If you are like me, though, the fear of breast cancer is never far from my thoughts about being healthy and living a long, long time. I've known enough women who've bravely fought back against breast cancer to know how fast and furious it can invade any and many of our lives.
And although I try very hard to be vigilant about doing self-exams of my breasts, I admit to being gripped by fear some months, sometimes to the point of not doing one at all. Honestly, if it wasn't for the reminder card hanging in my shower, I might skip them more months.
It doesn't make sense, I know, but health fears don't rely on rational thinking. October is usually a good month for me in overcoming my fears and following tips on how to arm myself against cancer. Then, just like the information comes and goes, I am on to healthy Thanksgiving side dishes and back to where I was with breast cancer.
This year, this November, though, I keep running across posts and articles about breast cancer -- one about my blogging friend WhyMommy, another about holistic healing, yet another about Christina Applegate's straightforward comments on cancer recovery and her Hollywood body. It inspired me to carry my own awareness and courage into this month by doing a self-exam.
There's been some news recently that self-exams should now be considered optional, based on reports that most women are alerted to changes in their breasts during routine activities like changing clothing or having sex. The thing is, this is dependent on women having a good understanding of what their own breasts feel like normally and enough of a developed tactile memory to detect any changes. If I am not aware of how lumpy or taut my breasts are when I get my period, for example, then how would I know whether or not to be alarmed if I feel a lump or tautness when I put on a bra? I have concern that women, including me, will use this news to opt out of self-exams without having a baseline understanding of our own breasts. For that reason alone, I need to spend some time getting to know mine in more regular (read: monthly) self-exams.
It's not a cure. It's not the answer. It's not enough. But it's a start, one month, two circles around at a time.
What about you? How often do you really perform breast self-exams?
Read more:
