A Wakeup Call

The call came one afternoon.  It was the University of Minnesota Breast Center calling to tell me that my recent mammogram had shown an abnormality that required further investigation.  Hmmmmph, I thought, what a pain in the rear to have to go in for another appointment.

It wasn't until a couple days later that it really started to sink in....what if...what if...WHAT IF I HAVE BREAST CANCER???

After that, every time I saw or heard the word cancer (and it's amazing how often it pops up...in newspapers, on blogs, in conversation...), I wondered if this 6-letter word that I often ignored would be taking on a whole new meaning in my life.

I found myself feeling up in arms - How could this green & healthy Mom possibly have cancer?  This Mom who buys as much organic food as she can afford, this Mom who serves healthy, homemade food instead of processed, this Mom who avoids the most toxic cleaning chemicals, this Mom who makes a lot of her own beauty products.

This sucks...is what I was really thinking. How did we manage to create a world where we are getting sick from our own environment? 

After waiting an entire week, I headed back to the Breast Center for a follow-up mammo & ultrasound.  I'm laying there on the examining table with my left breast hanging out when the doctor comes in (Doctor:  "Do you mind if my really cute, boy-intern comes in to watch?"  Me:  "Sure, come on in and why don't you invite a few more people while you're at it!")  He's real serious, trying rather unsuccessfully to be friendly.  He frowns as he checks the ultrasound for a minute or two that seems like an hour.  Finally, he says - "You've got fibrous changes but there's no tumor" and turns and leaves the room. 

Big sigh. Relief!!

So will I do anything differently now, after this little wake-up call?  Not really.  I will continue to eat healthy, non-processed food (most of the time!) and to reduce my toxic chemical exposure as much as possible.  On a day-to-day basis that is all anyone can do. There is no 100% protection plan from cancer. 

I will also continue to advocate for changes that will protect us and our children from cancer-causing chemicals in our environment.  Supporting the Kid-Safe Chemical Act to reform federal chemical laws, is something that we all can do to help.  I encourage you to sign the petition, contact your legislators, host a kid-safe house party or simply help get the word out. 

The Green Moms Carnival is talking about environmental causes of cancer this month and Tiffany at Nature Moms is hosting.  Read about her own surprising struggle with cancer in her 20's, as well as interesting insights from other Green Moms on this compelling topic.  

Comments

[Jennifer Taggart, TheSmartMama]

I am glad to hear that your scare was just a scare and nothing more. What is amazing to me is how many of us have suffered from cancer or had a close relative or partner or friend suffer . . . it illustrates sharply what our environments are doing to us.

[Online Doctor Consultation]

That's a very nice news! But honestly, if I were in your part, that would be scary for me too. At least now, everybody's happy.

I'm looking forward for your cancer-causing topics in the future. I think it's now time for us to become alert regarding this alarming disease.

[Anna (Green Talk)]

What a scare! I am glad you are okay. Cancer can happen to anybody but at least we can do some preventable care like you are doing. Keep preaching. More people need to hear about a healthier lifestyle.

[Rachel]

I'm glad that you're okay!I think that our environment and how and what we eat plays such a larger role with so many diseases/sicknesses including cancer. I just wish more people we're AWARE of and educated about this. So many times I think we assume that because it's on the shelf and available to buy that it must be safe. So not the case!

[mother earth aka karen hanrahan]

I think it's great that you do the preventative diagnostics to make sure that all was well, and luckily so...

[ask a doctor]

Wow, definitely that was a scare, But it's good to know that you're ok..

[Lori Alper Groovy Green Livin]

Thank you for sharing your experience. Unfortunately, it is such a common occurrence for men and women to go through routine testing and experience the anxiety of waiting for results. Waiting for a week, as you did, is almost unbearable. Thankfully, in your situation, everything was fine. It certainly makes us all realize that we do not have control over everything. Situations like this present an opportunity to reevaluate our lifestyle to see if there is anything we would like to change. Sounds like you are making great choices!

[Micaela]

Thanks for the well-wishes everyone! Sometimes a wake-up call is a good thing.

BTW - One of my FB friends mentioned getting a thermogram - which is more detailed than a mammogram and can show you signs of pre-cancer as opposed to simply showing something that is already there. Have any of you heard of this or had it done?

[Account Deleted]

I am so glad this was just a scare and nothing more.

I hope that we can make some real change, so that fewer people receive the cancer diagnosis. We deserve better than to live in fear.

[Lisa @Retro Housewife Goes Green]

So glad it was nothing serious but these kind of things really make you think!

[Marysa Sheren - Fresh Living]

I am so relieved to read that this was a false alarm, and am glad to read a post that I am sure will comfort countless women awaiting test results. One can only hope that our efforts to live healthfully and chemical-free in our daily lives will help to reduce carcinogenic poisons in our environment. Thank you for sharing your story and for your meaningful activism.

[Genipher]

A friend of mine has a machine hooked up to her water that can change the alkaline levels. She says that if you constantly drink that type of water, it raises the alkaline levels and can, in a way, "prevent" cancer from growing. She discovered this machine after her mother went through colon cancer...

What do you think about the idea of raising the alkaline levels in our bodies?