"Promise Me"... PINK???!!!

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The gross contradictions of Pinktoberfest is highlighted by the inundation and exploitation of PINK; BREAST CANCER; and the collective personal anguish that more and more women (at younger and younger ages) are being diagnosed with breast cancer everyday. All for the sake of PROFITEERING. The industrialization of breast cancer into a lucrative (and savvy) business model is an affront not only to our intellect, but our physical well-being. Susan G. Komen is a marketing success! It feeds the Pink Beast on the one hand, while Promising a path to "salvation" from the same Beast on the other. Below is another example how Susan G. Komen smartly keeps itself a profitable entity by appealing to society's visceral fear of CANCER, and our desire "TO DO SOMETHING" (but only in a purely superficial and noncommittal manner because we have the attention span of a doorknob)...all the while ensuring its continued existence and relevancy.    ~ TC

By Karuna Jaggar, BCAction Executive Director
Posted by caitlin on September 27, 2011 – 10:57 am

Pinkwashing has reached a new low this year.

In the past, we’ve worked to demand accountability from companies who pinkwash in the name of breast cancer. We’ve seen pink alcohol. Pink buckets of fried chicken. Pink hormone-laden yogurt.
But we’re genuinely shocked to see a breast cancer organization marketing a product containing multiple chemicals categorized as toxic or hazardous. Susan G. Komen for the Cure commissioned and is now selling a perfume called Promise Me. This perfume contains chemicals that are a) categorized as toxic and hazardous, b) have not been adequately evaluated for human safety, and c) have demonstrated negative health effects. Please join us in demanding that Komen take every precaution when it comes to our health. When in doubt, leave it out!

Raise A Stink! by sending a letter to Susan G. Komen for the Cure asking them to stop pinkwashing!

Chemicals in Promise Me of primary concern include:

• Galaxolide, a synthetic musk that works as a hormone disruptor and is detected in blood, breast milk, and even newborns.
• Toluene, a potent neurotoxicant known widely as one of the toxic trio, has demonstrated a variety of negative health effects and is banned by the International Fragrance Association (IFRA).

When women’s lives are at stake we must adopt the highest standards of accountability. Komen is taking initial steps to reformulate the perfume “to remove any doubt about the ingredients.” But we’re still deeply concerned that while Komen reformulates, a product that is potentially harmful to our health is still in stores and in our homes. We urge Komen to immediately recall Promise Me.

Send a letter to Komen asking them to take every precaution when it comes to our health. Ask Komen to immediately recall Promise Me and sign our Pledge to Prevent Pinkwashing.

Thank you so much for taking action. Together we will stop pinkwashing because ACTION SPEAKS LOUDER THAN PINK! 

John C. Lincoln Breast Health & Research Center...Revisited

******

Sigh...they call, but they don't leave voice mail messages. Not even a cursory message identifying themselves and asking for a call back. Why is that?

Hi. This is TC...I missed a call from you?

That wasn't me, I will forward you to our scheduler.

No, I don't need to schedule. I am trying to find out whether my Breast MRI results are completed.

That would be Mary. One moment.

This is Mary...Yes, they are ready. I am faxing them over to Radiation Onc right now.

Can you fax them to me as well.  

The 5 ft Pink Ribbon
announcing that you
have arrived at BH&RC

 No. HIPAA does not allow me. Call Radiation Onc and she can tell you the results. 

Right. Can you tell me the results.

No. HIPAA does not allow me to do that. I am not a nurse or doctor. Call Radiation Onc.

You see Mary, Radiation Onc and her personal "Nurse Ratched" are not good doing "phone."

If you were here, I could hand you the report.

I will come, and call Radiation Onc.

I leave a voice mail message for Radiation Onc as well as"Nurse Ratched."

I arrive at BH&RC. I wait for Mary. While I am waiting, I snap a few pics of the main reception area with my cell phone - being careful not to violate any one's privacy. The pic of the glowing pink pony wall doesn't give it illuminating justice.

