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Love this song. Melissa Ethridge, “I Run For Life”…and a montage of some kick ass survivors.
It’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Have you had your mammogram? How’s your health care? Whatever your situation, wherever you are in the journey, support is everything. For all the mothers and grandmas, sisters and aunts, friends and wives, girlfiends and partners and children (and men!) out there who have had to face breast cancer, consider this a cheer from someone who is one more lump away from joining you. We all run for life. Let’s make sure we make it a damn good race, shall we?
…love ya, Jane
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Dodd!
Fitz!
Hi Christy. Hi Jane.
My mammogram is scheduled for February. Thanks for bringing this up again.
Christy…. thank you for this
Jane!
Also Christy, if folks can go to The Breast Cancer Site each day and click to help provide mammograms to poor women.
The Breast Cancer Site is a companion to the Hunger Site, Child Health Site, Literacy Site, Rainforest Preservation Site, and Animal Rescue Site. All you have to do is click the various tabs at the top of the page then the big buttons. Takes less than a minute to click through all six sites.
TexBetsy @ 3
Very cool, Betsy. So glad to hear it.
Final surgery Thursday. Woo hoo! Really looking to be done with this. It’s been almost a year to the day since I was diagnosed and it became almost a full-time job. Thanks to everyone who pinch hit for me (and continue to do so), nobody more than Christy.
Much love to you too, hon.
I’m clearly feisty today. I need to channel this into letters to Congress.
There is the cutest new house in my neighborhood. The people living there have been fixing it up and landscaping…I’ve been driving by and remarking what a great job they’ve been doing.
Backtrack in time…Four years ago, a friend of mine was diagnosed with cancer and given a 5% survival prognosis. I moved away and lost touch.
I just learned the other day from a mutual friend, that our friend was still alive!!!!
Guess what?!!! Yup. They have moved into that cute little house – around the corner from me!!! I drove over and there he was, working on the yard and doing great. Four years out and clear!!!
Shocked the sh*t outta me!!!! There is always hope!!
I’ve had the paperwork for a month or so, but I’m worried that it will cost some co-pay that I can’t afford. So I’ll just wait until I think I can afford it. Right now I have a lung CT to worry about, and I consider that more important for a COPD patient with a heart bypass history.
Hello Christy and Jane!
Jane: Luv ya too…
Most Americans Do Not Know When or How Often To Get Cancer Screening Tests
Kidney cancer is the 5th leading CA in men & 12th in women… [sorry guys] so please do not ignore that chronic back pain and blood in the urine
Tons of info at this website
National Cancer Institute
Ann in AZ @ 10
Ann,
Four years ago my sister missed her regular schedule for the mammogram by six months. Turns out she had an aggressive form of breast cancer. If she’d been on her regular schedule, it would not have shown up and the next year would have been too late.
But do get it as soon as you can.
We’ll be thinking about you on Thursday, Jane. All best wishes!
Ann in AZ @ 10
Contact the lab or diagnostics place and see if they can reduce the payment.
Good luck Jane.
Say Hi to DR. Kobe for me.
Bustednuckles @ 16
from me too.
Ann in AZ @ 10
Call your insurance member services number and ask how much they pay on the test. I am pretty sure that you will find that will be covered under the womans health law…. let me google it and get back to you on this.
Along with mammograms, don’t forget the colonoscopy after the age of 50. The public perception is that colon ca is a male disease when in fact the incidence is equal. Colon ca is one of the few ca’s that can be prevented.
Good luck Jane on Thursday. I’m so glad to hear it is the last one. You are an amazing person and an inspiration.
Thanks for the reminder. Mine’s due in Dec. so this would be a good time to schedule it.
I’ll keep good thoughts for you on Thursday. Glad to hear this is the last one.
