October=Breast Cancer Awareness Month

In 1998, my dad retired after over 40 years as a railroader. He and Mom were looking forward to traveling and had plans to become snowbirds. After Christmas, they intended to head for Arizona to escape the Wyoming winter. 

Then before they left, Mom went for her yearly mammogram. The results that came back were unexpected. Mom had breast cancer. 

They didn't go to Arizona. Instead of heading for sunny skies and fun with newfound friends, Mom faced surgery, and miserable months of radiation and chemotherapy.

So, this year when the reminder that I was due for my yearly mammogram arrived, I did NOT call right away to schedule an appointment. 

Surprised you, huh? Bet you thought I was a good little girl who always does what she's told.

All I could think when I saw the notice was "What if it comes back bad?" 

We'd have to cancel our world cruise, and I've been dreaming of that trip for years. The DH and I are going to have the adventure of a lifetime. I'm going to see Rome, ride in a gondola, feed a koala! If something came back bad on my mammogram, all that would go away. I fretted about it for a couple of weeks, actually. 

But then I realized I was being stupid. If I have breast cancer, it will do no good to wait. Early detection is the key to a cure. If, God forbid, we have to cancel the cruise, well...that's why we bought trip insurance. 

Time spent with my DH is more important than any cruise, even one that goes all the way around the world. And I'm hoping to spend a lot more years with this wonderful guy.

So I had my mammogram and, just as I'd prayed, the results came back perfectly normal. 

Of course, there's another reason I went ahead and had the mammogram. My mom would kill me if she'd found out I had skipped it. You see, her treatment worked! She went through the treatments with grace, courage, and her inimitable style. She beat cancer and in December 1999, we took her and my dad to Disney World to celebrate! 

I'm so thankful to share that she is still with us. Here's a pic of her on her eightieth birthday last February. We surprised her with a party at her favorite Chinese restaurant. You can't make it out very well in the picture, but we got her a tiara to wear. She loved it! Sparklies are her thing.

She's the only woman I know who can truly rock a tiara!

And if she had decided to put off that screening mammogram nearly 20 years ago, my dad and the rest of the family might not be blessed to have her still.  

So, here's the take away. No matter what your plans, they aren't more important than your health. Have your yearly physical. Schedule the screenings your doc advises. If everything comes back great, you can go ahead with your travel plans with a light heart.

And if your results come back not so great, you will still  have a  better chance of going on than if you wait for a problem to grow.