Save the ta-tas! Hooray
for the hooters! Do you have breast cancer? Congratulations, it appears you’ve
joined the it crowd. Step right up and claim your seat at the cool kids
table. An invitation to a variety of splendid social events is now yours.
The reality of a breast
cancer diagnosis is not adorable, exciting, or pink. It’s dark, lonely, and
miserable. The sudden realization that you are vulnerable comes as a shock. Cancer
is ugly. It beats you down, even if you focus on staying positive. Fatigue
rules the day. Surgery is difficult – scars remain. Chemo is in a toxic class
of its own. Unpleasant side effects manifest – some linger. Radiation is a
daily burn.
It’s a scheduling nightmare
to juggle doctors’ appointments, treatment times, and babysitters’ availability,
without dropping the ball. It means working on days you feel like quitting. When
you hit a wall, it requires placing your pride on the back burner in order to
reach out and plead for a little help. It’s trying to put on a happy face, so
the kids don’t get scared.
The entire experience
is an all-consuming emotional drain. It’s even hard to hear well-meaning people
exclaim that they are glad you are “all done with that,” as damage to your body
and psyche lingers.
Happy to be alive?
Without question. Ever be the same? Never. Are you ready to tie on your pink
ribbon and head back to the party?
