rejoicing amongst the staff. Apparently, there were more cancerous nodes that had been undetected by the mammo or the ultrasound and that would have remained, perhaps unharmed after radiotherapy (had she taken the less radical course of treatment) and because she made the bold move, and because all tests indicate that there is no lymph involvement, she has been given the all clear.

Yep.

All Clear.

There'll be ongoing meds for 5 years or so to deal with any microscopic tissue, it's a hormone fed cancer so the meds gradually reduce whatever that hormone is. But other than that.

All

Clear.

I'm a bit grateful. I wasn't ready to walk the terrifying road.

Not just yet.

I know you won't get to read this Mum, being a technophobe and all... But for the record.

You're a champion.

My mother is New Zealand's latest titless wonder. (She'd really hate reading that, it's my little inside joke... so if you bump into her... Mum's the word ok?)

This month's been a bit of a roller coaster and I know, mentioning the 'C' word actually makes things feel bigger than life. But here's the thing. The really good thing is that at no stage have the surgeons or doctors given us any reason to believe that this cancer is going to kill her. She's only 60, she's got a few years left in her yet... A V good thing I'm sure you'll agree. And an advertisement for early detection... (on that note... have you been checked? Are you doing your self checking? )

ahem... as you were...

Having said all that, on Tuesday my brave little Mum chose to have a bilateral mastectomy instead of a lumpectomy and ongoing radiotherapy. In anyone's book I reckon that's a pretty bold move... I mean, seeing off your girls like that isn't exactly an easy choice...

At least it isn't for me at nearly 40 and never been ... well... you know...

It's a thought that comes up in my mind now and again, given our history and all, I wonder if it's the wiser choice but with the exception of my grandmother the age of onset has always been much later than 40... so I feel like I've got time and I'm having the boob sandwich again early next year... It's that first one that was the hard one...

So, there you are... the update... thanks for your generous thoughts and prayers from one side of the world to the other and points between it's extraordinary to have such positive vibes at such a time...

You guys rock... no seriously... you are rockin...

Just thought you should know...

You're the best.

Get Checked
Mammo Drama
My Dr the Tit
The Big Squeeze

Both me and my blog have a cancer history (above), specifically a Breast Cancer History, and in honour of that history and the incredible women in my family who have been touched by this scourge I'm, well... In the Pink for October...

It's somewhat appropriate really. My mum is the next Singular woman to get a diagnosis and a date with a masectomy. Heck, she may even make hers a double.

Bloody Hell - have you been checked?

I have given a lot of thought to writing about the mammogram which I had this morning.

For a start there's the grumpy b*tch on reception who really doesn't make a nervous 1st timer welcome as she walked in the door and barks at you for using your phone...

There'd have to be a mention about the other lovely ladies who are very sensitive about handling your well... precious vessels.

There'd be a mention about the procedure itself (eep), the mammogram that is, the ultrasound was far less intense though a little, well, sticky...

I could write at length but I'm not going to.

All I'm going to say is that it was uncomfortable to be sure but by no means unbearable. There was no embarassment or discomfort about being so exposed.

And more importantly, I will add, that if you should be having early checks due to a family history, or if you have any kind of concern about your girls and you have been putting it off.

STOP IT!!! STOP IT AT ONCE.

Go and get it done, for the sake of your health and the sake of your loved ones.

[here endeth the lesson]

[Nod's once again to Douglas Adams]

So, the conversation goes like this...

Bring Bring... "Local Radiology, Scary Nurse Speaking"
Moi... "Hello Scary Nurse, this is Dee, How are you doing?"
SN... "Good thanks" (Ok, so she's not exactly scary, more, sort of represents a universal scariness given she's in charge of this darn mammogram)
Moi..."I'd like to make an appointment for a mammogram please, I have a referral from Dr Ticket"
SN... "Certainly, what's your name please?"
Moi... "Deeleea B Deeleea"
SN..."Well, I can see your referral in the system, you've had it since January haven't you?"
Moi... "*blushes* Yes"
SN... "I'm afraid I can't make an appointment for you. Because you are below the governnmentally intstituted regulation screening age you need to have a referral that demonstrates an existing pathology (a lump or some such anomaly) or a serious family history before we can book you in under Medicare"
Moi... "Well, I have a serious family history (see prev post)"
SN... " am afraid that Dr Ticket is going to have to write that on the referral"
Moi..."well, can I just book in as a private patient and pay you rather than faff about with Medicare (bearing in mind Mrs Brick gave me the cash).
SN..."No, I'm sorry you'll need to ring Dr Ticket and ask him to rewrite the referral and then call us for an appointment"
Moi...[hangs up with her flabber totally ghasted]

So, what I want to know is if Kylie had to put up with all this rubbish... I guess she had an existing pathology. Me I've just got a couple of dead relatives?

I will have to make another appointment to see another doctor because I didn't actually bond with Dr Ticket the last time I was there and I want a nicer doctor to give me the referral, one who actually takes me seriously. I hardly ever have to go to the docs so when I do I go with a shopping list... please check out this mole, can I have my blood results, and can you book me a mammogram? I would not have thought that strange behaviour, surely general physicals include such things, but Dr Ticket clearly thinks I am an hypochondriac.

So, as you can see I did Try and book the procedure but got stonewalled. I promise I won't leave it 2 months to try again...

On a lighter note I am somewhat heavier due to certain pancakes consumed at the latest Aussie wibmeet. Me, Ian, Semele and Miss Lisa hooked up in the city for dinner and what turned out to be an hilarious evening!!! Thanks for making the effort guys! It was great to meet you Semele and to catch up Ian! And Miss Lisa? Always a pleasure!!
I have brain fade and can't remember any of the things we said we'd blog when we got home... except the sugar spilling and the shoe and hardware fetish... Loses something in translation I think!

I guess you just had to be there...

Breast Cancer Awareness

It is by no quirk of fate that I am here. and don't mean in Australia, or in my bed blogging this post (yes the Dell has moved back to bed, it's where 'tis warmest), I mean Here, In Existence.

My life is, because of one extraordinary woman. My grandmother. Edna.

As a mother of 4, 2 of them twins, she was diagnosed in 1945 with both breast cancer, and with pregnancy. In 1945 treatment was dangerous, unpleasant and experimental. Drugs to treat one would no doubt finish the other and to her this was untenable. Advised to terminate, to save herself for the sake of the children; she opted instead to do nothing. Nothing; for the sake of the child. Nothing; not even once she delivered, Nothing; till the infant was weaned.

That's Courage.

She died when my mother was 3.

Jaq and Jill; twins who shared everything, a womb, a room, a birthday, a diagnosis, scars, prostheses and treatment stories. They shared also the same courageous mother as mine did and now it has been 4 years since Jill died too, that same hideous death 54 years later.

And so here I am, staring down the barrell of a mammogram, with a referral that is 2 months old burning a whole in my diary. And now, thanks to Mrs Brick I am without the excuse of the price for the procedure. She overpaid me enough for a mammogram when I babysat last week. To make sure that I was without that excuse. And it's been 10 days and her cheque is still burning a hole in my wallet.

Don't admonish me please, it's tough enough without being nagged. Just nod as and smile as I am making myself accountable to you... Tomorrow I will call the clinic. Admonish me not, for waiting this long, pick up the phone and go and get yourself checked out too.