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Breast Cancer

Tomorrow I have a mamogram scheduled. It seems I've had more difficulty scheduling this appointment than I ever have. My family doctor died last year, and he and the new doctor I'm seeing have two entirely different attitudes about how often one should have a mamogram.

The doctors always ask about cancer in the family. All the brothers and sisters on my father's side of the family died of some form of cancer. My dad died of lung cancer in 1974, at the age of 62.

I believe that I have finally quit smoking. I'm going on 9 weeks without a smoke of nicotine, and I feel like I've made it over the hump. I miss smoking, but I don't want to go back to the health hazards. I'm breathing and smelling and tasting much better these days.

My mother's side of the family is sort of spread out. Her brothers and sisters had a different father. My mom's half sister died of breast cancer a few years back. My new doctor, Dr. Kapadia, is younger than my previous doctor, and his attitude is making me very nervous.

He judges that every two years is not often enough to have a mamogram in my situation. He's been bugging me, almost furiously, for the past several months about getting this done. I'm not having any problems, so I put the appointment off until I got around to it in my own good time.

Because my new doctor has made such a big deal about it, I'm kind of nervous. I have breast implants. One is normal and the other I classify as hard as a rock. I figure it's just the way I healed. I don't look forward to the lab technician pushing me and my "girls" into her machine for a flattening and picture. It's not that it hurts so much. It's more like I think they're going to squeeze until my implants burst.

But, reading the news of the day, breast cancer doesn't seem to be very age related. Reading about Sheryl Crow's situation made me realize that I do need to get this done. So my appointment is tomorrow afternoon, and hopefully I'll receive an all clear.

It's strange to think about dying. I'm 51 now, and if I take after my father's side of the family, I may only have 11 years left. If I take after mom's side of the family, I've got more like 30+ years. Heredity isn't everything, but it gives me pause to think.