Ramalamamammogram

“So you just turned 40, I want you to go have a mammogram,” says my doctor at my annual physical just after my 40th birthday.

“That’s not necessary is it?” I scrunch up my face.

“What, it doesn’t hurt, don’t be a wimp,” she replies.

“Oh, you’ve had one?”

“Well, nooo…”

Fucking doctors. Who’s with me on the idea that every general practitioner should, during their medical training, have to experience every test they could potentially send a patient for? Not the actual mammogram with the scan, but everything up to that point, including the boob sandwich (male doctors too), as well as a colonoscopy, and a partial toenail removal.

“So how do you know it doesn’t hurt?”

She sighs. “I don’t, but you have a family history of breast cancer from your grandmother, so let’s be safe.”

I can’t honestly remember now if my grandmother had breast cancer or not. I think she did, but she had so many other cancers, along with pneumonia, diabetes, and tuberculosis at one point, that, sure, better to be safe than sorry. And it can’t be that bad, right?

Continue reading “Ramalamamammogram”

Lucky Dip – Thursday, November 3rd, 2011

For all the hype about food trucks and street food, we’ve got to accept that it’s still a marginal (albeit hot) trend. Which doesn’t necessarily translate into a good, workable business plan. [BlogTO] [Toronto Star] [Porkosity]

Gift with purchase – aw, man, I NEVER find live tree frogs in my pre-packaged salads. No fair. (And yes, I would totally keep him as a pet.)  [Consumerist]

There’s talk of banning competitive eating. But maybe the real question is why we’re so enthralled with the concept in the first place. [Globe and Mail]

Dear dick-waving macho chefs – you’re really starting to bore us. [Zester Daily]

I wanna know who these people are who are giving Maya Angelou flack for writing a cookbook and give them a hearty smack. Maya Angelou can write anything she damn well pleases, and y’all will read it and like it. That it includes soul food dishes and the cassoulet she cooked for M.K. F. Fisher is just gravy. [Guardian]

Continue reading “Lucky Dip – Thursday, November 3rd, 2011”