October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

I posted this on my craft blog earlier this month, and it occurred to me that I should post it here too, so here it is, read on if you have a minute:


I have posted about breast cancer before, but as October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and the information bears repeating, I am reposting.  A part of my life that I don't really share here is that I am a public health nurse, and I work in a women's clinic where I do breast cancer screening and education. Consequently, I have come to feel strongly about early detection/ screening and being aware of your body. I hope you will take a minute to read/ review and maybe make a few changes in your life if necessary.

Breast cancer is a frightening disease. Most women fear that they or someone they love will get it. Our fears may or may not be well- founded, but they are made worse when we hear statistics like:

• Over 40,000 people will die of breast cancer this year; about 400 of them will be men.

• 85% of all diagnoses have no family history.

• 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer. (Source: http://www.breastcancerawareness.com/facts.php )

Unfortunately, not all risk factors are things you can prevent, but here are a few things that can help you lower your risk of breast cancer:

• Exercise and make wholesome food choices.  Make an effort to maintain a healthy weight.

• Limit alcohol intake and smoking.

• Be aware of your family history. Talk to your doctor if breast cancer is in your family. This may affect the recommendations your doctor has for you.

• If you are approaching menopause, evaluate with your doctor whether hormone replacement is necessary for you or not. (Source: http://www.cdc.gov/)

In addition, set aside a few minutes each month to do a breast self- exam. Women, if you are at least 20 years old, you should be doing this (as well as getting an exam at the doctor’s office once a year)! I know you may feel uncomfortable, or it may be difficult to remember, but do whatever you have to do to remind yourself! Put a note or sticker somewhere you will see it, or choose to do it on your birthday- date each month. If you are at least 40 years old, you need a mammogram every 1-2 years (every year after age 50). Men, please encourage the women in your lives to do this- it may save their life. When breast cancers are detected early, women have an excellent chance of survival.  If you need a reminder on how to do a self- exam, check out this link that has step- by- step instructions: http://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/About-Breast-Cancer/What-Is-Breast-Cancer/Breast-Self-Exam.aspx

I like to tell the women I screen that doing a breast self exam isn't really about following a rigid set of instructions or searching for cancer.  Thinking of it that way can cause anxiety that may cause you to avoid even thinking about it.  I recommend being aware of your body- becoming familiar with what is normal for you.  Think of it as a way to have peace of mind.  If you do notice a change, whether it be a lump, a change in color or texture of the skin on your breast, a change in shape or appearance of any part of the breast, or anything out of the ordinary that persists and doesn't resolve, you should have it checked immediately by a health professional.

As women, we so often put all of our energy into taking care of other people that we fail to take care of ourselves.  If you are not making your own health a priority, please consider that you can best care for those you love by keeping yourself healthy and, well, alive.  What I'm saying is that there really isn't any good excuse for not giving your health the attention it deserves.

If money or lack of insurance/ underinsurance is an issue, there are programs that offer free or low cost mammograms to women over 40 each year if you meet certain income requirements. The clinic I work at is one of these programs, and there are programs like this all over the U.S. You can check out the CDC’s website to find out if you qualify.

OK- one more thing. Take a minute to check out this video. It is about a type of rare but highly dangerous form of breast cancer called Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC) in which there may not be a "lump", but rather changes in the outward appearance of the breast.  This can affect women of all ages, so even if you are not 40 years old yet, check it out, okay?

Interesting Medical Study

I read an interesting article that I think pertains to any woman who may ever get pregnant in the future. A one (okay, two) sentence synopsis: We already know that taking 400-800 micrograms of folate before and during the first few weeks of pregnancy is instrumental in preventing neural tube defects in developing embryos. This observational analysis study shows a correlation between supplementing with folic acid for at least 1 year prior to conception and a 50-70% reduction in premature delivery rates.
Bottom Line: If you are planning on trying to get pregnant in the next year or two, start now with folic acid supplementation, and the chances of neural tube defect and preterm delivery will be significantly reduced.

-Bukowski, et al.

Read the full article here or a synopsis here.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Many of you know that I am a nurse, and that I work in a clinic where I do- among other things- breast cancer screenings and education. Consequently, this is something that I have come to feel strongly about. Since I care about you all, please read this and try to make changes in your life if you are not doing all you can to prevent or detect breast cancer early.

