I probably should be more scared of cancer than I am. My father-in-law died of cancer four years ago (and, in an odd coincidence, so did my ex-father-in-law, eleven years earlier). My mother-in-law made a full recovery from breast cancer, but both she and my husband have had cancerous and pre-cancerous skin moles removed before they spread. Given that, when it comes to that side of the family, cancer is certainly one of the things I worry about. However, cancer has been blessedly less common among my own genetic relatives. Quite frankly, as the daughter of an early-onset Alzheimer’s patient, that particular disease – tricky to diagnose definitively, difficult to treat successfully, and still incurable – concerns me a heck of a lot more than cancer does.
Still, I’m in my mid-forties, and this is the time of year I see my doctor for my annual exam – the first since new guidelines for scheduling mammograms and Pap smears were released…
Want to know what happened? Please read the rest of this post on the Los Angeles Moms Blog!
Florinda: Thanks for reminding people to go get these tests…also for those over 50 OR who have a family history of colon cancer…colonoscopies are a MUST. My 52 year old sister was just diagnosed last week with colon CA – very frightening. But the colonoscopy she had could have saved her life. I know I am scheduling mine SOON.
Wendy – I'm not at that threshold yet, so I confess I wouldn't have thought about colonoscopies. Thanks for the reminder and the PSA!
I had my first mammogram last year. Because of my family history it had been recommended that I have one earlier than the set guideline (the old one). I guess it's good that breast cancer was not found in my two grandmothers and mother until they were in their 50's but I confess to still wanting to be cautious.
I've had paps regularly now for many years, only one abnormal and, boy, did that put a scare in me. I hadn't known at the time that abnormal results weren't all that uncommon. (I read your whole post at L.A. Moms Blog–just commenting here). 🙂
I admit to being a bit put off by the new guidelines. I realize that other countries are less vigilant and do not have these types of exams quite as regularly. That doesn't quell my fear that it will be too late if they don't catch it early. Maybe it's not something I should worry about. Right now though, I do.
As for colonoscopies, I hadn't known until I went in for one last year that I would be expected to go through one more regularly when I get older. Thankfully that won't be for a while yet. I just hope I don't need another one in between time. LOL
Wendy (Literary Feline) – This one joined the sad company of my posts on the LA Moms Blog that got NO comments at all. Sigh. But I'm glad you went over there to read it!
I haven't had a colonoscopy yet – I'll be glad to wait for that one!
I was a bit taken aback by the new guidelines too, but once I realized that they didn't say we CAN'T have the tests earlier or at shorter intervals – the change in schedule is mostly for those without abnormal prior results or higher risk factors – I wasn't quite as bothered about them. It'll probably be up to insurance companies and not health-care providers to say what can or can't be done (and/or paid for), unfortunately.