I hate October/Breast Cancer Awareness Month

I'm all for having October--or some month--designated bc awareness month.  Pink isn't my favorite color but I wear some shades of pink.  I loved seeing all those burly NFL pros wearing pink last weekend.  Some of them have mothers or other female family members who are (or were) our bc sisters.  The New Orleans Saints quarterback wore pink cleats.  The more money for cancer research, the better.  A couple of weeks ago at the fresh produce market, I saw a display of pink items for sale and bought a pink rubber bracelet to wear on my right wrist whenever I leave the house.  It should let medics know that my right arm is "restricted."

I was very ticked off when I learned a treacherous little tumor had the audacity to develop in my healthy body, but I don't direct that anger at the other people out there in the world who weren't responsible for my bad luck.

I am not a huge fan of pink and have retired my pink things for another year. I realize a lot of people are against all the places that are going pink for October. Many of them I think have gone to far. I have heard so many people say that the donations are not totally given to research but here in BC the Breast Cancer Organization donations give all of it. I did the CIBC run for the cure here in Canada last Sunday and I was proud to wear pink, raised $300.00( I know exactly where theis goes) as my daughter works at the cancer center and we have a wonderful hard working research center in BC.

The other day they made a huge discovery and I am definitely proud of these researchers here. Have any of you gone to your local research center to where and what your dollars are doing. Instead of complaining about where the money goes...check them out. I hope you will read this link about this advancement that was made.

http://www.bccancerfoundation.com/cms/page1507.cfm

I too think that it's gone overboard, but i do think it's working. I had the OncotypeDx test and was lucky enough to avoid chemo. I thank all of the research money that comes from all of this for making that test possible. We have to admit, money raised from all of this has helped.

They should add a forum during October and call it Hating Pink or something.  There are so many "i hate October" threads that come up every year.  It would be fun to see them all in the same place.

Carole, please don't think that if you wear a pink bracelet on your right arm that medical teams will assume that means "don't prick" due to risk of lymphadema!

I just had cardiac testing at the hospital yesterday for four hours and every time someone came near me I had to tell them. They didn't want to do my IV and blood pressure cuff on one arm, so it was a bit of a discussion until I stayed firm.

When I was in the hospital for a week in July with kidney problems, I woke up to find someone just starting to take blood from my left arm! I don't know who was more upset, me, or him when I yelled and pulled my arm back.

There are situations where even if I wore an ID bracelet it wouldn't be allowed (MRI for example) so I figure if I'm alert, I can tell them. If I'm unconscious by accident then perhaps lymphadema isn't my biggest concern that day.

barbe - I've heard of people writing in indelible ink 'No IVs, No BPs' or something to that effect, on their 'bad' arm(s) before going in for a procedure.  MDs commonly write 'Yes' and/or 'No' or something to that effect when they are determining which limb they amputate.  I've certainly seen medical orders that say 'No BP measurements or IV in L arm' or whatever.

Write to this place for a FREE shocking pink alert, reusable bracelet:

http://www.reidsleeve.com/alertband.htm

I told them I wanted to educate my doctors and hospital and they sent me a dozen, free.   

You are very welcome.

If you are crafty, you could embroider a glove or sleeve to wear.  I recall that some place sells them, but you know how one's memory is...  

Now I need something so "friends" don't come up and grab my arm or pat it when talking to me.   

Or, "MRSA".....hehehehehhehehehee

LOL you guys!  

I was with a friend in the grocery store when the check-out boy asked "would you like to donate a dollar for breast cancer awareness month"?  and she replies, "thanks, I already donated my breasts for that."  Poor mortified boy!

I have to weigh in.  I too dislike the colour pink; it doesn't look good on me.  The only exception is pink flowers.  I don't like how some companies have commercialized Breast Cancer Awareness; it's becoming big business.  But, I do appreciate the awareness.

Think of the opposite.  I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer 7 years ago.  There's little awareness, support, etc. mainly because of the low numbers of women who get it.  Ovarian cancer can be a very lonely place.  There are no forums like this to get information and support.  Any forums there are have very little traffic.

How many know that September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness month or that the colour is teal?  The only good thing about getting breast cancer is that this time there was so much info and support.

I, too, hate all the pink and money raising stuff that goes on in October.  When I was diagnosed and in radiation, lost my job because FMLA ran out, then got into further financial trouble because of complications from radiation torture I couldn't find one dime of help.   What is the good of finding a cure if the treatment process is going to bankrupt women in treatment (and I had "good" insurance from the hospital that I worked at, but which all of a sudden "lost" records, claims, my address while I was getting rads) and finaicially impact the rest of our lives?  There are still days when I get notices from collection agencies for those bills (even though I have been paying monthly, even if only $1) and know my credit rating is ruined for ever that I wish I had never had treatment at all.  A funeral would have been a whole lot less expensive and less emotionally devastating for me. 

I have to chime in. I too hate this media blitz for Breast Cancer, but the thing that has really been bugging me is the cashiers at the grocery stores. I have been struggling to come up with the perfect answer. I was going to say "I gave $12,000 last year for my breast cancer", but after reading the previous posts I will say to "Would you care to make a donation..."  "No thanks, I donated 2 breasts last year"

Pink is my favorite color-October is my favorite month--- 

I was diagnosed last October 29th- and my first thought was "well, there goes the month".  I too have had mixed feelings about pink month.  I am eternally grateful to everyone who does raise money--- but it does make every day a challenge as I try to reach my 1 year anniversary with grace.  I consider myself cured and mostly healed from a lumpectomy, chemo and radiation--- and grateful to have had access to all of that....

I agree with the poster who said that the media should cover the anxiety-- the waiting, the changing of facts, the panic before tests, the late nights wondering if tomorrow will ever come.....

I think breast cancer is curable in many cases, but for everyone who is diagnosed, it is a very scary proposition- and that is the part that no one ever sees.