One of 3 Glowing Pink
Pony Walls in the
 Reception Area

Mary comes out and meets with me. Apologizes for the restraint that she is under. Mary asks me if I have spoken with Radiation Onc, because she confirmed with "Nurse Ratched" that they received the report; and she let them know I was asking for my results. "Nurse Ratched" reportedly assured Mary that they would call me first thing.

No. They didn't.

Mary gives me the report - YEAH...Good news, kinda: "...[no] suspicious areas of enhancement on the right side. Oval mass [in left axillary tail] is consistent with a pathological lymph node and is positive for malignancy." Okay, nothing new, thank you Mary. But...Mary, the report states: "No prior exams were available for comparison. What happened to the three CDs I left with the nurse for the sole purpose of comparison?"

Cell Phone does not quite capture the
sparkly nature of the Reception chandelier

You left us films?               

Yes. Three CDs: first Breast MRI; PetScan; and Breast Ultrasounds.

View to the left of the door
leading into the MRI exam

Excuse me. Let me locate those. . Yes, we have located those and the report will have to be amended after Doctor reviews. My apologies for the inconvenience.

Mary is nice. Never shoot the messenger.






BTW - its is 6:30 p.m. PST. Radiation Onc's office has not called.

Pinktoberfest Already...Its Only August...Yuk!

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Now this is a a guitar I would like see shredded on stage!

Hard Rock Pinktober Guitar 2011 -- Pinktober is going the way of the bermuda triangle of holdiays (Thanksgiving, Christmas & New Year)...starting earlier and earlier so retailers can get a jump start on their profit margin. Yipee skipee!

"Barbie" (TM) Does Breast Cancer...REALLY! (or...I have found the Pink Beast's Lair)

******

Introduction:

After meeting with surgical onc on Tuesday (8/16) and then the radiation onc on Wednesday (8/17), I was sent to the new "cutting edge" breast imaging center at John C. Lincoln Breast Health & Research Center. Before any slice 'n dicing can be agreed upon, the ladies (no, not the ones affixed to my upper frame, the oncs) wanted a breast MRI on both my ladies (yes, the ones affixed to my upper frame ... with crazy glue it sometimes seems). I agreed with this. Prudent, reasonable, no major radiation exposure. Let's do it. Well, that was where sanity ended and surreal began...

I have stumbled into the lair of the Pink Beast...and its name is Barbie!


Remember all the coveted Barbie (TM) play scenes. Barbie Condo; Barbie Salon; Barbie Beach Party; Barbie Corvette; Barbie does Botox...all of Barbie's unlimited fantasy lands? If Mattel were ever to decide that since Barbie is now part of the 50+ generation she should have some "real life" experiences; and, let's give her breast cancer (think Samantha a la Sex &the City); well ... they would not be able to create a better back drop than John C. Lincoln's Breast Health & Research Center.  

Grab your barf bags!

Glowing pink pony walls grab my attention as I enter the Imaging Center. There are three intake counters divided by milk chocolate floor to ceiling panels ... and bright glowing pink pony walls. Glowing because they are opaque and lit from within the walls. Accent lighting...got it.

Next my attention is drawn to the textured creamy accent wall behind the intake clerks. It looks like they took a 15' x 20' rectangle of whipped cream cheese, and with flicks and swirls created hibiscus flower shapes, then sealed it in motion with silicone. Gracefully scripted is ... YES ... pink lettering with the Center's moniker.

Retro-pink patient chairs act as sentinels in front of the intake clerks. At least the upholstered backs match the milk chocolate wall panels. The actual waiting area has retro-60's, milk-chocolate bucket leather chairs. Yippee.

The wall-to-wall carpet is dotted with small pink, white and milk-chocolate geometric squares. I am dizzy.

Cream (oh...let's just call it white chocolate) textured wall paper has muted gold sparkle squiggles running vertically floor to ceiling.

I look up. Barbie (TM) et al did not disappoint...a large, faux crystal, retro-60s chandelier hangs in the center of this Barbie (TM)  menagerie. Mood lighting, I suppose.

As I sit with the intake clerk, I cough and politely turn my head to the left. As I do, my attention is caught by the...um...a salon (?). An ante-chamber lined with hip to ceiling shelves of head wig stands. Sadly some are bald, but even their necks (?) are adorned with the signature pink & milk-chocolate colored scarves. Really ???




