anyway, right now I know a woman that had a double mastectomy last june and is taking chemo treatments every week but still manages to come to work, at least part time.

I also lost someone to breast cancer this past summer. it really is a very curable cancer and early detection is a big part of it, the fact that you can check yourself at home is the key.

My Grandmother just passed away. 2 weeks after that my husband lost his job (5/11/2001). And on my birthday(07/11/2001), she told her son that she was diagnosed with breast cancer. It seemed forever until they were able to bring her into surgery. They also diagnosed her with diabeties and a heart problem at the same time. Because of our money situation, my husband couldn't go out there to visit her. All we could offer was prayer.

Surprisingly enough, she survived and has been cancer free since.

There's More to October than Halloween

by Karen Frazier, Managing Editor

Paranormal Underground Magazine

It’s a blustery day in the Pacific Northwest. I’m cuddled up under a warm blanket in my comfy chair. I’ve got a dog in my lap and another at my feet. I can see out my windows from where I sit. The trees are swaying, the sky is gray, and there’s a slight dampness that you can’t quite call a drizzle. Across the valley, the deciduous trees are just barely touched with color – a hint of yellow, the occasional red. October is here, and fall is in full swing.

October is my favorite month of the year. The trees turn stunning colors and fall to the ground. There are enough bright sunny days with just the perfect hint of crispness in the air that I can go out and crunch around in the leaves while I smell the glorious scent of fall. Color palates change from verdant greens to reds, oranges, yellows and browns. Football heats up in the stadium and the entire town turns out to listen to the band play at football games. Okay – I know. That last statement was a deluded one. They turn out to watch football. But as the mother of a saxophone player, I’m gonna stick with them going to hear the band. Jim starts wearing a lot of purple, and Saturdays are spent watching him mutter at his beloved Washington Huskies. I love October. I always have, and I always will.

I know other people get excited about October for Halloween, and I must admit to not being a fan of the holiday. Given my paranormal proclivities, I know that this statement shocks people. I love the pumpkins, I love the cute kids in costumes and God knows, I love candy! I’m not entirely sure what I don’t love about Halloween, to tell you the truth. I just don’t love it.

Still, there’s more to October than fall colors and Halloween. If you’ve ventured out of your house, you may have noticed a lot of pink interspersed amongst the pumpkins, faux leaves and costumes. That’s because October is also Breast Cancer Awareness month. It is a cause that I am very close to because breast cancer has struck my family more than once.

I’d like to tell you the story of two of my heroes. One is my older sister, Julie, and the other is a woman that I consider to be just as much mother to me as my own mother, Etta.

Julie is an amazing person. Since we were children, she knew exactly what she wanted to be when she grew up. Her path was as straight and true as an arrow shot from a bow – a market contrast to my own more shotgun-like approach to life. Julie has always known exactly what she believes. I’ve never seen her treat anyone unkindly. She has a strong faith and values from which she has never wavered. She started working as a nurse straight out of college, and she’s never looked back. Although she’s never been my nurse, I have a hunch she is a remarkable one. With her natural compassion, I don’t know how she could be anything less than that. Julie became a nurse out of her desire to help others, and she continues to make a difference in people’s lives every day.

Julie was diagnosed with breast cancer a few years ago. As the mother of two teen-aged children, she never broke her stride. While she went through her treatment for the cancer, she continued to work full-time. Her kids are very active in sports and other activities, and I don’t think she missed any of them. She was determined that her diagnosis not interrupt her children’s lives in any way. She handled her cancer with remarkable grace, great empathy for others and with a level of magnanimity that was remarkable to watch. Even when she was at her sickest, she never once stopped thinking of others.

Julie is now cancer-free, something that I am grateful for every single day.

Growing up, Etta was like a second mother to me. She was my mother’s best friend, and our two families spent a lot of time co-mingled for birthdays, holidays and just in regular life. From Etta, I learned to cook. I think I gained my flair for decorating from her, as well. Etta is a wonderfully creative woman who spent most of her life as a home economics teacher in the public schools. She was a favorite of students for the same reason that I love her – her kindness and her class. It was from Etta that I first learned to bake cinnamon rolls – something that my family is eternally grateful for.

Etta has been cancer-free for more than ten years. Her diagnosis of breast cancer was my first brush with the disease, and it affected me greatly. When she finished her treatment, Etta and her husband joined my entire family in Kauai. It was a wonderful way to celebrate the end of her long ordeal. Since the end of her treatment, Etta has been a tireless advocate for breast cancer and cancer awareness. She has taken it on as her personal cause, and her dedication to the cause is inspiring. She was a wonderful source of support for Julie during her treatment, and she continues to support others who have been diagnosed.

These are my personal stories about breast cancer in my life. I am grateful every day that the outcomes for the two people I love were so positive, because I am all-too aware that women succumb to breast cancer every day. Breast cancer is the second most common cancer in women. It is the number one cause of cancer death in Hispanic women and the second most common cause of cancer death in other populations. In a given year, nearly 200,000 women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer, and more than 40,000 will die from the disease. The best hope for survival is to catch it early. Both Julie and Etta did regular breast self-exams and had yearly mammograms. That may have saved their lives. It’s easy to perform a breast self-exam monthly, and it may just save your life. If you have never had a mammogram and you are over the age of 40, talk to your doctor about scheduling one. I have them annually, and there is virtually no discomfort. Husbands and significant others – you can play a role, too. Make sure the women in your life are doing what they need to screen for breast cancer. Early detection can lead to outcomes like Julie’s and Etta’s.

If your life has been affected by breast cancer, please share your stories here.