Breast Cancer Awareness

I'm 28 and expecting a lot of BS on facebook.

A few weeks ago this fad (insert eye rolls) circled its way around facebook. "I'm 28 weeks and craving skittles."

The first one I saw was on the wall of a birth mom. MY.HEART.STOPPED. My first thought was a prayer to God, "How can she survive this again?" I didn't comment or anything, simply because I had no words that could ease the pain I was sure she was feeling. Instead, I kept watch on her wall for details.

After several people posted comments she replied back that it was just one of the facebook thingies.

I was beyond the moon grateful that she wasn't really pregnant. Don't get me wrong, she will be a great mom someday. I just hope that she can be more established in life before that happens.

Nevertheless, I was still clueless. What was this facebook thingy all about? She didn't go into detail.

Overnight they exploded on facebook. It felt like EVERYONE was expecting and craving something. Well not everyone. On the other side, all of my infertile friends were heartbroke by being surrounded by so many pregnant people at once.

Finally in the midst of this, I learned what it was really about. Josh was sitting on the couch. I turned and read one to him, "I'm 32 weeks and craving gummy worms." He looked at me funny. I repeated it and asked if he knew what it was about. Like me, he had no idea.

Breast Cancer! This was being done to raise awareness about breast cancer. Except it didn't. At least not until the rest of the online world became upset.

I'm sorry, how is NOT talking about something raising awareness about something? It happens every year. Post a statement saying ,"I like it on the ....." and then list where you put your purse. List your shoe size followed by the word inches. All of this is supposedly done in the name of breast cancer awareness.

BS. (I wish I could find the courage to swear on my own blog, but since I print it out each year, I'll pass, for now.)

This is NOT about raising awareness for anything except public attention. These all start by someone sending you a private message. "Remember last year when we put where we like our purses? It was so huge that it made the news." Aha, the news. Still not about raising awareness, except to get attention to how dumb we are being.

And another part of that private message? "PS, don't tell your husbands or boyfriends. Let's leave them guessing."

Two thoughts there. Men can get breast cancer. And even if they don't, it still affects them deeply if their wife, daughter, sister or mother gets breast cancer. Seems to me they have just as much a right to be made aware of breast cancer too.

Wow, I was not going to go off like this. Getting back to the point of this post.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. In preparing myself to see more of the BS circulate around facebook, I want to do something to ACTUALLY raise breast cancer awareness. I wanted to post something every day during the month about breast cancer, but I don't want to be so pressured to post something that I start posting dumb stuff or inaccurate stuff.

So this is my pledge. I want to post a few (or maybe several) posts on breast cancer awareness this month. No pressure to post TONS of stuff, just to post good stuff. I also am trying to put a giveaway into the works.

To start the month off, I'm starting with myself. It is that time of year again for me. You know, the uncomfortable visit to the doctor. Each year I put it off longer and longer. But I shouldn't. I know better. Its not about feeling uncomfortable at the doctors office. Its about doing a procedure that could detect cancer early and help save a life.

Breast cancer has touched my life. My grandma had breast cancer. She's had family members who have fought breast cancer. My mother has had a few scares where they found a suspicious lump, but luckily weren't cancerous.

I can not hide from breast cancer. I can't stick my hand in the gravel and pretend it won't affect me. This is not one of those things that only happen to other people. This is NOT something that should be turned into a stupid joke on facebook.

(Back off my box...again and back to me). To start off Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I called and scheduled my appointment. I'll go be uncomfortable for a few minutes, but then hopefully will be able to have the peace of mind for the next year that I don't have any signs of breast cancer.

My challenge to you is call and schedule your yearly appointment if you haven't been in a while. Call and schedule if you haven't been this year. THIS is my cry of Breast Cancer Awareness.