[Monty_girl]

Some of you know my younger brother was dx'ed with stage 4 colon cancer in 2005 at the age of 26. He's had chemo/ radiation and 4 surgeries and facing another surgery soon. He's doing well phycially and is in recovery. But during his illness he divorced his wife. Long story, she was seeing someone else while he was so sick.

Yesterday my sister called me very upset. Her mammorgram came back that the lump she found needed to be looked at further. She's very very upset. My sister is just 36 years old and has 2 small children.

I just don't know what's next, me? People laugh when I tell them I think it's from growing up in "rubber town", a nickname given to the neighborhood we grew up in. We lived next a number of chemical plants. My mother still lives in the neighborhood and her doctor has her have blood test while she still lives there. Why??? On the week-ends the air in our neighborhood would be orange. Yeah I said orange! You could see it and it had a horrible smell to it. Sometimes it makes me wonder what we were breathing at a young age?? And why are we coming up with cancer now??

[bebop]

hon I have had mammos come back that needed further investigation. I know this is easier said than done but please try not to worry so much til you know what is going on. maybe it will turn out to be like mine. just some tissue laying over other tissue. I will keep you and your sister in my prayers. (((hugs)))

[mandazzle]

(((((monty)))))
Cancer runs in my family too. My grandpa was just diagnosed with cancer last week and the only thing I can do is pray that he will be ok. Thinking about you and your sister.

[splitimage]

(((Monty))),

I'm sorry about your brother and sister. I hope your sister's turns out to be nothing - lots of breast lumps are benign.

But you're right it could be polution related. There have been lots of studies linking exposure to toxins to cancer and there are a number of highly polluted places in Canada that have statistically higher cancer rates than normal. Environmental standards still aren't tough enough in my view - but at least they are a lot better now than they were in the 50's through the 70's.

--splitimage