Just go.
It’s the last day of Movember, and in classic Sara fashion, I’m getting this in at the very last possible minute. I won’t bother you with a long post. Day 30 of Movember is like Friday afternoon at the office. It’s hard to keep people’s attention.
Movember has evolved from fundraising for prostate cancer exclusively, to taking on the equally worthy cause of men’s mental health. Many people before me have posted eloquent reasons why you would donate to said causes, so I won’t repeat.
I will say this, however.
If you are a dude (or a former dude who still has a prostate), and have symptoms of physical or mental health problems, please go get checked. See your doctor, naturopath, shaman, therapist, or healer of your choice. Make the appointment and show up for it. Commit, dammit. You are too important to the rest of us to not take care of yourself. No one looks forward to being poked and prodded by a gloved finger, but it’s a hell of a lot easier and more fleeting than chemo or surgery. No one likes to admit they’re having dark thoughts, or feeling hopeless, or violent, or empty…but it happens. And it happens a lot. And it’s ok. It can also get better.
Mental health is as important as physical health. Ignoring a severe depression is like ignoring a lump in your tender parts. Yeah, you might be ok if you just wait for it to go away, or it might kill you. If the latter applies, you (and we) will be kicking your spectral ass for not going to the doctor. A simple act that can save lives (yours) and improve the lives of others (the people in your life who give a damn). And the more people who report symptoms, the better these illnesses are understood. And the easier they will be to beat. For us, for you, for your sons, and all sons to come…
Just go.
Don’t be this guy.
Now that I’ve got you all riled up, feel free to drop a handful of change into the the Bloggers for Movember pot. I’d pass my hat around, but then my head would get cold.
The Ringmistress,
Thanks for the last minute push!
Le Clown
Push it real good.
Hahaha, that drawing is brilliant! Seriously, you are so good at that stuff.
Great post, btw. You guys make a great team/couple.
Daan! I have to fight my impulse to rhyme with your name every time I write it. Daan Daan the Frying Pan. Daan Daan, Yes he Can. Etc. Sorry, I can’t help it.
Le Clown and I are a great team. He’s the sunshine to my storm. The butter to my bread. The moustache to my lip.
thanks for dropping in.
Actually, Daan is not pronounced as Can or Pan, hence the two A’s instead of one A. In my language, two A’s become a long A. Pretend like your falling off a cliff, that’s basically the sound – AAAAAAAHHH!
Although, I must say: Dan the Frying Pan does sound catchy. If I were a superhero with frying powers, I would definitely take that name.
So Daan, Daan, devil be gone? Or Daan, Daan, never yawns?
No, not really… Imagine how a Jamaican guy says “Man”. Daan, Daan, Ya Man…
Daamit. I’m too white and unilingual for this.
You’re unilingual? Take the German A as in “Ja” or the French A as in “dans”. THAT’S IT!
Oh mi gosh! Another Dutch person :) and now I have Sara’s song stuck in my brainsssss!!
Ben jij Nederlands? Cool! [Are you Dutch? Cool!]
I hope you’re not singing the one about the frying pan, because you of all people should know it doesn’t rhyme. hahaha. Jij kan gewoon Daan Banaan zeggen ;)
Yessss! Born and raised in the Netherlands, but my parents are mixed. Ah yes, I know it doesn’t rhyme, but the frying pan had a nice ring to it!! It made me hungry as well though…*sigh* Daan Banaan…hehehe :)
I’ve got it! The Dutch “Aa”-sound is kind of like the second “A” in “Alarm”.
If that doesn’t explain it, then I don’t know what will…
Hmm I’ve been thinking about words as well. At first I thought “Dane” as that has a more prolonged way of saying the A sound (with an English accent). However this doesn’t come close to the Dutch pronunciation. The first part of the word dada does have the more specific tone of how you’d say Daan. Now the second part…hehe.
How difficult!
It’s a Dutch love fest over here. I’ll keep watching to see if you all figure out what rhymes with Daan.
I long for the day when there is a marker for mental health illness, so that those afflicted will no longer have to hear “It’s all in your head,” and those not afflicted will recognize it for the legitimate disease it is, no less real than migraines or influenza.
Yeah, it’s the unpopular kid in the playground. The cool kids are breasts, and prostates, and hearts. Not that they don’t deserve their popularity…
There will be a day when people know it takes so much more that just “thinking positive”. Like “think healthy” will cure your gout. Always smart, you are.
