Think Pink

Hey!  Did you know OCTOBER is Breast Cancer Awareness Month?

I have to admit, I paid much less attention to such things this time last year...and while I mostly find it touching occasionally it can be a bit much...

That having been said, some things have been really amazing to me.

First, as I already mentioned, a co-worker and friend ran her first 5K in the Susan G Komen Race for the Cure.

Another co-worker and friend is on a Dragon Boat team in Portland that honors those who have breast cancer, and I was on their list:

Once again, my technological savvy fails me on the "Rotate Image" front...

And still ANOTHER co-worker and friend has boys who play football.  Pink gear was "optional" and his son was the only one who wore it in honor of "Booby Cancer" as they call it at their place.

And, finally, my Whittier College sorority (technically we're not really a "sorority," we're called the Metaphonian Society) participated in a Pink Shawl walk and surprised me with these photos on Facebook:

It's funny, because I really, truly find these gestures all so very touching.  

Contrast that with today, when I'm at OHSU for my appointments and there is another obvious breast cancer patient who wants to talk / bond and I am just so...not...into it.  I know that's weird, and I have no idea why I feel that way but I do.

As for today's appointments: I had a mammogram and ultrasound and verified what Dr. Chui and I have known for a while--the tumor has shrunk by more than half.  

I also met with my breast surgeon, Dr. Naik, and Nurse Christine to review what to expect on my surgery.  Dr. Naik says I should expect to take 3-4 weeks to recover completely.  That seems like a long time for a surgery that only requires a one or two night hospital stay...but there's lots to look forward to during those weeks--chest tightness, draining tubes that have to be emptied twice a day, sleeping sitting up for the first several days, not being able to lift my arms above shoulder-height--just MORE glamour for ME!

I do have some films from my first mammogram and the one today.  I am going to compare them and see if the untrained eye can really tell the difference between the two.  If so, I will try to scan them and post them here in the next couple of days...