One Very Important Reason to get a Mammography Done

A lump in the breast is what most women dread. What dreaded me most was a mammography. 

I have lived with a lump in my left breast for a long long time, since school... Had a similar one in my right breast, was operated and the biospy showed it was a fibroadenoma, and when I discovered another one, I took it cool. Since it never bothered me, I never bothered with it. Years went by and I forgot about it.

(What is a fibroadenoma? According to the Mayo Clinic, these are 'solid, noncancerous breast tumors that occur most often in adolescent girls and women under the age of 30.' These are usually painless and move under your touch. Treatment includes monitoring, fine needle biopsy and removal by surgery.)

After the birth of my second son, I gained quite a bit of weight, and at the same time, I also started feeling a bit of discomfort around the lump and armpits. This discomfort had lately increased. At around the same time, we had our biannual medical examination and for the first time, ladies had a physical examination, and the doctor was shocked to find the lump. I was asked to go in for a mammography immediately. I told her the history but she said better be sure, 'My mom had a lump for a long time', said doc, 'since I was in class 4. She passed away recently because of cancer, which was discovered too late.' I understood, nodded my head, and then forgot about it.

It was time for my next biannual exam, and I still hadn't gotten my mammography done. You have to do it immediately, I was again told. I nodded and came back home. Between work, kids and home, it gain got postponed. A few days ago, while chatting on Whatsapp with my kid's school's moms group, a mom spoke of getting her mammography done and going in for a surgery, then another shared her experience of how she had fought cancer and survived. We all spoke of immediately getting check-ups done. I shared my experience and was pushed by all the 49 moms into immediately getting it done. In the meantime, our garden doctor's wife, a happy and very positive person, too had been diagnosed with breast cancer but luckily in the first stage and was undergoing chemotherapy, and had very good results.

Maybe it was because of them, maybe I was also getting anxious, and I finally stood and said I must get this done. Sent a message to my cousin who was a doctor, and Sanjib called her and she immediately fixed an appointment. I was terrified the night before. I really did not know what a mammography was. Too scared even to google, I decided to just go with the flow. 

What exactly is a mammography? Now that I have been through it, I can tell you. It is nothing invasive..that is, no needle is inserted, no cuts are made. It is basically an x-ray of your breast tissue. But with regard to privacy, if you think you could go into this fully clothed and remain fully clothed throughout, then no, you cannot. Your breasts, one after the other, are put between two plates and then squeezed by the upper plate. There will be discomfort (and this is putting it mildly). And I was terrified when I saw what was about to happen the first time! They will probably do each breast twice from two angles and with the armpits also coming in view. This will probably be done by female nurses who are professionals and after the first few seconds, you will cease to be embarrassed by the experience.

Once my mammography was done, the doctor wanted to do an ultrasound examination.  What was discovered was a calcified fibroadenoma in my left breast, 3.5 x 1.9 cm and another in my right breast which was considerably smaller. The armpit area had breast tissues, which the doctor said was there in quite a few women... and the final diagnosis was not to worry. Benign.

Never felt so relieved before. But, if this was the real deal, then my delay could have really really caused problems. Sent a prayer of gratitude!

On a serious note, here are some facts: It is always better to get your mammography done immediately if you feel a lump, and if you are above 40, it is recommended that you get one done every year. Husbands should also be taking their wives for an annual check-up even if there are no lumps. It really, really does not cost anything to be a bit more cautious as Breast Cancer is the commonest cancer in women worldwide. According to WHO, over 508 000 women died in 2011 due to breast cancer. Almost 50% of breast cancer cases and 58% of deaths occur in less developed countries (GLOBOCAN 2008). survival rates vary from higher than 80% in developed nations like USA and Japan to less than 40% in low-income nations. This is because of late detection in the latter. The lowest incidence rates are found in most African countries.

Women who are more at risk of breast cancer: 

1. Women who smoke, take alcohol or junk food are in the risk group. 

2. Women who have had their first child after 30 years.

3. Childless women or women who have breastfed for a very short interval.

4. Women with mother or siblings who have had breast cancer have a 50% greater risk factor.

Charts courtesy: http://www.breastcancerindia.net/bc/statistics/stati.htm

What is it about the Northeast that irritates people?

What is Northeast India? When I was growing up in Guwahati, going to school, I did not know of any such word. I knew of something known as 'seven sisters' which again comprised the same seven states that we know today as Northeast (I am not considering Sikkim here). The 'Northeast' is a word that has in its fold seven beautiful states that are each different and unique. Assam as I knew and know it is a very different state from Nagaland, just as Meghalaya is different from Arunachal Pradesh. Yes, just as different as Maharastra is from Uttar Pradesh. Let us not forget the trees by looking at the woods. Let us not club them all together under one umbrella  as 'that place in the hills'.