Ann, please call the lab and ask them about co-pays on your insurance. They will tell you. It may be completely covered — my insurance charges me nothing for diagnostic labs, and mammograms are included in that.
dakine01 @ 13
I’m thinking probably by January, but I think the CT may be a co-pay of $125 and I still owe $25 for a Sept. xray of my shoulder for a different injury. These are not very small amounts of money to someone with less than $1,400/mo income. House pmt of $718 eats most of my income up. About $400 for util/ins. Whatever’s left for everything else, including gas, medical, groceries, pets, clothes, etc. Life’s a blast if you don’t weaken!
I’m past due, never manage to f/up on time and I work in a medical office.
Aced my mammogram on Monday! Halleluja!! Man, there is nothing that’ll focus your attention like a lump where it oughtn’t to be.
Great news Jane!
Wifey had a false positive mamo, but the upside was she finally quit smoking!
I couldn’t bribe her to quit… but that skeered her. Good for her.
Keep up the Good fight Ann.
SanderO @ 26
Me too. Clean for a month now.
Please do not allow money to stop you from screening tests…. as long as you pay $5.00/month, they cannot take you to collections as you are making an attempt to pay. Negotiate with providers on a payment plan. They would rather have their money “someday” than not at all.
And you get the tests done
Lots of states have free screening programs, including AZ
http://www.wellwomanhealthcheck.org/
Christy,
What a nice idea.
{{{{{Jane}}}}}}
Go all the way!
get your annual exam.
Someone I loved dearly died of colon cancer in her thirties. She dismissed symptoms for too long because she thought they were symptoms of hemorrhoids from the birth of her last child all but three years before.
She wasn’t known at the time to have a risk for colon cancer, but if she had taken the time out of her hectic life to get her annual exams this particular cancer would have been found in time. She didn’t have to die.
So go all the way, save your life, for yourself — and for those who love you. get your annual exam.
Best of health Jane, make your recovery be swift!
It’s important to remember – as we get our mammograms and do BSE’s – that you don’t have to have a lump to have breast cancer. Inflammatory breast cancer mimics the symptoms of mastitis and there is no lump.
One of my online friends, mom of a 3yo and 9mo old, is currently fighting this, and I’d never heard of it until I read her post.
More info from the IBC Research Foundation.
ot
on c-span harry reid is asking for more time to bring the s-chip bill up again due to republican refusal to vote to override the veto. on c-span 3 i am watching the oversite committee on irag reconstruction. to contrast the two things is amazing. 28 million waste on a grouting process on a dam that was not done, but don’t help a sick american child. all america should see this.
Ann, sent you a facebook msg.
Ann in AZ @ 10
Even if you don’t have the co-pay do it anyway. And when they come to you for the money just say you don’t have it. It is the right thing to do. Take care of yourself first.
helen kenney @ 34
And somehow he thinks that will change with time.
Joe Scarborough: Edwards campaign all but over…
Bwahahahahahaha
A friend of ours told us she had cancer shortly after my sister died of bladder cancer (from smoking-seems you can only put so much poison into your body before something goes awry.) She thought she had liver cancer, but then the doctors told her that the liver cancer was a secondary cancer, and they couldn’t find the original cancer for quite a while. It turned out to be lung cancer. It was so strange that she couldn’t find the original problem until so late in the game. She only lasted less than a year after she told us.
I hate to go off topic but this is sick and it’s gonna enable the president to start another war
man, Americans sure don’t learn from their mistakes
a poll like this is gonna have the effect of bush beating the drum louder and more aggresively
we’re in trouble
PA_Lady at 33 — That was my last lump, but we caught it at the precancerous stage just as it was getting started. But I’m definitely in the estrogen-reactive category. As is my mom, who is a survivor from a lump found the last three years.
Elliott @ 32
Thirties is very unusual..90% over the age of 50. Getting women to have a colonoscopy is a major problem. Colon ca is the second leading ca cause of death after lung cancer and it is preventable. (off soapbox)
DDT and cancer risk
Looks like there is mounting evidence that ddt and other pesticides may be a factor in breast cancer. I remember running behind the mosquito fog truck when it came through neighborhood. Am now a three year survivor and have a 97% cure rate. I don’t care how people have to game the system to be taken care of-do it-please.
