It was an ordinary day. Showered, dressed, put my wallet and phone in my pocket and headed down the stairs to feed Creamsicle, the cat. As Creamsicle was busy eating his prime filets of Ocean Whitefish and Tuna in sauce, I hustled out the back door to get the morning newspaper. As I was scanning the front page of the "Local" section, I noticed an article titled A cellphone, a diagnosis, and a call for research that grabbed my attention. There was Dr. Oz staring back at me as well as a pretty young girl with the initials of TF from the neighboring town of Strasburg, PA. As I began to read the story I reached for my cell phone and took it out of my left front pants pocket. Wow, seems this poor girl had carried her cell phone in her bra for several years and at the age of 21 was diagnosed with breast cancer. What made it eerie was that it was at the exact spot where she had carried her cell phone. Just a coincidence? Maybe, but then again, maybe not. Showed it to Carol who had just come into the TV room where I was reading. Her comment was, "That can't be from her phone." This girl will have her story told on "Dr. Oz" this fall because, you see, she isn't the only one to have this happen! There are other women and girls who have also had the same thing happen to them and Dr. Oz feels like it show be publicized to show there are chances that cell phones may cause cancer. There was a study done stating that cell phones are not associated with brain cancer, but that's because the brain is protected by your skull. As for the breast cancer ........ well only your skin can help to protect from any harm associated with cancer. TF had to have her breast removed and went through radiation treatment. Then, 11 months later, the cancer showed up in her hip as well as lesions on her skull, ribs, pelvic bone and spine. She underwent radiation again and regularity takes a pill as well as undergoes an intravenous bone-building treatment to help cure it. She looks and says she feels normal at this point. Further research is now being done, but until the time that the research proves that it isn't associated with the cell phone, I'm not sure I'd want to carry my phone in my bra if I were a woman. As for me, I'm really considering not carrying my phone in my front pocket. TF's local oncologist said he no longer carries his cellphone in his pants pocket. Not taking any chances. TF and four other woman were part of a report in "Case Reports in Medicine", which is a medical journal. Keep checking your newspaper to see when TF and perhaps some other women may appear on TV with Dr. Oz. Anxious to hear if being part of the social media is really worth the harm it seems to do to people, both medically and emotionally. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.
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