Why is there so much racism against Northeastern people in particular? Is there something weird with these people? No, there is not just racism against northeast people in particular. There is also bigotry and racism against many other communities. In fact, India despite its outward 'unity in diversity' is full of bigotry. 'Bihari' is the mother of all insults, 'Sardars' are Santa and Banta, people from Rajasthan till recently were known to the common man as 'marwaris' because this was the community they most interacted with, 'Oriyas'...hmm what's that??, 'Chinki' is anyone beyond the chicken neck separating the northeast region from 'Rest of India', 'Musaalmans' are still a no-no in many places, anyone from south of Madhya Pradesh was known as 'Madrassi' till Bangalore became a place where you had to go and work, and Nepalis of course are the 'shalaam shaahabs' of the nation.

So why is this racism against Northeast people becoming so prominent? People from the northeast are suddenly coming out from this part of the world and the rest of India is suddenly seeing so many people, who perhaps look different, speak different and dress different. It is not that people from here hadn't been outside the region, they have. People from my family and many others from three-four generations ago have travelled, been studying abroad, have been or are friends with 'prominent' people from not India but all over the world. But, and this is a big But, the region has been tremendously poor in communication and transport. The bridges that were built by the British are still standing tall and helping people cross the rivers. Areas that did not have bridges then still lack bridges. Airport/air travel facility is poor and expensive and railways need a heavy boost. So, what about the people who were not so well off in terms of economy or education till one generation ago or this generation? Just as in any other part of the world, they too hadn't the thought or money to travel much beyond their lands, and more so because they needed much more money and enterprise to go out and they had plenty in their own land, which is and was rich and fertile.

Slowly, over the past few years, there were roads built that makes communication a bit better, yes, just a bit better. (and this i will write about later). Television came in, internet came in and people now know of the world outside and are slowly going out to study in universities and colleges that have better teachers outside the region. Parents are sending children in the hope that they will learn more than they have and do better than they have. to see more of the world. Suddenly these kids come out into a world that knows nothing about them. Is this our country? they wonder. Are they from our country? the others wonder. Some get talking, make friends and discover, 'Hey, she's just like me. Just looks a bit different'. Others make no attempt to talk but start bullying. Go away to where you have come from. And where do you come from? China.

Which brings me back to my question. This racism against northeast people is suddenly becoming more prominent because with more trains going out of the region, and roads becoming a bit better, more people are entering the mainstream. Maybe certain people feel threatened when they see new faces coming in, maybe certain people cannot think of a world beyond their own, maybe certain people think this is just a country that belongs to me. 

What exactly is racism? A 'racist' is anyone that discriminates and bullies someone because s/he looks different, has a different accent or color, or from another place. The discrimination may be physical violence or threats via email or phone, etc. A racist will feel antagonistic towards most people who do not 'belong'. If you hate someone for no other reason except that s/he is a Muslim, or from Pakistan, or from the northeast, you too are having thoughts of racism.

Why do people from the northeast feel alienated? When a very well-educated friend asked me some years back, does your house have stilts, I answered no but I was bewildered. What do some people really think about our region? How come they have no idea at all? When I say I am a vegetarian, some people looked at me amazed. When young kids who move out of the region for the first time, they are visiting a new place for the first time. They tend to stick together because they are familiar with each other and get support. Same with any young person going to a new place. Why do they get the feeling of alienation? Because when they go to buy tickets at a museum, they are shown the 'foreigners' counter, when they go looking for a house to rent, they are looked upon as promiscuous and denied. We have to understand here, this is one country we are talking of. People from one state visiting another or studying and working in another. Not an Indian going to America.

Is it the fault of the victim when he is attacked? No. The victim of a hate crime or a racist act is not to blame. It is the racist or the bully who is wrong to have inflicted violence towards someone because he is not the same. It is the racist or bully how has to read more, learn more and develop more. Let us all be very very clear on this. Someone might be very different, talk very differently but as long as the person is living his own life and has not hurt you, you do not have the right to beat or be violent towards him just because of his difference.

Things that we all can do.

However. There are some things that people from the northeast can start practicing.

1. Write more. Write about yourself, your land, your people.

2. Learn new languages. If India is truly your country, you can start learning Hindi too. 

3. Be understanding if someone does not know about your state. there are many things you too do not know about other states.

4. Do not be ashamed of where you have come from. If you are from Manipur, talk to people from your university or office about the beautiful state. Help them learn. Cook for them.

And. Here are things people who do not know about the northeast can do.

