October is PINK MONTH

 October 9,2025 

OCTOBER is PINK MONTH

Or more formally, Breast Cancer Awareness month. 

Designated so in 1985 in the USA by the American Cancer Society, with early support from former first lady Betty Ford - A survivor herself. It has evolved into a Global 

For those of us who ever heard the words 'You have breast cancer' there is no escaping the awareness.  Whether a person has just heard those dreaded words or you are weeks, years or decades past treatment and in remission, there are scars. Physical, mental & emotional scars.  They are seen and felt everyday, and therefore have a love hate relationship with pink month.  

I do, very much, understand and appreciate the need for pinpointed focused awareness - for research, for the community building that happens through walks, and gatherings that celebrate and remember.  It is vitally important to find others who understand and are compassionate, to join the journey towards understanding & better health. 

Here are a few things PINK OCTOBER should make you aware of:

Your own body! 

• Learn how to do a self exam. 
• Do an exam regularly - Pick one day  and do your exam on that day EVERY week
• Make the time - it could save your life. 
• Get comfortable with your body.        
• Look at yourself in the mirror - take notice of what you see.       
• The more aware you are of your body, the quicker you will recognize changes sooner. 

Know the warning Signs

• Any lump, bump, area hardness in the breast area. Remember breast tissue extends to the armpit area
• Tenderness, swelling, warmth, or redness on or around the area
•  Changes in skin consistency
•  Itchy, scaly, or rashy area around the nipple 
•  Any pain in a single spot that does not go away over time, or intensifies 

If you notice any of the above, please make an appointment with your Doctor.  Early detection is key.

The best way to detect breast cancer early is to get regular mammograms.  Use PINK OCTOBER as your reminder to book your mammogram.  A mammogram can detect a lump as small as 2mm - about the size of a head of a pin vs 22mm - the size of a small grape. The average size lump you might find doing a self exam. 

No one will advocate for you better than  you!

• Be Strong
• Be vigilant 
• Ask questions
• Speak up for yourself
  

Be aware this PINK OCTOBER.

I am ONE of the 1in 8 - it is hard to escape, if you are not one of the 1 in 8 then more than likely you know one or more of the 1 in 8.  We are stronger together.  When we rise to support and listen!  In the next few days I will be sharing the story of my journey.  

🎗Di

  

 

 

October 8, 2025

Day 8

                                Surprised by time.... 

How is it that we are surprised by time? More specifically the passing of it. The arrival of a new month, baby, birthday,or season,can mark time in ways that leave us questioning our memory. Time just pops up from out of nowhere and SHOUTS SURPRISE I'm here.

Just last week I was watching late night TV - Jimmy Kimmel was doing a bit mocking the local news stations, 47 different variations of, "Wow, can you believe it is October" or "I can not believe it is October already" one clip after another. I sat there chuckling, then sobered quickly when I thought, this is me. Oh Boy! 

October snuck up on me too, I had places to go, people to see, parties to plan and writing to do - things that I had not given much thought to:

• Birthdays
• Anniversary
• Friends that will be in town that we have not seen for years
• Thanksgiving (Canadian here loud and proud)
• Appointments to get to
• The realization that Christmas is less than 80 days away (You have been warned) 
• And this 'The Ultimate Blog Challenge'

As a first time blog challenge participant,Iwas anticipating my participation, I had plotted a plan and was ready to jump in day 1. 

I thought I was ready to go...

Then the emails began to arrive.

I got into my head & started over thinking the whole process and  froze. Writers block set in, publishing block set in, I lost my focus and froze. Mostly, my brain was in overstimulated each email had suggestions of what or how to post and my brain created 5 to 10 additional ideas, I was drowning in creative thought.  It was time for some creative expression.    

I stepped back and took a deep breath,& had a bit of an epiphany

I asked myself what it would take to reign in my brain and refocus

The answer was simple:

• Review your original plan 
• Stop reading the emails 
• Get on with it 
• Remember to breathe
• Hydrate
• Stick with your plan and write

So moving forward, that is exactly what I am going to do.

I have had the privilege of hearing many stories of others, I consider it an honor to be trusted with them. In my 60 years of life I have a lot of my own stories, sharing them freely is not something I have done much of. It is time to change that. 

I am a cancer survivor - but have never shared my story

I like to talk to random people and that always nets a good story or two. 

Travel adventures

WHERE WERE WAS I WHEN? 

Thinking about moments in history that have had an impact on me throughout my life, how they may have changed me, my thought pattern

A question I have been pondering while reading both memoirs and historical fiction, what was I doing, how old was I when...? 

Do I have any memories associated with...?

My original plan was to step out of my comfort zone and share the stories that have given me my great big life. Those stories, musings and moments that make make up the Little bits and pieces of my random life.

Buckle up, and come along for the ride. 

I'm so glad you're here

Di

 

 Day 6

Thank you Paul for a great prompt for today's UBC, and because my blog is called Little-Bits-Of-Random, and my A.D.D. brain fires on random cylinders here is my oh, so random take.

The Reno connection...

I am a sucker for a good story, I collect them. My personal library is full of them, people share theirs with me, I listen in crowds, I read obituaries, and I write random bits. Through the years I have learned that it is stories that connect us. It is stories that connect us, that make us realize we are more the same than different. When we take the time to hear another person's story our lives can be changed.

One thing I know for sure is that history rarely disappoints, add moving trains, robbery and Reno and I am engaged. It also sounds like puzzle pieces of my family history.

My paternal great great grandfather that hopped a train train in Quebec and headed west, leaving his wife and family in Quebec (He did later send for them all) This same adventurous family member is said to have been an expert axe marksman – something that has always intrigued me.

A distant uncle on my mom's side delivered mail with the pony express along the Oregon trail. I can only imagine the adventurous life that would have been.

And then there is my Uncle Bob, from Golf Pro in the Bahamas to dealing blackjack in Reno. My uncle (is the short guy), with Jackie Robinson & Sidney Poitier/  He was the cool uncle. 

I am not going to lie, Uncle Bob was my favourite,it was always exciting when he came home for a visit. You always knew when Bob was at Grandma's, because he could be heard before walking in the door. His loud voice & laughter filled the air. To say he was charismatic was an understatement. His first words were always, 'how about a little sugar' code for come and give me a hug.

He was a story teller, crazy and wild were his specialty. True? False? Who really knew - but we were thoroughly entertained. Tales of the characters who sat at his blackjack table, famous people he had met we were captivated. Then there were questions about mob connections, like the real MOB, which he would never answer one way or the other, but there was always a twinkle in his eye. Our imaginations ran wild after he left and the stories would take on lives of their own much like he told them.

We used to joke that he moved back to Canada because he was running from the mob. True? False? Who knows... these are the stories that take on lives of their own and provide entertainment and questions for generations to come. I will forever be thankful for these stories, the true, the false the unanswered,the ones that hang in the air and keep us talking. These are the stories that draw families together.

What are the stories that live on in your family? Have they taken on lives of their own and evolved?

This day in history

P.S.  On this day in history, circa 1988. I was losing sleep and running through the mental check list of what felt like a million little things that had to fall into place the next day. Bridesmaids, photos, food, seating plans, flowers.... thinking that if it had not been done by now it was too late. I would be walking down the isle the next day. Tonight I had to ask how many years it had been..... 37 and I would choose the same guy, but I think I'd choose to elope.