It’s not what you think. At least not entirely.

BOOB

noun: boob; plural noun: boobs

1. 
NORTH AMERICAN
a foolish or stupid person. “why was that boob given a key investigation?”         2. 
BRITISH
 an embarrassing mistake.

So who (or what) am I calling boobs? I’ll get to that. Did you know that 1 in 8 women born today will get breast cancer in their lifetime? I personally can count 10 women among my friends and family who are breast cancer survivors. And I lost 2, one to the cancer and the other to the ravages of treatment.

I did have one radiology tech tell me to pretend the machine was George Clooney. I have to say George was a little rough on me.

So why is this top of my mind right now? Because I had my annual mammogram today. I’ll spare you the amusing details because I can see some of the guys on my mailing list closing their eyes and saying no,no,no,no,noooooo. I did have one radiology tech tell me to pretend the machine was George Clooney. I have to say George was a little rough on me.

I have been lucky in the past, but will hold my breath just a little bit until I get the letter in the mail saying I’m fine. I know the fear that strikes when they call you back because they think they saw something on your mammogram. It happened a few years ago and thankfully it was nothing. But I also know the fear that strikes when you’re given any cancer diagnosis, so the journey of my 10 “sisters” was not easy, comfortable, or fun on their bodies or their brains. And for some the ongoing medication regimen has presented it’s own set of tribulations. A new friend is just beginning her journey and admitted to me that she, right now, has “boob brain” and she isn’t able to process anything that doesn’t need her immediate attention.

So who are the boobs, as in foolish or stupid persons?

Any woman over 40 who hasn’t gone for at least a baseline mammogram.

Any woman over 50 who isn’t getting screened annually.

And any adult woman who isn’t doing a self-exam regularly. My newly diagnosed friend had gone for her mammogram four months prior to finding a lump herself; her screening had been clear.

And I’ll add another set of boobs – any guy that doesn’t make his wife, girlfriend, significant other, partner or even mom go for their regular screenings.

So what is the boob, as in stupid mistake?

Not taking care of yourself by getting screenings and doing self exams. Only with a diagnosis can you get treatment, and treatment saves lives.

So the message today? Don’t be a boob about your boobs!

Deborah