under the blanket

This is a public service announcement. Make sure your Mom [and grandmothers and aunties] gets a mammogram done. In case you haven't realised, this month is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

For the longest time, I had been nagging my Mom to go "squeeze breasts", as she calls it, but she refused. Her illogical reason? "If I die, I die."

She has this fatalistic streak that says there is no cure for breast cancer, even though I've tried to brainwash her. Finally, I managed to convince her to get her breasts squeezed. I think the fact that my grandmother recently died of breast cancer was the push she needed.

So, I made an appointment for her and marched her down to the polyclinic. She said it was extremely painful -- and she has a very high pain tolerance level -- but for about five seconds only.

The results will only be ready in about a month's time, and my Mom keeps imagining the worst. Just waiting for the all-clear now from the doc, and we'll be home free.