I shoot off my mouth a lot about politics, I celebrate living in a circle of witches, I post pictures of pretty plants, I report on living between the worlds, I post poems that rock my world, but if there's anything that I try to do consistently on this blog, it's to remind women to take care of their breasts.
On the first of every month, give yourself a breast self-exam. It's easy to do. Here's how. If you prefer to do BSE at a particular time in your cycle, calendar it now. Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good.
And, I haven't said this enough, but, once a year, get yourself a mammogram. Mammograms cost between $150 and $300. If you have to take a temp job one weekend a year, if you have to sell something on e-Bay, if you have to go cash in all the change in various jars all over the house, if you have to work the holiday season wrapping gifts at Macy's, for the love of the Goddess, please go get a mammogram once a year.
Or: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention pays all or some of the cost of breast cancer screening services through its National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program. This program provides mammograms and breast exams by a health professional to low-income, underinsured, and underserved women in all 50 states, six U.S. territories, the District of Columbia, and 14 American Indian/Alaska Native organizations. For more information, contact your state health department or call the Cancer Information Service at 1-800-4-CANCER.
Send me an email after you get your mammogram and I will do an annual free tarot reading for you. Just, please, examine your own breasts once a month and get your sweet, round ass to a mammogram once a year.
Merci!
8 comments:
What a beautiful, inspirational blog!
Wishing you health and happiness for 2008.
Thanks for doing this reminder every month, Hecate.
Margaret
I love that you do this every month. But please consider that working the holiday season at Macy's may pay for a mammogram, but it won't pay for treatment if the mammogram finds breast cancer. For millions of American women without access to decent health care, finding a lump just means knowing that it's time to get your affairs in order.
Let's hope Hillary fixes that.
Actually, my ass was the part that had a touch of cancer.
My breasts seem to be fine so far....
Maybe I ought to take to reminding people to get those colonoscopies done....
...Do they hurt much? And at what age should you get your first one done?
ashlee,
They really don't hurt much; and they're very quick. You should talk to your doctor, but many women get a baseline done sometime between 35 and 40 and then an annual mammogram starting sometime in the mid to late 40s.
oh wow, thats a long way off then. i wont have to worry about that for a long time, but thank you.
Ok.. I had my Mammo today and got the all clear.. I live in that 6 Month window.
Now where's your email at ?
Wonderful blog ! A delightful way to start the day !
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