Mark your Calendars, Girls.

Several years ago I wound up scheduling my annual exam with my birthday. At the time, I was in my 20s, and health issues were the farthest thing from my mind so I thought my schedule was me being "weird". I needed to remember to have the check up and it was a way for me to remember. On WebMD I just read an article suggesting we women do EXACTLY that.

Here's the deal: many, MANY things are easily dealt with when caught early. We know it to be true of cancer. I want my girls to schedule their mammograms either FOR a time around your birthday OR on your birthday, you spend some time scheduling ALL your important medical appointments. Put it on your calendar. Do yourself the service of keeping track of your health. (You wouldn't miss renewing your car registration, right?)It's staggering but true that breast cancers caught at stage 1 have a 97% cure rate. (What the definition of "cure" is may be debatable) But really - 97% is DAMN good. Do yourselves and your loved ones a favor and get your mammogram, your annual pap test, get your HDL (combined cholesterol) to keep track of your heart health.

I've gone so far as to buy a little pocket calendar. You know the kind; they used to be freebies at your local bank or the doctors office. I actually bought one. Mine lives in my bedside table and whenever I feel that I have something to report, I jot it down. It sounds completely neurotic, but how many times have you been to the doctor's office and they ask you "when did the symptoms begin?" or "when was your last cycle and how many days did it last?". Maybe it's me, but I can barely recall the day of the week, let alone the start of symptoms. So I write it and then I take my lame little calendar and I can see that maybe my headaches always begin the week of my period, then I can tell Dr. BrainSurgeon that and he can prescribe drugs for menstrual migraines. It's really so simple and so helpful. Even before I get to the 'call the doctor' phase, I can look back and see if there is a pattern. And I can always take it to my appointments.

"When was your last mammogram?"
"Hang on, let me check."

So, your assignments are; 1) make those appointments, 2) track your self both physically & emotionally in your calendar, and 3) be your own best advocate. I mean that you must learn as much as you can, you should bring a list of questions to ask your physicians and make sure you understand the answers. Ask for more clarification when you need it. I found that my doctors were really responsive to that and, let's face it, if they aren't easy to relate to they may not be the best for YOU.