Bless you Jane (and Christie) for the life you have given all of us at the lake, in helping us to see with xray vision the underlying (and too often spreading and suffocating) cancers of our society today.
Recommended screening tests for men
Recommended screening for women
Good luck on Thursday Jane. I will be thinking about you and know that you will do well.
Encore performance of the mammogram song, to the tune of Bob Hop’s “Thanks for the Memories”
Thanks for the mammogram.
The left one and the right,
You squished them really tight.
But now I know that I’m OK and
I can sleep at night. So,
Thanks for the mammogram
Dedicated to my mom, who fought The Bitch for 20 years.
Way better list of recommended screening tests
Men
Women
OT — But on the theme of hope…
Notre Dame University has had events all day today in honor of St. Marcellus, a conscientious objector and martyr.
Peace groups from all around the area are participating, including some members of my church who have already expressed interest in the new peacemakers group I’m starting.
I’ll be leaving work shortly to join them.
Those of us who believe in peace and social justice are not as isolated as some people would have us believe.
TJ @ 8
LOL !!!
Good to hear, TJ !
(Bold mine)
PA_Lady @ 33
Because of your urging, I have made an appointment to get some symptoms checked. [Already had a clean mammogram, but these developed after my physical.] Thank you.
Loo Hoo @ 14
((((( Jane )))))
We are with you, every step of the way !
Wish you all the best, Jane. Know you’ll come through with flying colors. Let us know if you need anything.
There’s also the PSA test for prostate cancer, and some other non-invasive test for blood in the stool.
BTW this has become a campaign issue. Rudy Giuliani just made the argument that he’d likely be dead of prostate cancer if he were under Englands Soc*al*sed health system…and then made public his new plan to offer tax cuts of $15,000 for individuals to obtain PRIVATE insurance, and do away with employer sponsored insurance plans.
I found this interesting site that actually compares US vs. Canadian prostate cancer incidence rates and mortality levels…and even adjusts them for race (given that the US would have a greater number of blacks…who are chronically UNDERINSURED and increase the US rates).
Surprise, surprise…even when African-Americans are removed from the calculations Canada has both lower rates of incidence and significantly lower mortality rates for those that do contract prostate cancer. Lots of nifty charts on the link.
Last I heard the Canadians had “soci*l*sed medicine” according to most of the Rightwings definitions of the service.
http://www.publichealthreports…..119174.pdf
A couple of things that worries me about Giuliani’s suggestion is what happens to those that have less than $15,000 in taxes? Do they only get the amount of insurance allowed by the maximum they can tap out. If I pay $8000 in taxes annually…is my tax break only gonna be $8000? And that restricts me to $8000 plans unless I pay the extra out-of-pocket? And someone wealthier gets $15,000 worth of insurance, no taxes, and no out of pocket for that amount of insurance?
Seems like this is a big gift for those that are wealthier. For the same $15,000 in coverage, the $8000 taxpayer has to foot an additional $7000. The wealthier taxpayer has 100% of it covered in his tax refund. Nice! And what about those poor who pay no taxes…what does Giulianis “no socialised medicine” say to them?
Also, without some form of government supervision wouldn’t insurance plans have much greater “negotiating” power over private purchasers? One big issue is getting insurance companies to actually pay up on claims, and to not drop individuals that have chronic health issues. The fact that companies or the government steps in for their employees when insurance companies and HMO’s are shirking their responsibilities is a powerful negotiating tool preventing abuse. Giuliani’s plan would make us all “individuals”and isolated from the power that large collective power that keeps plan costs low and competitive. insurance providers want these large employee pools and are willing to offer far more reasonable plans as a result.