1. Read more. Learn the names of the states, the people that stay there. Take out a map.

2. Travel. Don't get scared. Visit the northeast.

3. Make new friends. They are new, they are scared. Why not give a helping hand?
4. Love more.

Here are some sites that you can visit.
http://itstopswithme.humanrights.gov.au/it-stops-with-me/what-you-say-matters/why-racism 

http://www.wikihow.com/Become-Proactive-Against-Racists-and-Racism

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/advice/factfile_az/racism

http://www.care2.com/causes/confronting-racism.html

Memoirs of a Lucknow Boy

When a person you have always liked and idolized writes a book, and not just any book but an autobiography, you are perhaps not the best critic. Having said that, I admit I picked up Vinod Mehta’s  memoirs, Lucknow Boy, with a bounce in my step and with a special beat in my heart. As I opened the book and read through the first paragraph, Mehtaji from Lucknow did it again. I was hooked as I am with every bit of text he writes.

Lucknow Boy is a book that will touch a chord in many of us who started their journalistic or publishing careers in the Delhi of the 1990s, when email had just come in. It will also give us a glimpse of Vinod Mehta, the boy who had come to India from Pakistan, who grew up in Lucknow, became an adult in London and the man who was the charismatic editor of Debonair. He gives us stories and reasons behind why and how he set up and then left (or had to leave) the various other publications like the Sunday Observer, Indian Post, The Independent and The Pioneer. A large section is obviously on Outlook. This book is not just a tale about a person, it is a story of the times, the changing political scenarios of the world and the various events that shaped him into who he is.

Lucknow Boy is nothing if not honest. It is, as Pankaj mishra says, “a book that ought to be savoured rather than quickly swallowed”.

Farewell to Orkut

Remember those heady days of sending scraps and giving testimonials? We had just graduated from mass emails and chatting on Yahoo messenger and Orkut was waiting for us. We didn’t have names on Orkut, we had names with special characters. Remember friends who called themselves R@nnd$$, arbaz my sweetie u r so kewl’? Instead of walls and timelines, we, good old oldies had scraps (from scrapbooks that we pathetic creatures used in school?). And the ‘friend requests’! Or should I say ‘making frandship’ scraps!!

 Today, 30^th of September, Google is shutting down Orkut and there have been many a tearful farewells to the once extremely popular site in India. “Thanks for helping us showoff when we needed the most” says a tweet.  “GrandPaa! Thanks for making stalking so easy... ;)” says another. “R.I.P. #Orkut. You did good in your age and time. Thanks for giving me only good memories! :)”… “Someone give him param veer chakra :P”…”I got laid for the first time via #Orkut L”… Among the various eulogies, shining bright is Misguided Bramhastra, a song composed for Orkut’s demise. If you are not crying by now, you will surely be weeping by the time the song ends with “It’s time for you to lie six feet underground”. Crying for relief that the song’s ended, that is.

In 2003, Google offered $30 million bucks for Friendster, one of the very first social networking sites founded in 2002 by Jonathan Abrams. (Remember Napster, the godfather of sharing music with pals? Well, add friend to that.) Once declined, Orkut was ready to happen. 

On 24 January 2004, Orkut was launched by Google on a single server, that was not even its own. It was built by Google employee and former Stanford graduate Orkut Buyukkokten. Building it entirely on his own, Orkut used whatever tools and servers were available to him, most non-Google. It took some time for Google to even acknowledge it as its own but it did and Orkut took the world (Well, Brazil and India) by storm. India was completely and absolutely besotted with this new social networking baby. So much so it even got the 2007 MTV India Youth Icon award. When you saw the ‘Recent visited’ names, you got a thrill. Don’t deny it, you did! We changed the theme of our page often (Of course we had nothing else to do. There was no Facebook then!)

Why Orkut did not work finally has many answers. Maybe it had become too shady, too full of porn profiles with false names, too full of mass scraps (Remember the million ‘Good morning’ scraps you used to get?) and too full of hate groups. The main ‘maybe’ was, however, Facebook. Also founded in 2004, just a few days after Orkut, Facebook hit us hard around 2009. By 2010, Orkut was unofficially quite ‘six feet under’.

As I go through my scraps a last time, I come across gems from friends (and no, we can’t see what gems we ourselves have sent to others!!). Some made me smile, some cringe and all made me nostalgic. Go check out Orkut one last time if you haven’t already. Download whatever you have there and bid farewell to an old friend, or old Fr@@nd, rather. We’ll miss you.

Brazil vs Croatia

After four years, it's

back...some moments...so what's Brazil's favourite food? As of today, it's sushi :P

Darling...

I have been noticing my friends increasingly using words like 'darling' and 'baby'. This has been gradually happening over the past few years and now people I know, who cannot even speak English properly, are suddenly calling their husbands 'baby' and their girlfriends 'darling'. I like it. I really like it. It is truly amazing how Facebook and the Internet in general has changed the way people I know, in the manner of how they behave and talk. girls who have been very quiet and shy have suddenly blossomed. Men have become more debonair. Everyone's becoming that extra inch of chic. Everyone's doing something smart. And it's kinda nice.