Folks-it is October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  I am very well aware of breast cancer–stealthy miserable thing snuck up on me 3 years ago.  It’s a very quiet kind of menace; just kind of sidles up to you and tries not to be noticed.

One mammogram was all it took to uncover the thing.  Just a couple of quick snapshots and bam! A picture really is worth 1000 words.  But I added a few words just for good measure:

“On November 19, 2009, about two weeks after my 45^th birthday, I was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma, a common form of breast cancer. The first thing that struck me was that Invasive Ductal Carcinoma would make an awesome name for a band. My second thought was that this whole cancer thing was going to get me a lot of attention and sympathy.”

There you go, that’s exactly how it played out.  One little mammogram and suddenly I’m receiving gifts, cards, flowers; meeting charming surgeons with British accents.  All expense paid retreats to the hospital/resort and spa, time off of work.  Puppies, rainbows, unicorns.  OK, well maybe not all that, but still.

I love a great picture of myself, and I have never been so grateful as I was for those pictures; they literally saved my life.  Make your appointment now!  My wish for every woman out there is that she gets her picture taken and it is unremarkable, blah, boring, run-of-the-mill.  Nothing special whatsoever.  And while you’re at it, a single click a day helps ensure that lots more women have access to mammograms.  Set it as your home page and build 2 extra seconds into your day.  http://www.thebreastcancersite.com/clickToGive/home.faces?siteId=2

As long as we’re talking about it, it wouldn’t kill you to browse my breast cancer gift registry at Tiffany’s.  I chose a lovely tennis bracelet that no one bothered to get me.  It’s never too late…

Happy October!