So Now, The Government Has Decided Women Under 50 Years Old Don't Need A Mammagram...

So, I guess if Mr. Snooty's cousin who recently had a DOUBLE Mastectomy should have just waited for it to kill her? According to the government, that's exactly what they mean. I had a handful of friends over the years who were NOT at high risk and still got breast cancer AND they were all under forty. Hubby's cousin is in her late 30's, she wasn't a high risk for cancer and she still got breast cancer. So, exactly what group of women were they referring to? In my world that shit just isn't going to fly because that assumption simply isn't true.

Breast cancer is still the number 2 killer of women in this country, as well as some men. What in the sam hell are these people thinking? There is more and more cancer all the time and these ass-hats want to put out the word so that insurance companies don't have to cover the Mammagrams if a woman under 50 decides to have one? I'm sorry, but what kind of horse-shit are they shoveling up there in Washington DC? Do they think that will help us with our high premiums we already pay for insurance? Or with the deductible that has to be met before they pay a red cent cent as it is? Come on people! Looks to me like we might need some changes made in some seats up there in DC.

I am so upset about this that I'm spitting nails. I just wish I could spit the freaking nails all the way to Washington and hit my target.... Just when curing breast cancer has really gotten successful. This is just insane! Insane, I tell you! They can say whatever they want on the news... I'm not buying it. It makes me wonder how long it took them to find these doctors who endorse this decision by the government.

I mean, it was Congress who passed it before, that we should all have one every so many years, up until 40. Once a woman turns 40 she's encouraged to get one every five years and once she hits 50, every 2 years. These procedures are not cheap, which means now that a lot of younger women are going to have breast cancer and not be aware of it until it's probably too late.

I UNDERSTAND PERFECTLY the reasons they spouted about why this should be done. I just think it should be left up to the individual, not the government or the insurance companies. Why don't they stick their little piggy snouts in their own business?

I suggest to the government that if they want to stick their noses where it doesn't belong, then perhaps they should look at the pay they vote for themselves every few years or so. How about that? Like maybe Congress could take a whopping large cut in pay like the rest of the working country, or perhaps get nothing for doing their job like the countless Americans out of work. I'm really liking that idea.

Okay, thank you for letting me get this off my chest. I was almost in tears after hearing the news tonight. Obviously, I don't feel vindicated in any way, but I at least feel like I just cornered some Congressman and kicked him in the shins up against a wall. I'm sure I could never physically get close to any of the Washington bigwigs, so I'm simply going to have to be satisfied with another one of my crazy rants.

And, don't try to tell me I'm wrong because I don't care. I spent more than 8 years on the board of the local American Cancer Society, helped to bring the first Hospice here, and lost many friends and loved ones to this scourge of a disease. It's my rant and I'm sticking with it.

Rest In Peace Uncle Bob... The Ultimate Cool Cat Hipster, Jazzman & Master Skier....

We received the news yesterday when we arrived home from our trip that our favorite uncle (Mr. Snooty's Dad's oldest brother) had passed away at the age of 86. He was always considered the *black sheep* of the family, which instantly made him my favorite uncle. He was born in 1923, did a stint in the U.S. Navy during WWII, he was a graduate of the Univ. of Oklahoma and Columbia University (where he met and became friends with Jack Kerouac). Uncle Bob was also an excellent and successful oil and gas geologist.



Uncle Bob was the oldest of four brothers and one sister, being tagged as the *black sheep* because he divorced his first wife, drank bourbon, smoked cigars, and was a bit of a wild man back in the day. He also lived with a wonderful woman for something like 40 years, who was at his side when he passed. Of course, that's why I was immediately drawn to him. He was quite the character and was close friends with the likes of Hunter Thompson, Dirty Bertie Cross, and Ralph Jackson, all considered to be part of the *Beat Generation*. He was about as cool a cat as I ever knew, and I knew a lot of them through my mother, The Brown Recluse.



We both shared a mad passion for jazz and skiing, so we were kindred spirits from the get go. His absolute favorite jazz pianist was Ralph Sutton, who actually lived in Denver during the same time Uncle Bob did. From what I understand, they knew each other for years. He authored several books that were filled with his *witicisms*, while others were about geology, with a twist of humor added, and we have them all. I will treasure them until I die and hopefully, my children will treasure them as well. Bob never had children of his own.



At one time he literally owned Four-O-Clock run in Breckenridge, CO. He eventually sold the land, but kept a condo there for many years, which we were invited to use many times, and did. You could actually ski in and out from his place and it was the most amazing condo and location ever. Uncle Bob was an avid skier and even though he actually lived in Denver, he never failed to come and ski with us.



This picture and the next are from February 1978, four months after Mr. Snooty and I married.



He always tried to make me laugh when we skied because I made such a big deal about all the guys being able to *retreat to the trees* while I had to go inside to take care of business. It was like he made it his mission to make me giggle, which always made me feel like I was special and that he accepted me into the family, even though it was annoying at the same time. He always cracked me up. He always smoked lovely smelling cigars, even on the mountain while skiing. The man was a total riot to be around, even in his later years. He had something of a *dry ice* wit and I adored him.





I apologize for the quality of this picture but it's the best I could do in my post vacation mode. I've been in and out of bed all day due to total exhaustion.

Eventually, he and the love of his life sold their properties in Denver and Breckenridge and moved to Montana, where they lived very happily for many years before his demise. When he was in his 70's, he (and his lovely companion) skied the Canadian Cariboos by helicopter, which has been a lifelong dream of mine. There is even a book about their experience, which is one of my great treasures. He was just SO SPECIAL and I will truly miss him until I die....



Honestly, I was in bed all day yesterday, trying to recover from the trip. So, I hope to get a post up this week. I just felt that Uncle Bob deserved a little lip service.



Oh... And can I just say FUCK CANCER? Well, I just did, so there. I'll even say it again. FUCK CANCER! It's the scourge of the earth and I hate it, hate it, hate it!