Gender Identity and Cancer...

[Toph]

i read recently of a struggle someone had had with her partners discovery of a lump. it is a sad thing that this fucking disease still exists!

but the simple fact is cancer invades, attacks and it is deadly.

it doesnt matter how you identify, who you identify with or how your insides or outsides appear.

genderqueers, genderfucks, androgynous, lesbian, dyke, gay, fag, top, bottom, daddy, baby girl, bearded non bearded, stone butch, concrete, marble, soft and semi butches, femmes of ALL maintenance levels, big people, little people, males and females, young and old, people of all sizes and shapes all colors all ethnicity all countries all islands...

it doesnt matter... none of it matters... cancer is a non-partisan, non-biased, non-discriminating disease that can and will easily kill!!! we as a community, as members of the human race, need to be proactive NOT reactive.


*****we are all targets*****


make a damned appointment for testing or just to talk to your doc about it. make arrangements to have your self examined. shallow any thing you need to swallow to help, go alone, take friends, make play dates, don't tell anyone, take your puppy who cares. Just Fucking Do It!

take it from me, if the disease doesn't kill you the fucking chemo/radiation/drugs just might. but stepping on the ladder and being on top of it will definately help in the stages of battle you are in.

[freckledassal]

This is an important reminder. Thank you for posting it. I know you are one bad M-Fckr..so if this happens to be what you have battled..I know you have won!

xoxoxoxo

[firegal]

Agrees wholeheartedly....CANCER SUCKS!

It doesnt discriminate. My thoughts go out to all affected by this disease.

[nycfem]

BB and I watched this movie Southern Comfort, a documentary following an FTM and his queer friends, all living in the conservative deep South, as they go through the experience of losing their dear mentor to ovarian cancer. The tremendous difficulty he and his friends had finding him treatment for a "female" cancer was heart breaking, yet the dedication in the community reminded me of the tightness in our own. Here's a link to the documentary:

http://www.nextwavefilms.com/southern/

[Toughy]

This is a great resource is you need to find a 'friendly' health care provider...

www.glma.org

[Toph]

BB and I watched this movie Southern Comfort, a documentary following an FTM and his queer friends, all living in the conservative deep South, as they go through the experience of losing their dear mentor to ovarian cancer. The tremendous difficulty he and his friends had finding him treatment for a "female" cancer was heart breaking, yet the dedication in the community reminded me of the tightness in our own. Here's a link to the documentary:

http://www.nextwavefilms.com/southern/



i saw that a few years ago, it is a sad reminder BUT a necessary one to show people the reality of the battle.

[Medusa]

I think it is super important for people to get their yearly screenings.

Jackhammer went on her Birthday do get a pap test and breast exam. The fact that NOBODY likes doing this is one thing but the fact that she is a Butch woman in the South who often presents as "Male" to people who don't know her is another.

I have dated Butches in the past who refused to get their medical screenings because they were so uncomfortable or they didn't want anyone looking at the parts of their body that they weren't necessarily crazy about or in touch with. I was sad when it happened.

Peeps - Do NOT put your health at risk. Get your checkups no matter your gender!

[Toph]

Originally Posted by Medusa

I think it is super important for people to get their yearly screenings.

Jackhammer went on her Birthday do get a pap test and breast exam. The fact that NOBODY likes doing this is one thing but the fact that she is a Butch woman in the South who often presents as "Male" to people who don't know her is another.

I have dated Butches in the past who refused to get their medical screenings because they were so uncomfortable or they didn't want anyone looking at the parts of their body that they weren't necessarily crazy about or in touch with. I was sad when it happened.

Peeps - Do NOT put your health at risk. Get your checkups no matter your gender!

our pride won't help those we leave behind because we had 'too much pride' to pay attention...just saying

[clay]

My PCP bugged me for almost 10 yrs. to get a colonoscopy and to do the regular hemoccult cards....being the "stubborn" soul I am.....never got them.
Last year I was found to be precancerous in the uterus, referred to a Gynecological Oncologist...who even before she saw me ordered a colonoscopy! So I went on and got it...no questions asked...and am I ever grateful I did so. The scope found a malignant tumor in my colon.
So she tag teamed with a surgical oncologist...and I had a total hystero AND a colon resection done simultaneously! I was very close to Stage I colon cancer BUT managed to dodge a major bullet by having had that colonoscopy done!~!! I didn't have to have chemo OR rad.
I am a MAJOR advocate for getting those yearly screenings done.
After 50, get that colonoscopy! Colon cancer is detected this way!!!
I am pushing my younger sibling to get one done..as his chances of developing colon cancer DOUBLED with my having had it.
Colon Cancer is the SECOND leading cause of Cancer deaths!
My life partner lost her life due to her refusal at getting even a mere physical yearly. When her cancer was found, she was Stage IV...it was breast Ca that had mets.'ed to liver/lung/brain/kidneys..
So to ECHO.......let go of that foolish notion and pride.....
PLEASE get those annual screenings and physicals done!!!!
A pride is much easier to deal with than a broken heart and an empty void of losing someone!!!!

