Every year we have Breast Cancer Awareness week at work (although it boggles my mind that anyone can be UNaware these days). In recent years, this fund raising event has been dubbed "Denim Day" because we get to wear denim if we donate $5 to the cause. (Fortunately, the money does not go toward breast cancer awareness but to your choice of a research fund or a mobile mammogram unit; more about that later.)
This year the subject line of the memo announcing the event was "Denim Days start Sep. 29" and the memo ended with "Contributors are encouraged to celebrate Denim Days and Breast Cancer Awareness Month by wearing jeans, along with something pink, on Monday, October 5."
Well, I misinterpreted the subject line and the last sentence of the memo to mean, starting Sep. 29, we were to wear denim, and on Oct. 5, also wear something pink. Guess who the only person in the building wearing jeans today was? Well, not the only person. I saw one other who must have the same reading comprehension abilities as I have.
Re the mobile mammogram unit, I took advantage of its presence in our parking lot a year (or two?) ago. That will probably be my last mammogram. The technician managed to twist my right breast before applying tectonic pressure with the plates, and it was excruciating. It made me cry. My breast ached for a week. It seems counter-intuitive that treating breasts like this is a good thing. Plus I read (in a book the name of which I cannot remember) that, anecdotally, mammograms save lives, but statistically, NOT. For now, I will take my chances.
Almost two weeks and still no news on the position I interviewed for. I'm guessing that I am not their first choice, but if they can't find anyone better, they might give me a chance. Or they are negotiating with my boss for my release. Or they have made a decision but no one has bothered to tell me what it is. Or (fill in the blank)....
2 comments:
Was that your only mammogram? My first one was also excruciating -- and I have a really high pain tolerance -- but I've had two more since then at a different facility that were uncomfortable, but not painful. It really depends on the skill of the technician. I'm due for another one, but I've been putting it off just because I am generally a procrastinator.
My previous mammograms were uncomfortable but not painful. And this experience is not the only thing making me question annual screenings. For example, there is some evidence that mammograms may be a contributing factor to the rise in breast cancer diagnoses. I am also beginning to wonder if the medical screening mania is just another way to prey on our fears while emptying our wallets. But then, I am in good health (knock on wood), so can afford to be a bit cavalier about avoiding medical professionals. We'll see if I change my tune if/when I get sick!
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