Breast Cancer Awareness Month

...the journeys of close friends, and to remember those whom we have lost. I’ve now had breast cancer twice. The first time I was in my early 40s and it was a fluke that they found it. This was before the Affordable Care Act and I had nominal insurance, so was avoiding a mammogram. During Pride week on Capitol Hill, a local organization had set up a health fair and they were doing free mammograms, so I thought what the heck. I got a call a few days later and was told I needed further testing. A few weeks later, I was undergoing chemotherapy and radiation. A few weeks after that, a close friend of mine was also diagnosed. We were on the journey together for the next two years. And then, hers came back with a vengeance and … she was gone.
 
I look back on that experience and am as baffled as anyone as to the why's and how’s. But cancer is an equal opportunist and can appear out of nowhere and take loved ones from us without recourse.
 
Then again, there are people who somehow manage to survive. Medicine and treatments continue to evolve and improve. Breakthroughs happen on a regular basis. But early detection can make a real difference in the outcome. So get your mammograms regularly, get an annual physical, and don’t ignore telltale signs.
 
As to my second bout of breast cancer… that happened 18 years later. My surgeon called it “old lady cancer” (thanks, Doc) and said that since I’d had it before, I had to have my breast removed. I gave her the go-ahead and had a partial mastectomy. During recovery, I found it very uncomfortable to go anywhere without wearing a bra and due to the sutures, I couldn’t wear one. I was lamenting this fact to our head of production and she and the team got busy designing a one-cup bra for me. We laughingly named it "The Holdster." The team did an amazing job sourcing super soft fabrics, making thoughtful decisions about strap placement, and making it reversible as well. It’s one of the adaptive products I’m most proud of.
 
For me, having one breast ended up feeling awkward and pointless. I wore a prosthetic breast for a year or so, and then decided to have the remaining breast removed as well. I was apprehensive at first but once it was done, I was astonished at how freeing it was. I can wear suspenders! Men’s shirts fit me! I’m unbound!