[Corkey]

Cancer sucks harder than getting a pap, or breast exam or a colonoscopy. I've had 2 colonoscopies in 3 years, a total Laprotomy due to fibroids that thankfully were benign. My mother died of cancer that had metastasized, so don't put your health at risk, do what you need to to stay healthy, everyone.
If you think you'll be embarrassed with an exam, try being in the hospital with strangers taking care of wiping ones bum. There are worse things in the world than an exam.

[Blade]

I don't understand why we (general) ignore the important things in life that we actually have control over, if we will just take control. I have always gotten my yearly exams. I will be 50 in a few weeks, so yall know what that means.

Below is a partial list of people in my life, who's life has been cut short due to letting the symptoms slide or not getting an annual check up.

That constant cough may not be from smoking
RIP...... Tony 47...2005....lung

Cancer doesn't care that you are retired Navy
RIP ......Tim 49 2003.......liver

Doesn't matter that you are a nurse
RIP..... Paulette 63..........2007....breast

Cancer doesn't care that you are a Mom with small children
RIP Barbara 38........2007......ovarian

Say your get up and go has got up and gone, you feel sickly daily and this isn't like you
RIP Lanny 54...........2012.....leukemia

You are a highly decorated Vietnam vet, picture of health, nonsmoker, suddenly you can't swallow, get checked
RIP Mike 49..........1999.....Throat likely from breathing agent orange

RIP Johnny 53......2001...Stomach also likely from bathing in agent orange

You are a great father, husband, employee, christian, but you continually unexpectedly lose your bladder...dude cancer don't care
RIP Bobby 52....2000.......back and bladder cancer

You are never to old to get cancer get it checked out
RIP Maude 83....1993.....melanoma

Or to young
RIP Jeff 23......1992......shoulder.......started as a lump

Cancer doesn't care how many kids lives you have touched or how many times you have been teacher of the year
RIP Ricky 52......2006........leukemia....remission....leuke mia

The earliest I remember losing someone to cancer was my homeroom teacher in 1977...Mr Cully...I have no idea how old he was but I believe younger than my parents were so early thirties, nor do I remember what kind of cancer.

See where I'm going with this? Just go get checked if you have unusual symptoms and get your annual check ups. Your family and friends will thank you.

[Toph]

Originally Posted by Blade

I don't understand why we (general) ignore the important things in life that we actually have control over, if we will just take control. I have always gotten my yearly exams. I will be 50 in a few weeks, so yall know what that means.

Below is a partial list of people in my life, who's life has been cut short due to letting the symptoms slide or not getting an annual check up.

That constant cough may not be from smoking
RIP...... Tony 47...2005....lung

Cancer doesn't care that you are retired Navy
RIP ......Tim 49 2003.......liver

Doesn't matter that you are a nurse
RIP..... Paulette 63..........2007....breast

Cancer doesn't care that you are a Mom with small children
RIP Barbara 38........2007......ovarian

Say your get up and go has got up and gone, you feel sickly daily and this isn't like you
RIP Lanny 54...........2012.....leukemia

You are a highly decorated Vietnam vet, picture of health, nonsmoker, suddenly you can't swallow, get checked
RIP Mike 49..........1999.....Throat likely from breathing agent orange

RIP Johnny 53......2001...Stomach also likely from bathing in agent orange

You are a great father, husband, employee, christian, but you continually unexpectedly lose your bladder...dude cancer don't care
RIP Bobby 52....2000.......back and bladder cancer

You are never to old to get cancer get it checked out
RIP Maude 83....1993.....melanoma

Or to young
RIP Jeff 23......1992......shoulder.......started as a lump

Cancer doesn't care how many kids lives you have touched or how many times you have been teacher of the year
RIP Ricky 52......2006........leukemia....remission....leuke mia

The earliest I remember losing someone to cancer was my homeroom teacher in 1977...Mr Cully...I have no idea how old he was but I believe younger than my parents were so early thirties, nor do I remember what kind of cancer.

See where I'm going with this? Just go get checked if you have unusual symptoms and get your annual check ups. Your family and friends will thank you.

sadly, we all have lists like this!

the losses are astounding the grief sometimes unbearable.

thanks for your words

[Jett]

http://transitionnow.wordpress.com/2...-should-avoid/

An ounce of prevention... plz be aware of what you put on or in your body... research, research, research! You'd be amazed at what you are absorbing or digesting from the time you wake up till the time you sleep every single day.

[TruTexan]

I have been looking for a thread like this and I'm glad I found it. I was actually checking around to see if there was a specific thread to address the other than femme ID"S to see if they go and get regular checks like pelvic exams, pap smears , mammograms and breast exams , as well as colonoscopies done. I'm a butch that does all that. I believe that no matter what you ID , or how you like your body you are living in, please go get checked out regularly. It could prevent disease running amock and possibly save your life. I have had many thoughts about this over the years because I have had butch friends that REFUSE to get a pap smear/pelvic exam and refuse to do anything that even remotely resembles taking care of their female anatomy they were born with. It makes me sad that they choose to take such a risk like this. just sad. Thank you all for sharing. I appreciate your posts.