Here we go...

I'm not the best writer, but I do feel that I keep up with things like journals when I know that someone else might be reading them.  And so while I've been trying to jot down notes for myself since this whole mess started ~6 weeks ago, it's very disjointed.  Additionally, a dear online friend of mine re-shared her breast cancer diagnosis blog with me last night, and I thought, "maybe I should do something like that."

So here it is.


Mammary Irony for a few reasons.


Mammary:  denoting or relating to the human female breasts

Irony:  a state of affairs or an event that seems deliberately contrary to what one expects and is often amusing as a result



Anyone who knows me at all is well aware that I am a huge breastfeeding advocate--a lactivist.  My years of being supported by, and then volunteering with, La Leche League; my online- and in-person support of all things lactation; my work with the Milwaukee County Breastfeeding Coalition; my desire to return to graduate school so that I could research and promote breastfeeding; my eventual certification as a CLC...   Several (guy) friends refer to me as the "boobie lady" (I won't out any of you).  Heck, when email addresses used to use nicknames instead of real names, I chose my moniker:  bfmomma for breastfeeding momma.  And it's well documented (here, here, and here for starters) that breastfeeding decreases the risk of breast cancer and that the younger you are when you start, and the longer you breastfeed, the lower your chances of developing breast cancer.  Given that I was 25 years old when I had my first baby, and breastfed for over ten years, I was pretty sure I was golden!

Go to the list of risk factors for breast cancer and you'll see:

Family history (no)
Smoker (no)
Drinker (no)
Overweight (no)
Diabetic (no)
Early periods (no)
Late menopause (no)
Age/over 55 (no)
Genetic mutations (no to the 5 most common, at least--I've had the tests done)
Radiation exposure (no)
DES exposure (no)
No children or first child after 30 (no)
Lack of physical exercise (no)
Third shift workers (no)

In actuality, the only common risk factors that I have are being female (yes) and being white (yes).

So it's a bit ironic that someone so devoted to the natural function of the breast (and with little to no risk factors) would have her own breast turn on her.

Furthermore, I prefer to focus on the humor in most situations, and therefore the "irony."  Maybe this is not true irony and is, instead, more of the Alanis Morissette-type irony (that is, just something really annoying), but either way, there it is.

And so I'll document my trip through the breast cancer diagnosis and treatment.  You're welcome to join me if you'd like.

I am NOT looking for (nor would I welcome) pity or sympathy or sadness.  I *do* want powerful, positive thoughts being sent my way--especially on January 8th, when I begin treatment with surgery.  And I would love to catch up with people, given that I've been so non-social the last 5 1/2 years of grad school.  I'm not big on phone calls, but love chatting online or via text, and would appreciate local visits when I'm recovering from surgery and/or sitting in chemotherapy for the next year.  I fully intend to beat the hell out of this thing.  As a friend emailed to me--and I repeat to myself frequently:  

"...to the cancer....fuck you, you motherfucker! You 'bout to get fucked up big time!  : ) "