Why I am grateful for the early detection and assurance

"Are you sitting down?" It was my mother on the other end of the phone. It is, I sit, something I do a lot of, given the fact that I am in the second trimester of my second pregnancy. "Yeah mom, what's up?" I use that precipitated the tone impatient with it, the very one that I hear (and hate) from my own children. That's when she dropped the bomb. "I have breast cancer."

These words have stolen my breath. My mother? By no means! It was healthy, vibrant and strong. Besides, she had no family history . Certainly, it was a mistake made My mother was one of the 0,000 women diagnosed with breast cancer in this country every year I am thankful that she was intelligent and vigilant;... her cancer was found on a mammogram and it was very small. she chose a lumpectomy and radiation and has been cancer for nearly 14 years.

His fight with breast cancer came years after my father fought against the disease, too. Yes, men can and breast cancer, but not in the numbers women do. He underwent a modified radical mastectomy since his cancer was more aggressive.

after the diagnosis of my mother, I began a heavy routine screening because the breast surgeon twice a year, a mammogram and ultrasound once a year and conscientiously do the self-examination chest. But in 03, my mammograms started to show suspicious white spots, and because of my family history, every new development should be biopsied. Four biopsies in four years (all on the same breast, in the same place) and my chest were tired and sort of collapsed. I too began to speak to my breast surgeon to take a more proactive position instead of waiting until I cancer, trying to completely avoid and possibly correct some of the damage caused by all biopsies. We decided the best option for me would be a double preventive mastectomy.

In January 07, I was on the table at Memorial Sloan Kettering have my breasts removed in a five and half hour procedure which was filmed by Oprah Winfrey. I returned two months later for a day procedure to exchange the temporary implants for my permanent.

I think back to that time as a crash course on the life lessons for me. I learned a lot about breast cancer; Did you know the family history is not the biggest risk factor? True, only about 10% of cases have a genetic link. Remember, there was no history in my family before my parents were diagnosed. The biggest risk factor for breast cancer is being a woman aging. Period.

A battle with a serious illness can take as much of a toll on your family finances as it can on your health. When you are sick, you need to focus on getting well without worrying about paying bills or if you siphon off the funds for the future of your family, making me grateful for the right insurance I had health.

A serious illness can also rethink your financial future. My husband and I always made sure that we have achieved adequate coverage of life insurance. Life insurance is one of those things that you can deal with "the line." You really need to think of her as a shield. A critical about it.

Thus, since October is awareness month for breast cancer, as well as thinking about your health, how about taking a moment for a life insurance check-up? Do you have enough coverage? What does your family need if something happened to you? What should you do now, while you're healthy, to preserve the future? Check out this post by breast cancer survivor and Vlasta Duffy insurance agent, which has tips on what you should consider. It could save you a lifetime of worry. I can not think of a reason not to do it, can you?