On follow ups

I'm writing this from a doctor's office. Specifically, the cancer center where I was treated. I was initially going to whine about the amount of doctor's appointments I go to, which is, frankly, a remarkable lot. It's disruptive to my work life and to my personal life. It's exhausting. It's a drag. 

I try not to publicly complain about my diagnosis, or treatment, or ongoing side effects from the drug I take. Mostly because it's boring, even to me, but also because I feel pretty lucky. I only had a bilateral mastectomy. I only get joint pain and migraines and ovarian cysts. I only need follow up every three to four months. 

I know it could be different. 

I look around the waiting room and I'm the youngest person in it. Yet in the past few weeks, I've learned of more women my age being diagnosed with breast cancer. What gives? 

While we could conceivably argue what age is middle aged, I think we can all agree on basic science and research. Cancer is not a disease of your 40s. It's sure as hell not a disease of your 30s. There's always outliers but I can't help but wonder why there is this epidemic of women in my age group with breast cancer, both early stage and stage 4 (metastatic). 

Is it that we have better detection? If so, then the latest recommendations about mammograms should be thrown out. We should all continue to get mammograms and be screened. 

Is it environmental? There's no research proving this, and I have to think the super smart people who do this work aren't missing something huge. 

Deodorant and soy and birth control pills have all been blamed, and all the peer reviewed evidence based research says "yeah, not so much". I'm not a fear monger and I don't believe oncologists or drug companies are hiding the cure. 

As tired I am of being screened for every cancer under the sun (although I do love my dermatologist, gastroenterologist, and gynecologist), of making the drive to have my non existent breasts examined (there's a chance that even with removing both breasts, some tissue can be left behind), or of discovering new and fun side effects from the drug I take, I would gladly submit to even more appointments to secure my health. Or to find a cure for my sisters. 

Today, I got good news. Everything looks great (I mostly have my plastic surgeon to thank for that) and I don't have to come back till October. And, if I'm a very good girl and don't grow lumps, I get to drop the surgical follow up all together! 

Although it's a pain in the ass, and it changed my life in ways I couldn't imagine, breast cancer was not the worst thing that happened to me. And for that I'm thankful. 

As always, if you feel moved to donate money, please donate to stage four research. www.metavivor.org