free bracelet for a good cause

[gingerBcookie]

order a free bracelet (costs you absolutely nothing) and Merck will donate $1 to Cancer Research and Prevention Foundation, up to $100,000, for cervical cancer awareness and screening programs among medically underserved women.


http://www.maketheconnection.org/

super easy to do and a very good cause to help raise awareness for.

 

[Gypsy]

Done! Thanks, I love those things!

 

[fountainfairfax]

Thanks, GBC- a very worthy cause.

I''m sure everyone has seen the commericals to tell all the women you know about the HPV virus....2+ years ago my pap came back screwy (t.m.i., I know) and when I went in for my cone-biopsy I saw a little post-it on my file that said "HPV ? " I asked the Dr and he said "We don''t know if you have HPV or not. The test isn''t that reliable." Thank goodness my biopsy was negative and now I just have paps 2x a year but it''s great to know that now they can give you a definite answer and monitor accordingly. Get tested ladies! My Sister''s MIL died of cervical cancer, so sad, she stopped getting yearly paps and it was caught too late.

p.s.- I''ll get on my soapbox about cone-biopsies: sometimes they are necessary but DEMAND painkillers that you can take prior to arriving at the Dr''s office, make sure someone drives you there and back and plan to take a couple of days off afterwards. No one told me to have someone drive me (but my Mom is an RN and went with me,) and no painkillers were ever mentioned (my Mom felt bad- she knew about the cramping but thought I could handle it cause I have a high tolerance to pain, but the actual biopsy "pinch" itself....lets just say it was only a second but I still remember the pain.)

 

[monarch64]

Done! What a cool way to promote the cause. I''m glad to know that the word about cervical cancer and HPV is finally getting spread. Thanks GingerB. for helping to raise awareness!!!

 

[FireGoddess]

Thanks GBC! I ordered a kit.

 

[VegasAngel]

Done

 

[mingagreen]

Thanks GBC, that is awesome.
I too had a screwy pap about 4 years ago so I was going for paps 2x a year and finally, I was on vacation, and my Dr called and told me I had HPV. My head was spinning and because I was on vaca I couldn''t jump on the computer to start my research!!! I was really freaked out. As soon as I got home I started looking info up and got more scared. I went for more frequent paps and was due for one right when I got pregnant last march, I needed the cone biopsy but they couldn''t do the whole test because it is not good to disrupt the cervix while pregnant, you can bleed, so I was REALLY nervous while I was pregnant thinking things were getting worse and low and behold my first pap 6 weeks after DS was born came back negative. I was thrilled, I think my body fougt it off while pregnant???

 

[diamondlove]

Thanks gingerbcookie, I just saw this post -- done!

DL

 

[IrishAngel7982]

Thanks GBC, I ordered one when I saw your post a while back but never replied. I had a scare of my own in the summer of 04 when my pap came back abnormal, and my doctor jumped to the conclusion that I must have had HPV. I was absolutely TERRIFIED but felt better after reading over a website I found at 3am (it was hpvandyou.com, but the site isn''t up anymore for some reason.) Anyway, I went back for the biopsies, so scary and painful, had the HPV dna test done, and got the all clear. To this day I swear my pap was abnormal because I was just getting over a uti when I had it done, but everyone said that wouldn''t affect the results. I''ve had no abnormalities since.

Anyway, I have to say I was lucky but many women (and men for that matter) walk around with this disease not even knowing what it could cause. Thank you for posting that website...I can''t wait to get my bracelet and I''ve forwarded it to all of my friends!

 

[coda72]

Well, I''m glad that no one else here has HPV because unfortunately I do. I have had numerous biopsies and had precancerous cells removed once. Everytime I go to the gynecologist I''m scared they are going to find something else. I''ve been dealing with this for 5+ years.

 

[IrishAngel7982]

I''m so sorry Coda, but at least you and your doctor caught it early before something more horrible developed. Good for you for keeping it in check and my prayers are with you.

 

[E B]

Done!

 

[sk8rjen]

Just ordered one and my mom did too -- thanks for the info. This is a great cause!
jen

 

[lovelylulu]

thanks so much for the link!!

I just ordered and sent the info to all my girlfriends. such an important issue!!!

 

[coda72]

Date: 6/21/2006 12:33:50 PM
Author: IrishAngel
I''m so sorry Coda, but at least you and your doctor caught it early before something more horrible developed. Good for you for keeping it in check and my prayers are with you.

I just wanted to let you know that just because my doctor caught it that one time doesn''t mean that it can''t come back. I still have the virus in my body, and it can cause cancer or at the least, precancerous cells at any given time. There area a lot of misconceptions about this virus.

 

[IrishAngel7982]

I completely understand...I had a small scare and did A LOT of research. All I meant by my comment, and I''m sorry if it was misunderstood, is that you know what you''re dealing with and you can monitor it opposed to not knowing and finding out too late. Stay well!