Ha! Wouldn’t that be nice if “Think healthy” cured all disease? Health care would be really cheap.
Never too late to push a good cause. Or cause a good push.
Or sauce a push good.
or something…
My mom needed mental health care at one point for depression and maybe some repressed stuff. She was afraid of going to get checked in because she didn’t want to be labeled (CRAZY). She did eventually go and get the help she needed. Yay. Although that stigma may is less today because there is more awareness of mental disease, I think it still exists. We need to abolish it altogether, and then maybe people won’t be afraid to go to the doctor. I too was once given anti-depressants when going through a particularly difficult time. I remember thinking that I didn’t want it on my medical records that I was given that because I was afraid it could somehow be used against me. Paranoia maybe? Or is there good reason to feel that way? Luckily that was a short lived thing for me. :) Good for you Sara for raising awareness for the cause.
I think it’s normal to be paranoid when it might actually happen. Like you said, we’ve come a long way, baby, but there’s still a lot of old fashioned attitudes out there, from professionals too.
Glad your mom got the help she needed, and you too. It takes courage to do the things that others may not approve of.
YAY! I didn’t know you’re fashionably late fashionable like moi!
That’s me, Ms. Bleeding Edge of Fashion
Great picture (as always). And great final reminder as to what that caterpillar has been doing resting on upper lips for the last 30 days.
I respect all life, but I won’t be sad about the demise of said caterpillar.
I understand you completely. I’ve seen photos…
Oh oh I am curious to what kind of hat you’re wearing! Also…it’s never too late to raise awareness right? I hope that the dudes will check themselves even after Movember. AND…excellent drawing! ^_^
(side note: I was typing my entire comment in the “search me” bar below…that’s how awake I am at the moment.)
- My hat is a balaclava. Functional and stylish. ,
- Here’s to our manly counterparts getting fingers in their bums and talking about feelings!
- Thank you.
- I’m glad you pulled through. xoxo
You’re a ninja too?! Oh my gosh!! I always imagine you walking around in Ringmistress clothes with an elegant tophat and dark red decorations :)
But…a Ringmistress with ninja powers tops it all.
The Ringmistress outfit is for special occasions, like all you can eat buffets and long walks on the beach. Ninja is for everyday.
I am not a dude, but even I scheduled a women doctor visit after all of this. Men should read Storkhunting’s post today. At least men’s exams don’t require stirrups.
OH GAWD.
Me too, as a matter of fact. I will read SH. Does she mention how ONE finger and a cough is SO MUCH better than the undignified speculum/cavity search?
But this is not a time for me to rant.
That’s another post.
Way to take care of your lady parts!
Diito.
My hope is the scariness of not knowing one’s health status is scarier than knowing the truth, and thus being able to deal with it.
I hate the unknown, but I also avoid difficult stuff like the plague. It’s contradictory, I know. I expect I’ll just implode one day.
But in short, yes. Hiding from the truth will not make it go away. Why do we do it?
Because it’s fucking scary.
Always better late than never when it comes to charity and a good cause. Mental health is a silent killer, and I think people don’t take it seriously enough. I’m glad Movember is dedicated to the important men in our lives that we want to live as long as possible.
KEEP ALL THE MEN!
Well, you know what I mean. Maybe.
You know who else is a silent killer? A mime assassin.
Well said Sara, well said. xo
And with you here, it’s been well read. xo
Okay, I officially peed a little with excitement that my post was used to back up Sara’s. I love your drawing, I am Procrastination Personified when it comes to work stuff, but when it comes to medical things I am waiting outside the doctor’s, in the cold and hoping that they’re warming their speculums whilst I wait.
I wish that one day people would take mental illness as seriously as heart disease, cancer or anything else. There is a tendency with mental illness to blame the victim, like they need to “snap out of it.”
I’m impressed by your priorities.
And your peeing.
Sara, I like what you said about reporting symptoms help everyone understand these diseases better. So, true. I think dudes think they have to be strong and have everything figured out, but everyone needs a little help sometimes.
Really great post here Sara. I love the way you say so much with your words and pictures. Such a talent!
That is a very fine compliment, thank you SR. It’s easy to say very little with a lot of words.
That’s the most intelligent thing I’ve heard in a month!
I like how your worded this last opportunity, this last chance to implore good people to take the god damn test. Kudos for you.
I might be lousy at fundraising, but I’m pretty good at guilt trips. Pack your bags, kids!
Thanks kindly, MC