Farfallina has left the building :)

[CreamPuff63]

(sound of quickened footsteps and door closing)

oh! here, you left your sunglasses (madly running after her)  alright, hear from you next week... 

[Ceejay]

Oooh I did notice you weren't posting your wonderful recipes.

Glad you are back and ready to get back into it! 

[judydawn]

Welcome back Farfallina - all rested up and ready to get back into the kitchen I'll bet 

[farfallina]

Thank you girls

I won't neglect you anymore     

[cookie1]

I see you have been busy posting  recipes farfallina. I hope your holiday was wonderful.

[farfallina]

My holiday was great cookie. We were in Istanbul going around to be able to see everyone, all friends and family
When you have limited days they tend to pass so fast!
We stayed with mom longer this time. Last February she had an operation, breast tumor. They removed her left one. She had chemo 8 times afterwards. She was tired but seemed like getting better. She might have also radiotherapy
When I was back here my sister in law's mom died because of tumor. It happened so fast. It was too late when it was discovered
Just half an hour ago I heard another relative of ours got brain tumor
There are 3 others, all happened this period
It is like someone pushed some button and everyone got it all the same time. It sounds like an epidemic almost
I have got very depressing news recently.
I wasn't gonna mention about all this but then I changed idea to tell you this:
You, yourselves and your mothers and relatives must have regular mammography and pap smear tests at least. We often don't care enough when we are in good health.

[Cornish Cream]

I am truly sorry to hear about your family health problems Farfallina.I agree with you it's important to keep up with regular tests to make sure we are in good health.My best wishes to your Mum for a speedy recovery.

[judydawn]

We have a saying here in Australia 'bad news comes in threes' and yours certainly has farfallina.  All the best to all concerned and thank you for reminding us all of what we know we need to do and often put it off. 

[CreamPuff63]

farfallina that is terribly sad. for me, personally,i will make my overdue pap smear appointment next week. i do think our forum is helping to prevent cancer tho as it promotes avoiding additives and preservatives (and lots of other dietary issues) which is in my opinion a big contributor to cancer. unfortunately it is very hard to avoid pesticides in our food. i wish in the latter, i could afford to buy more organic food.

[andiesenji]

Farfallina, you have my deepest sympathy. 

It is important for every woman to have regular checkups and tests for cancer.

I have been incredibly lucky or was favored by serendipity twice in my life.  When I was 29 I had what was diagnosed as an ovarian cyst on my right ovary.  This was prior to ultrasound and all the newer tests which are much more accurate.  MRIs were not even on the horizon.
I went to a general surgeon because the first doctor, an OBGYN, wanted to do the vaginal approach but if someone was going to be looking around in my abdomen, I wanted them to be able to see what was there and it is a very good thing I did.
In addition to the cyst on the right side, I also had a significant amount of endometriosis in the abdominal cavity and while removing that the surgeon examined the left ovary and found a tiny tumor that turned out to have pallisade cells, a sign of early cancer.  I had a total radical hysterectomy and my doctor, who did lot like to do it because of my age, told me it was better to be on the safe side, rather than take a wait and see track. 
I recovered quickly and although I had to take replacement hormones for twenty-five years, I had no other problems following that surgery.
In 2005 I changed insurance plans and my new doctor asked about my last mammogram and although it was only 8 months since my last one, he ordered one because at my target date he was going to be on a month's trip to the middle east (Doctors without Borders volunteer).  That mammogram showed positive and I was able to have just a lumpectomy because it was caught so early and all of it was removed.  Follow-up films at 6-month intervals have been entirely clear.  After the one this November it will again be annually.
See, lucky, twice.   

[farfallina]

I am happy you have been lucky andiesenji
You have also been enough cautious. You were doing your tests. Your luck was they were able to catch them at very early stage.
Generally speaking, our problem is when we are in good shape we feel like it is gonna last forever. These kind of things sound like news. They can happen to others but not us!
My mom wasn't cautious. She didn't do regular tests. She noticed by hand and then went to see doctor. Since my aunt had benign cists on her breast several times she thought it was something like that. Besides, we never had tumor in family history
When doctor was doing biopsy he understood that it was malign but to be sure waited for pathology results. It was called something like invasive dual cardinoma if i am not wrong. Then she had 2nd operation and they removed that left breast of hers
By the way I also hear other cases where people make regular tests but tumor occurs almost right after test and then when they do it again its too late. I guess for these matters luck and cautiousness go hand in hand

[gertbysea]

Farfallina you have certainly been saddened with all this and we all feel for you.  Many of us here have had cancer ,including myself , and we fully understand what you are going through.

Every time someone tells their story we all scream "get those tests". It is  important to share and I thank you for doing so.

There may be someone  here who is reluctant to go for a pap smear or mammogram and many of us live in  remote places where the health services are few and far between. I say MAKE A PLAN. Get it done.

We are all survivors here.

Gretchen

[cookie1]

Farfallina that has all been so very sad for you and your family. You are very correct about the importance of keeping up with our tests. 

[I Love Bimby!]

Farfallina so sorry to hear about your families news. You are right, we need to very vigilant about these things. My Grandmother was also one who didn't have things tested out when she knew something was wrong, and within months from memory (I was only about 8  ) she died.

I wish your family all good health from now on. 

Andisenji, so glad that you have over come the tumors too 

[Very Happy Jan]

Thanks for reminding me that my pap smear & mammogram are overdue. It's so easy to let it slide with one excuse or another.
So sorry to hear your sad news Farfallina