Pink October - Vent Here if You Are Sick Of the Nonsense!!

I think pinktober brings it up because it brings out the stupid remarks again. The free boob job, cancer will make you a better person, type of remarks. Otherwise we can go through times where it doesn't come up and even times where it is no longer the center of your life. I can't remember what it was like to wake up and have my hands work normal and walk across the floor without neuropathy pain. Then sometimes I'll stop and think, wow, in the old days I'd have gone out and run for an hour right about now.

So, what bothers me about that article, is really, it is beyond self centered. Now maybe the reporter spun it as look everybody look how cool this is, maybe the breast cancer patient involved meant to be inspiring? But ugh. So, say, I got lucky I wasn't in the 33% that had complications after reconstruction, or worse, lost their breast and the tissue associated with the reconstruction and now have poor options for reconstruction, and I never cared about nipple sensation for sex anyway so I'm happy with my bolted on fake boob. My experience is not everyone else's. I'm doing great, don't forget many others in my shoes are wondering how many years they'll have left with their loved ones. I evaluated my life and made changes, other people won't get that time or the changes they had to make meant going into bankruptcy, or the neuropathy and lymphedema meant they gave up their careers, they ended up with cardiac damage, ended up divorced etc. This disease means your life changes forever and I count myself fortunate in the fact that some of those changes have been good. I could have stood an article like that better, but the article as it stands comes off so terrible I'm almost speechless. (hah, obviously not completely speechless).

Totally not a blessing.

I consider that quite a complement rubyredslippers, you are free to use as much as you want. You know, all we can do is try, and for each person we do get through to, they'll get to someone else.

I think it's all in how it's presented. Personally, I don't mind Pinktober. I feel if it makes someone go get a mammogram or remember to do their self exams, etc. then it's doing the job. I do agree that some places go overboard, but I do feel for most people they feel like they're doing a good thing. I can completely empathize with those who don't like it as well. When you're going through something as frightening as a cancer diagnosis, plus surgery, plus chemo and the side effects and changes that will be long lasting, the anger towards all the pink is understandable. My thought is this, if it bothers you, take the opportunity to help make a change. If your workplace is dressing in pink and eating cupcakes, ask them to donate whatever they're putting out to buy the pink stuff to a charity/group that will actually help towards a cure or one that helps those going through it get what they need, etc. Do something so Pinktober becomes what it should be and not a gimmick.

Okay, I despise the color pink. Never liked the color pink. Now that I got diagnosed I really hate the color pink. This October just made me hate pink more. I run my own business and newspapers were contacting me to donate for the pink page, after I told him I have BC and I feel offended by that request since I give to other organizations and women support groups where I know the money actually goes to go use. My “so called friends” thought doing the pink stuff would be cute it isn’t cute. Instead drive me to chemo, take me wig shopping, maybe asks me for some grocery stuff. Since most of the people I know think BC=pink I have gotten a ton of pink shit for gifts. So my plan is after all the treatments I’m having a burning party of all things pink!

FairyDogMo- totally agree. This whole pink month irritates the hell out of me. BC incidence are up every year world wide so we ARE aware. So send the donations only to organizations who help women w/BC directly. I got tired of being asked at the grocery store if I wanted to donate. ( No- but could I pass around my purse to them to help me out right now as I was going thru RADS ) Did not say that but tempted. Struggling to pay the bills on SS. Susan B Komen- sorry but who knows where that money goes.

Well, it's early in the year yet but this will be my first pink year as a BC victim. I was recently diagnosed and am trying to recuperate from the mastectomy I knew little about. I'm also an Epileptic who is colored purple.  Most of those awareness activities are in the spring so I guess I'll have a lot of Easter egg colors in the closet this year. I never understood how colors get picked to be a symbol for such diseases. Does the color matter, does the slogan? Of course all of this is nonsense. It is all for marketing, marketing brings money, and money buys marketing. It's a cycle. I found myself buying purple and now I have a pantry full of purple dust rags. I don't know why it was important for me to be purple. I just know I didn't want to be ashamed of being an epileptic and that I could stand with others and walk for a few pennies. I was so darn resentful of those that wore pink because that's who had all the attention! I felt it was unfair that purples just don't have the research funds that pinks have.  I don't plan on buying pink. It's a death color. I can do without those stupid color thoughts. Ironic that in this country, our colors are still battling it out.  I think I'll look at other things that don't have colors. Like starving children, homeless families and people that I can help without marketing myself.

You can actually get a rainbow of ribbons t shirt or sweatshirt THAT Says Some THING Like " Cure ALL Cancers! I like that. And I would live if October morphed into CANCER Awareness Month. 

Hi there, I was born in OK and spent most of my adult life there. My important family is still there and I still love the state. I noticed they are not big on pink!