It's That Time Again

October is a busy month at our house.

We have not one, not two, but three birthdays, plus there's Halloween with its costume creating, party planning, and candy consumption, not to mention being in the thick of Marching Band Season!  And yes, marching band season is so intense that it deserves capitalization.  Just ask Logan, the kid with the sunburn/suntan  lines and killer calf muscles.

It's also Breast Cancer Awareness month.



This is an issue that many folks like to hide from.  But honestly, how many of us personally know someone who's been affected by the disease?  If you know me, then you have your answer.

My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 40.  No family history.  It completely came out of the blue.  She battled for 4 1/2 years; two rounds of chemo and radiation, two rounds of hair loss, endless days of nausea and misery.  And yet, she managed to live her life with grace and humor.  She stayed as active as her body allowed, and even toward the end of her fight, she helped me plan my wedding reception and pick out a wedding gown.  I knew things were bad when she couldn't make it to my bridal shower.

She passed away less than two weeks before my wedding.  It was awful.  The whole family was devastated, because it felt like we lost the glue that bound our family.

I am fortunate to know that my family ties go beyond this life.  I know my mother is still my mother, and will be forever.  We have been sealed together as a family, and those bonds are eternal.  While this gives me comfort, I still mourn.

I mourn that she can't be here to hold my children.  That she can't be here to rejoice with me over victories, both big and small.  That she can't be here to cry with me when I'm struggling.

I know the grief that comes with breast cancer.  And that is why I went today, yet again, for a mammogram.  You see, I have a family history, and I know the risks.

Some people are afraid of mammograms.  They worry that it will be embarrassing, or it will hurt.

Will you trust me when I tell you in all the years I've had mammograms performed, I have never been embarrassed.  The staff has always been so professional and kind, wherever I've been.  And while a mammogram may be uncomfortable for a few seconds, that "pain" can never compare to the pain of losing someone you love to breast cancer.

So please, don't be afraid.  Schedule a mammogram today.  If your insurance will not cooperate, or you are not "old enough" to need one, please do monthly self-exams.  Do this for your family, for your spouse, for your children, for your parents.  But most importantly, do it for yourself.  You are more important than you realize.  You have infinite worth, and are a child of God.

Just do it.  Please.