Mind you, this is just the waiting room. The secured MRI room holds it own. The linoleum floor immediately draws my eye with its large neapolitan-colored s/curve (though the pink is more bubble gum than strawberry in this room).  The wannabe Barbie (TM) interior designers went retro-modern in this area and opted for geometric plasticine lighting fixtures.

The changing room has a tiny airplane-sized sink with a ruffled milk-chocolate curtain hiding the plumbing. Privacy is provided by a heavy, embossed velvet curtain that hangs just beneath the 20' ceiling. Two lockers are available for clothing - clear but pink neon "A" and "B" identifies the different locked cubies. And, yes, there is a mini chandelier illuminating this 5' by 5' dressing cubicle. The soap is cotton-candy pink. I put on the provided quilted white robe, monogrammed with the proverbial pink ribbon that serves as a flagpole for the initials, "BH&RC".

I am taken to the injection site. Detail-oriented, and consistent, their decorator was. A large milk-chocolate - the same color as the s/curve on the linoleum, LazyBoy recliner awaits behind the pink and chocolate circles-on-cream curtain. Wow, I am now so prepped for my IV and the upcoming procedure..

I lay naked, save for the thong (now the barf bag is needed!) (BTW, the thong was blue) upon the baby-pink cushions that soften (barely) the divided well, designed to separate and suspend the ladies (yes, the affixed ones) for their close-up. I place my punim on the coordinating pink gauze that covers the face holder. Pink-tiles accent the otherwise cream-colored room. I start taking long cleansing breathes to bring both my pink-induced nausea and claustrophobia under control. Tech Michelle puts on the Stones for me (you rock Michelle!) and covers me with the robe and a baby-pink blanket. I get cold really easy. Ear plugs are put on (they are orange...ugh! fashion aux pas!) - not for the Stones, but for the deafening sounds the MRI is going to envelope me in for the next 40 minutes. Extra time is allotted because I have fake ladies. (Point of clarification...I am referring to the affixed ladies here.)


Epilogue:

One last breath. Arms are positioned over head (think a slovenly clad pink Superman). Eyes are closed...Mick, Keith, Ronnie, Charlie stay with me! Okay, slide me in... I am ready for my pink ribbon close up. Oh, and yes the outside of the Research Center was marked with a 5 foot pink ribbon sculpture. I know, because I am 5'1".

Post Script:

Oh, if only Michelle, my tech, had been bestowed with equal attention to detail. I explain the difference to her between ILC and DCIS. I explain the difference between expanders and permanent implants. I explain why she cannot take my blood pressure on my mastectomy side. Why do I need to explain? She shares that she has been doing MRIs for 10 years, but breast MRIs only one. She asks me health hx questions so she knows how to proceed. (Kudos for questions, really! Glad it is not her interpreting the films, however.)  And she is trying to expand her understanding. Learning should be a life-long pursuit. Even if it is done in the lair of the Pink Beast!

P.S.S.: I guess Barbie (TM) truly is the poster-girl for plastic boobies. And we wonder WHY there is no cure????  

P.S.S. - It just gets better...I swung by the John C. Lincoln Breast Health & Research Center today, to pick up the amended MRI report as well as the CD -- [ALWAYS GET A COPY OF THE ACTUAL IMAGES, NOT JUST THE WRITTEN REPORT, WHETHER IT BE CD OR FILM. WHEN YOU GO TO THAT NECESSARY SECOND OPINION (or even first opinion with the intial doc) MAKE SURE THE DOC LOOKS AT WHAT THE RADIOLOGIST LOOKED AT - MISTAKES CAN BE AND ARE MADE WHEN ONLY ONE SET OF EYES IS DOING THE INTREPRETATION.  But I digress..]

They handed me the envelope with the CD of the MRI, with a written amended report. The envelope was off-white with bubble gum pink border and writing...and...wait for it...a 4-view diagram of women's breasts, right and left, drawn in the same bubble bum [sic] pink color. The envelope size was 11x17. It did catch the eye of more than one in the crowded elevator as I made my way back to the parking garage.