This morning at yoga, a fellow yogini showed up with a pretty, rolled and colorful scarf on her head. I was already thinking of breast cancer before she arrived for the asana class. The meditation for the early comers (including me) this morning, was in metta form. I was thinking of my mother-in-law, who was just diagnosed with breast cancer two weeks ago. Luckily, hers is in a good place and all should go well and be gone. The same goes for the yogini, breast cancer in a good to get rid of location. Instead of the radiation only that my mother-in-law will receive, the yogini is taking chemo as well. Her cancer is not in the milk ducts like my mother-in-law's but was a bit too close for comfort to her chest wall.
Flashback. A little over two years ago, my ex mother-in-law, was diagnosed with breast cancer. She'd found a knot, a few months after her mammogram returned normal. She was diagnosed with invasive breast cancer and lost her battle with it after 1 1/2 years. She passed away right before my daughter's birthday. Oddly enough, her dad and his new wife, gave birth to a baby boy right before she passed away.
I've been getting mammograms for three years now. Never had a weird one until this past January. It's part of my New Year deal, to get one every year. This time, I got the letter, I had to go back, I was freaked out. I had to schedule another mammogram and an ultrasound which lasted like forever! After that, I got to sit in a tiny room, all by myself with nothing but info on breast problems, cysts, breast fibroids and breast cancer. Happy reading it was. I was finally called into the result room with the radiologist. He said he needed three more pictures, so back to the mammogram room I went. Freaked out again of course. Back to the depressing little room with negative information, I waited. When I was called this time, it was to tell me my results were fine. My breast tissue is dense and my pectoral muscles are very developed (thank you yoga) making bad stuff easy to hide. Nice.
I am thankful, for all of this technology that allows early detection. So in turn, lots of people with breast cancer find it early, extend their life or get rid of it for good. I know October (breast cancer month) is over, but so what. If you haven't had a mammogram for awhile, or if you've never had one, DO IT.
In loving-kindness, or Metta.
Original source: http://417yoga.wordpress.com/?p=715
