Pinktober Revolution

Yikes. A picture is worth a thousand words. Re the photo above on Jackbirdie's post: Good slogan, but I am still bothered by the sexy image. Re scrunchthecat who went to a Komen event wearing her Pink is Not a Cure shirt: Wouldn't it be great if we could move that huge powerful bus onto a better course? Get them working for the right things?

I haven't seen or heard a peep about the St Pete Komen thing. Yay!!!!

Cheesequake, it's nice to know I've put into words how you feel. I have also experienced the same thing in reading what others write on the topic.

Iiked the poster ( since I have had 2 Mx's) but I think putting it out as a poster would cause more problems. I cannot tell you the number of terrified women I have shown my mix scar to , asked by my therapist. These women were so scared of having the mastectomy they needed to have because they had no idea what it would look like after. One had postponed her surgery and postponed it as the tumor continued to grow. Her doc (also mine asked me if I'd let her know what it looked like after having a mastectomy. Better a scar than an immediate after surgery shot as some people have no perspective that their scar will heal in time. Just saying I hate the pink too and joined Breast cancer action back in 92, I'd just wouldn't want to see someone avoid getting treatment because of a "scarey picture " I know that when I had my first mastectomy back in 1990 one of my doctors who'd also had had breast cancer showed me her healed scar so that I could see it was nothing horrible ( I was in my 30s at the time)

It's too bad that my last post here was deleted.

Censorship as an arbitrary action, without even an explanation or consultation, is a bad thing IMO.

Sula.I don't know who or why.

Basically, I just agreed with you that Marie's pic was too graphic for a public poster. And I said Bmx images were easily searchable on Google images (I included a link). Then I added a couple of points about my scar.

I don't have a copy of what I said unfortunately, so if anyone was receiving email notifications that included the post, could they please PM it to me. Thanks for asking Sula.

If a post is removed, what appears normally is this text: "This post was removed by the community." The actual slot or space and poster's name do not usually disappear.

Is it at all possible that you thought you hit "submit" but didn't?

Diana

I actually remember seeing Travel's post about it being a bit graphic. It might have been the Google link to pics that was the problem but it is strange as I have seen several cases where "intruders' " emails had their text deleted but not the whole post. I'm sorry, Travltxt I don't get email notifications on this thread, otherwise I would look for it.

I saw the post live, my post pal Jackbirdie saw it too. The post was deleted without explanation, but that's OK. Here it is again as well as I can remember it.

I have to agree with Sula that Marie's post image is pretty graphic and as a public billboard it may indeed put people off surgery. I think its great that you've shown your scar around and that your doc showed you hers. I've seen heart surgery scars, and that wouldn't put me off life-saving heart surgery. There are thousands of images of breast surgery scars on Google (no link to the page in this post now, but the search 'mastectomy scars' brings you to the images).

Men are not offered reconstruction, and I've learned to live with my scar. When my young grandkids asked what happened, I told them I was in a sword fight. "Cool", they said.

Back from a reasonably nice trip to Chicago; the hotel at which we stay is (more or less) across the street from a P.F. Chang's, so I was dreading walking about the neighborhood, but this particular franchise's nod to corporate headquarters was a reasonably non-intrusive sign outside their door, offering the 'selfies for tacos and a $1 donation" chain deal. (Not pink, and typeface small enough that unless you walked right by the sign (I didn't. I knew better.) you mightn't have realized what it was.

Two giant banners outside a couple of buildings, each with a three-story pink ribbon, was annoying, as was the fact that the Amtrak station was pinkified without any explanation of why.

Back home for a few emergency supplies to find that our local mildly upscale supermarket chain is selling pink popcorn, to raise funds for a local cancer group (a dollar of each bag's price)

At MO appt today receptionist gave me a K flyer "for awareness you know." I handed it back and said that I'm aware every day looking in the mirror. Laying low, haven't been to Wally world in 8 months or so. Must protect my immune system and sanity.

Travelttext,

I LOVE the sword fight explanation. How great. You are cool!!

Jack,

Speaking of awareness... One of the oncology nurses keeps handing out flyers, in the infusion room? Like if you're getting chemo I think the awareness thing has jumped the shark!!!

my friend Evelyn and I ( we get our herceptin together) just are polite and take the flyers then secretly throw them out and laugh and roll our eyes. She really wants to get us to be involved but noooooooo. I've had bc twice and Evelyn has been stage IV for nearly 10 yrs!! I think we're pretty aware.

An excellent point about awareness and the internet, at least in this country, Mrs M. I found BCO via google. I have encountered women from all walks of life here, and it has made a huge difference in how I approach this ugly disease. I have also made (presumably) life long friends here (I will note that making friends on the internet is nothing new to me. I met my husband on the internet SIXTEEN years ago, I might add).

I do think there is still a role for awareness (possibly in different forms), but as I think you and others have pointed out so effectively, both the mode and the tone on awareness for bc is off. and the tone is way off IMO.

Thank you for all you are doing.

Octogirl