the government recommends I die

If you haven't heard, a government task force of doctors and scientists came out on Monday with the recommendation that the general population should wait until 50 years of age to get a mammogram and that self-exams have "no value." This contradicts the American Cancer Society's recommendation to start mammograms at age 40 and to practice self-examination.

There are no Christian words that express my feelings towards the government recomendation. Had I practiced this advice, there is a good chance that Chris would be a widower and my sister an only child. Self-examination is how I found my stage 3 breast cancer at age THIRTY.

The issue here is money. The government wants to save it and insurance companies don't want to spend it. Chris just said, "This probably won't affect you, though." He changed his mind after I reminded him that my medical team had to fight with my insurance to pay for a mammogram AFTER the mastectomy of my left breast. (They said I was too young to have cancer. Tell that to the surgeon who removed my tumor.)

Insurance companies are going to jump on this and refuse to pay for mammograms before the age of 50 and people will die because of it. EVERY life is worth saving. Early detection saves lives and prevents the need for harsh treatments like mastectomies and chemo. All I have to say to the government task force is this: change your recommendation. Either that, or tell your wives, daughters, mothers, and female friends that you don't care if they die young, then go inject yourself with chemo, ya bums.