Answering tough questions about breast cancer
Does your family have a history of breast cancer?
This is a question that I absolutely hate answering when at a doctor’s office. I’m sure that nobody really loves talking about their family medical history or breast cancer at all, but I absolutely hate it.
One night when I was living in Austin for college I received a call from my mom. She and I were not on talking terms, but she was crying and I talked to her. She told me that she had found a lump in her breast and had a biopsy. She went on to say that her doctor said it was breast cancer and she didn’t know what to do next. She and I cried that night as I sat on the kitchen floor and worried about her and wondered about how I could mend our relationship so that I could be supportive of her.
My mom didn’t have breast cancer.
I’m actually not even sure if she had a lump and biopsy. My mom was sick and there were a lot of things going on. I don’t know if my mom has a history of breast cancer because I don’t know if she ever told anyone the truth. I know she had cysts in her breasts as I was growing up and her doctor would tell her to stop caffeine for a while. She would and they would go away.
My grandmother, my mom’s mom, had similar issues with her breasts. At a very young age, I learned that she had a double mastectomy, but I don’t know any of the circumstances around that or when it happened. There are stories that she may have had breast cancer or she may have had the cysts. Nobody has ever been able to tell me the truth because I’m not sure that anyone knows the truth.
So, when I’m asked the question at every new doctor’s appointment, I simply have to say, “I don’t know”. I give myself regular exams and I am aware of changes in my breasts. I’m almost to an age when I need regular mammograms. I live my life as if I have a family history of breast cancer, just to be on the safe side.
Susan G. Komen is proud to partner with WWE this Mother’s Day by encouraging fans and supporters to Make Mom Proud by doing something meaningful in the fight against breast cancer. WWE Superstars and Divas will encourage fans to either Participate in a Race for the Cure event, Educate themselves or a loved one to know their risk and to get screened, or to Donate so that future generations can live in a world without breast cancer.
I lost my mom 5 1/2 years ago and there are so many things that I wish I could ask her. I have begun reaching out to my sister, aunts, and other family members to help me fill in some blanks in my past. But this Mother’s Day, I’m focusing on my future and being the best mom I can be in every moment of every day.
This morning I woke up to a tweet from a dear friend, Brandi, from Mama Knows it All and my heart just about exploded –
Hey, @janetgoingcrazy! Just wanted to let you know how fabulous I think you are. You inspire me as a mother.
— Brandi J (@BrandiJeter) May 9, 2013
Wow, just wow…
Twitter Party Alert
This Sunday, May 12, is Mother’s Day. Susan G.Komen and WWE have teamed up for Make Mom Proud, an awareness campaign urging moms to educate themselves about breast cancer and support Komen, the world’s largest nonprofit funder of breast cancer research and community outreach programs.
WWE is urging fans to support moms by taking steps to educate themselves about the disease, participate in local Susan G. Komen Races in their communities, and donate to Komen, the world’s largest nonprofit funder of breast cancer research and community outreach programs.
Join @WWEmoms and @KomenForTheCure as we learn more about Make Mom Proud!
Who: Follow these twitter handles to party with us!
@WWEmoms, @Skconcepts, @JanetGoingCrazy
@TheOnlineMom, @MommyJenna, @RachelFerrucci,
@wrestlingaddict, @SoberJulie, and @lisasamples
What: Twitter Party with #WWEmoms hashtag
Where: Twitter – follow along on tweet grid or tweet chat!
When: May 9th at 7pm EST
Why: Join us as we talk about WWE, Susan G. Komen Foundation, and the Make Mom Proud movement
Prizes: Samsung Pocket Camcorder, a wine chiller, and Beats by Dr. Dre headphones!
To RSVP:
- Email WWE@theonlinemom.com subject line: WWEmoms – include your Twitter handle.
- Spread the word and RT this post to your Twitter Followers
- Join us on Tweetchat or Tweetgrid (#WWEmoms) this Thursday between 7 and 8pm ET
*You must RSVP in order to be eligible to win prizes*
How will you honor the mothers and YOURSELF this Mother’s Day?
Disclosure: I have been compensated for this post and participating in the WWEmoms campaign by The Online Mom – all stories and opinions expressed here are my own.
My mom did have breast cancer. Somehow … I still tend to think I’m invincible. =)
I think we all think we’re invincible until it happens…