Day 17 -- Mammogram

I'm realizing that, while this blog has helped me through my treatments, it's forcing me to think about my cancer every day.  But then cancer has been a part of my life since I was four so rarely has a day gone by in 43 years that I haven't thought about cancer.  Today I was reminded about breast cancer when I went for my yearly mammogram.  They call it a screening, as if I'm going to see the opening of a new motion picture.  Well, this screening was a double feature.

Cancer is becoming as prevalent as the common cold.  And w/ as much research funded by various cancer organizations, they'll probably find a cure for cancer before they do for the cold.  When I talk w/ people about their cancer stories, and everyone has either a personal testimonial or that of a friend or loved one, we always talk about a patient's demise.  My mother's doctor's words still echo in my head, "It's not the cancer that will end your life," he told her, "but rather some residual effect of the chemo and radiation."  On my mom's death certificate, her cause of death is listed as pneumonia.  Is somebody looking at the stats?  Are they tracing all these residual deaths?  Are chemo and radiation therapies doing more harm than good?  Well, I got zapped w/ small amounts of radiation again this afternoon.  All these small zaps over months and years have to add to something.