About eight years ago our next-door neighbor died of breast cancer. She had felt a lump and was too afraid to have it checked out. The first symptom that she couldn’t ignore was the broken foot she suffered when she stepped out of the car. By that time the cancer had spread to her bones, and her foot couldn’t support her weight.
Last week her 60-something widower had a lump on his breast removed and examined. Cancer.
According to the American Cancer Society breast cancer is 100 times less common in men than in woman. But, 1 in 1000 men are going to get breast cancer during their lifetimes, according to the statistics.
Fortunately, Tony badgered Kaiser into removing the lump. He didn’t accept their reassurances, and he insisted that they humor him and cut it out.
The pathology report says is Stage 1 or 2 cancer. Good. The five-year survival rate for Stage 1 breast cancer in men is 96% and it’s 84% for Stage 2.
I drove Tony to his pre-op physical this morning. He’s on the table Thursday, and back home Friday.
Here’s hoping that he makes good use of his short odds.
– Friday I learned that a chorus member who suddenly disappeared has a metasticized tumor from his leg that is affecting his brain. Didn’t have a clue about it six weeks ago. His life has been tragic…he lost his house in Slidell Louisiana to Katrina, and if I’m not mistaken was stranded on his roof for a few days before rescue.
– Today I heard from my female coworker that a close friend of hers just found out last week that she had a cantaloupe-sized tumor that is going to be removed tomorrow. She had been complaining about back pain, and that was it.
We humans are just a mess sometimes.