Breast Cancer is a frightening disease. Most women fear that they or someone they love will get it. Our fears may or may not be well- founded, but they are made worse when we hear things like:
Every 2 minutes, there is a new breast cancer diagnosis.
Every 14 minutes, a life is lost to the disease.
Over 40,000 people will die this year; about 400 of them will be men.
85% of all diagnoses have no family history.
1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer.
Breast cancer is the leading cause of death in women between ages 40 and 55.
(source: http://www.breastcancerawareness.com/facts.php )

Please read a few things that I have listed that can help you lower some risk factors for breast cancer:
Exercise and make healthy food choices.
Limit alcohol intake.
Know your family history. Talk to your doctor if breast cancer is in your family. This may affect the recommendations your doctor has for you. (Source: http://www.cdc.gov/)

In addition, set aside a few minutes each month to do a breast self- exam. Women, if you are at least 20 years old, you should be doing this (as well as getting an exam at the doctor’s office once a year)! I know you may feel uncomfortable, or it may be difficult to remember, but do whatever you have to do to remind yourself! Put a note or sticker somewhere you will see it, or choose to do it on your birthday- date each month. If you are at least 40 years old, you need a mammogram every 1-2 years (ever year after age 50). Men, please encourage the women in your lives to do this- it may save their life, because almost 70 % of all breast cancers are found when women do their self- exams. When breast cancers are detected early, women have an excellent chance of survival- the 5- year survival rate is 96%. If you find a lump, call your doctor ASAP, but know that 8 out of 10 lumps are non- cancerous. If you need a reminder on how to do a self- exam, check out this link that has step- by- step instructions: http://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/About-Breast-Cancer/What-Is-Breast-Cancer/Breast-Self-Exam.aspx

A great resource for people who need a little extra reminder is this Early detection plan you can sign up for- for free- and it will send you email or text message reminders.
http://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/edp/

There are programs that offer free or low cost mammograms to women over 40 each year if you meet certain income requirements. The clinic I work at is one of these programs, and there are programs like this all over the U.S. You can check out the CDC’s website to find out if you qualify.

October is SIDS Awareness Month

Not the typical light and cheery post... yet I think the subject is very important. Most people have heard about Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, but while there is a lot of fear out there, maybe not enough is known or understood about it. Here are two important points about SIDS:

• SIDS claims the lives of almost 2,500 infants in the US each year (nearly 7 babies every day).
• Twenty percent of SIDS deaths occur in a day care setting, emphasizing the need for safe sleep practices to be universally understood and practiced.

However, there are some things you can do to help prevent SIDS in your infant under the age of 12 months. Here are some points that I think are key:

DON’T:
• Let your baby sleep on soft, loosely filled surfaces (including comforters, pillows, water beds, couches, adult beds, etc.) because these can interfere with breathing.
• Allow hanging crib toys or thin plastic wrapping materials within your baby’s reach.
• Allow your baby’s head to become covered during sleep.
• Smoke during pregnancy or around infants.
• Dress babies too warmly- this may cause them to overheat. They can sleep comfortably in light clothing.

DO:
• Always place your infant on his or her back to sleep.
• Place infants in their own sleeping environment to sleep: a firm crib mattress covered by a sheet is the recommended sleeping surface.
• Keep all soft objects and loose bedding out of the crib.
• Consider offering your infant a pacifier after breast feeding has been established.

Some good news: Since the “Back to Sleep” Campaign began in 1994, the SIDS rate in the United States has declined by more than 50 percent. So these tips are definitely worth following!

Sources: http://nisa-sids.org/view/581/23192/Risk-Reduction.html
https://kr.ihc.com/ext/Dcmnt?ncid=51062836

Poetry? or...

So, apparently April is national poetry month. In honor of that, I thought I would write a few verses about my life at the moment! Now, don't get too excited- this is not exactly high quality literature here! But since rhyming is kind of fun, I thought I would post this, and encourage everyone to write something back- rhyming or not! C'mon, it will be fun!

Roses are red,
violets are blue,
finals are here-
and moving day too!

I'm writing a paper
and packing a box;
applying for jobs
and sorting my socks!

...Washing the laundry
and scrubbing the tub;
doing the dishes
and cooking up grub.

...Knitting a blanket
and studying for boards-
checking the mail
to see what it affords.

I'm getting a bit tired-
but really, I'm fine!
I'll be glad when it's over
and victory is mine!