Almost sounds like Bush’s plans to end social security by creating “private accounts” run by the big five financial firms…and we see how well they handle money!
egregious @ 51
My daughter had mastitis and was not breast feeding. This made the chance of inflammatory breast cancer huge. She was lucky and did not have it. But we found out that many docs don’t know about it. It is aggressive and needs to be dealt with immediately. Thank goodness for FDL where awareness of all kinds of issues is raised and support given. Thank you Christy and Jane.
mary at 55 — So glad your daughter is doing well. It’s a scary thing to go through when your kiddos are tiny. We found my issue — and I had to have a “lump” the size of a golf ball removed, when The Peanut was only 3 months old. Was a really scary time for us, but because I caught it in the very early stages — precancerous — they were able to remove all the at risk tissue and thus far I’ve done well. But it was a rough. Glad your daughter got good news on her tests, too.
Steve-AR @ 42
Stay up on it! One of the recommended tests is the colo-rectal blood test. It can be done at home and besides a little “ewww” factor (but no worse than changing kids diapers) and some short term diet changes, it’s easy. The test can also indicate if there may be other issues with internal bleeding.
The serial exaggerator strikes again
Jane Hamsher @ 7
woo hoo is right…yayyyyy
TexBetsy @ 17
Me too!! To the best foul-mouthed fem blogger around. ;-) Best wishes and a speedy recovery.
OT. Don’t forget to go get your FREE Taco Bell taco (between 2 and 5 PM local time) today courtesy of Jacoby Ellsbury of the Boston Red Sox.
perris @ 59
Best of luck, Jane! You remain an inspiration to everybody here!
I want to give a shout out to my friend Leslie in Denver who is battling this disease.
And, completely off topic, Valerie Plame Wilson will be on the radio (KPCC 89.3) in Los Angeles at 1PM PDT / 4PM EDT. Linky here and click on listen live to, um, listen live. Or go here to load the stayion into Itunes…
Steve-AR @ 42
I kinda hate to say it here, but this is why I think what Katie Couric has done to essentially proliferate colonoscopy is courageous. She has so promoted the idea of pre-screening for colon cancer that she had one on national TV. They actually showed a picture of what the doctor saw as the camera moved in her colon. She was able to talk to them all along, and the stats showed that a lot of people went and got the test as a result of seeing it on her show. Al Roker did the same another year. Since her husband died, Katie’s been on a crusade with this, and it’s been immeasurably helpful to many.
dakine01 @ 61
Damn! I’m in Singapore! Where the tacos are considered Haute Cuisine, and priced similarly.
Jane Hamsher @ 7
Go Jane – we all look forward to your continued recovery…
Ann in AZ — Why would you hate to say it? She has done a great job of raisng awareness on that issue, one that gets ignored by the general public far too often, frankly.
i wish you well on thursday and will say a prayer for you. your website has educated me to a lot of issues and we need you around. i am sorry i did not mention this in my earlier post
dakine01 @ 61
Uh, egads, I once knew of a softball team irreverently named the itchy taco. ahem.
Wish me luck. I get a mammogram re-do next week…
do-si-do at 69 — I have a lesbian friend who plays softball. She is going to lose it laughing at that one. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Christy Hardin Smith @ 70
enjoy! ;)
Has it been mentioned that men get breast cancers as well though it is much rarer occurrence. I once knew someone who’s brother died by that cancer. Men need to be made more aware of the possibility as well and avoid being blindsided by ignorance. FWIW.
jane – good luck thursday! will be thinking of you.
This is not me indulging in a pity party, or anything. It’s just an fyi. But I’m 53 years old, female, working in Montgomery, Alabama, with no health insurance. If anything happened to me, I wouldn’t even be able to go to the doctor, much less elect surgery, much less get an annual mammogram, much less get my eyes tested, much less be able to go to the dentist.
My own fault?
Maybe. Maybe not.
I REMEMBER doing a fun raiser for breast cancer at work.
Good luck jane =]
I haven’t had a chance to read all the comments, but I want to say that song is incredibly powerful. I lost my good friend Cheryl to this horrible disease last spring — most of the time I still can’t believe she’s gone — and I just want to wish good health and long life to all the sisters and daughters and wives… Peace.