I Turned 38 Last Week!

Last week, both my husband and I turned one year older.  He is 3 years older than I am, so he has already dealt with the trauma of turning 40.  I, on the other hand, was in denial until a couple of days ago when I was practicing soccer with our 7.5 year old son.  I was running and I fell.  The pain that radiated throughout my whole body is what made reality set in for me.

You may have noticed that I rarely write about women's health on my blog.  I just do not want to think about it.  I do not want to know what is waiting for me in my 40's and my 50's and so forth.  Now that I am getting closer to 40, I am slowly beginning to accept the fact that I might want to be prepared.  Since many of my readers are women, I may share information about women's health that I have found to be interesting and relevant once in awhile.

I personally know more than one woman who has had a hysterectomy at a young age due to medical reasons  For this reason, I think menopausal symptoms is a good place to start when talking about women's health.  It is definitely a topic I instinctively avoid and do not want to think about.  Here is some information about the science behind the hot flash . . .

Identifying the Risk of Cervical Cancer with The HPV Test

When I was in my 20's, I really did not pay much attention to my health. The only time I visited a doctor was when something was wrong. When I was about 30 and started focusing on trying to start a family, I realized that I needed to pay more attention to my health because it does not only affect me. My state of health affects my family as well. Now that I am about to turn 37, I have come to a new realization. I need to set a good example for my daughter, who will someday be making decisions about her own body.

The HPV Vaccine is something I will be discussing with my daughter and her doctor when she turns 9. The vaccine is actually for females between the age of 9 and 26. I know age 9 is a terribly young age for a girl to take such concepts as preventing cervical cancer seriously. That may even be a stretch for some 26 year olds. The only thing I can do is try to set a good example for my daughter by being proactive with my own health. I can do this by having my annual physical, cervical exam, Pap test, HPV test, and mammogram. I admit that I have let my annual physical go in the past and have only had the HPV test done once, but realize that I need to start leading by example now for my own and my daughter's sake.

The digene HPV test is something you can request right along with your pap smear. I know you have most likely seen all the commercials on television urging you to be tested if you are over the age of 30, but you may have many more questions. If you are uncomfortable bringing up these questions with your doctor's office, here are some links that will provide some useful information regarding HPV . . .

Answers to common questions about HPV

Facts about Cervical Cancer

Quick Facts about the HPV Vaccine

What to do with your HPV Test results

The Yellow Umbrella Organization

HealthyWomen.org

Pearl of Wisdom Campaign to Prevent Cervical Cancer

Learn About HPV Testing on Facebook

HPVInformed on Twitter

I hope this information will help you become more proactive about preventing cervical cancer for yourself and your loved ones.

I wrote this review while participating in a blog campaign by Mom Central on behalf of the QIAGEN digene HPV test. Mom Central also sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Giveaway: Go Red For Women ($25 Macy's GC) [CLOSED]

February 5th is National Wear Red Day! Macy's is a national sponsor of the Go Red For Women movement in support of the American Heart Association.

In addition to sharing your story online at the 2010 Go Red For Women Casting Call, attending the National Casting Call in New York City's Macy's Herald Square on February 5th, attending a local Go Red Luncheon, or making a donation to the American Heart Association, you can get involved with this movement by . . . shopping!

• From February 3rd thru February 7th, 2010, you can receive an additional 20% off or 10% off most sale and clearance items in-store when you wear red to shop at your local Macy's!
• Like to shop online? Then you can use Code: WEARRED to receive the discounts on your online purchase at Macys.com during those dates.
• You can also receive the discount by purchasing a $2 Red Dress Pin at your local Macy's customer service desk. All proceeds will go to the American Heart Association.
• If you'd rather not wear red or purchase a Red Dress Pin, you can still receive 15% off or 10% off sale and clearance items by simply paying with your Macy's Card.
• Another fun way to get involved is by purchasing this limited edition red dress. 10% of the sale price will go to the American Heart Association.

Please visit Macy's Goes Red For Women to read about the details and exclusions. You can also learn more about Go Red For Women on Facebook.

Thank you to M80 for providing the information featured in this article and for providing a $25 gift card for this contest.

What you can win:
One lucky reader will receive a $25 Macy's Gift Card.

Limitations:
This giveaway is open to U.S. entries only. You do not need to be a blogger to enter, but you must have a valid email address and be age 18 years or older. If you enter anonymously and do not include a valid email address in your comment entries, I will not be able to notify you should you win this random drawing.

How to Gain Entries:
Leave a comment telling me which one of the 9 ways to get involved described above in my article would you most likely do yourself. You MUST do this to be eligible to win this contest.

Extra Entries:

1) For 5 extra entries, leave a relevant comment on one of my non-giveaway posts. Then leave FIVE separate comments with the name of the post on which you commented. You will earn 5 extra entries for each different non-contest post you comment on.

2) For 5 extra entries, enter one of my other contests. Leave FIVE separate comments here telling me which contest you entered. You will earn 5 extra entries for each contest you enter.

3) For 10 extra entries, blog about this contest linking back to this post AND GoRedForWomen.org . Then come back here and leave TEN separate comments with the link to your blog post.

4) Friend me on Facebook. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your Facebook profile.

5) For 2 extra entries, share the link to this contest post on Facebook. Then leave TWO separate comments with the link to your Facebook profile.

6) Follow me on Twitter. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your Twitter profile.

7) Tweet about this giveaway linking back to this post. Then come back here and leave the link to your tweet in a separate comment. You may do this once per day until the end of the contest.

8) Subscribe to this blog's feed. Or you can follow me through Blogger or subscribe via email (widget is on sidebar). Then leave a separate comment telling me you did so.

9) Subscribe to A Blog of Goodies' feed (the sister site to 3 Garnets & 2 Sapphires). Then leave a separate comment telling me you did so.

10) Add my button or blog link to your blog's sidebar. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your blog.

<br /> <a href="http://www.3garnets2sapphires.com/"><img border="0" src="http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd206/Busymonkeez/Graphics4Me/NEWBlogButton125x125.jpg" /></a><br /> <br />

(All entries will be verified prior to awarding this prize.)


Random Drawing:
This contest will be closed on Monday, February 15th, 2010 at 11:59pm EST. A random number drawing will be held shortly after. The winner will be announced here and will be contact via email or through their blog. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new number will be drawn.

Good luck in the drawing!