Monday, June 30, 2014

I Flashed My Support Group and Liked It

A dear friend I met as a result of having breast cancer (perks of cansah) asked me to join her at a breast cancer support group she attends; dinner included.  Sold!  There was to be a guest speaker, a sex therapist, at this meeting, too, who was to speak about intimacy and cancer.  I'm up for most anything . . .

Finding my way to David C. Pratt Cancer Center at Mercy Hospital, I walked into a room of beautiful women sitting in a circle.  My friend hadn't arrived yet, so I took a seat next to a woman named Norma, and I am glad I did.  Later in the evening while the therapist was discussing vibrators and dilators, I nudged Norma and asked if she knew the difference between the two since I didn't.  She replied, "No," but quickly shouted out the question to the instructor.  Nice!  My kind of girl . . .

By the end of the evening, discussion had taken a turn to breast reconstruction and the decision whether to choose nipples or not.  Surprisingly to me, in a room full of nearly twenty women, it turned out I was the only one who had opted for nipples.  Questions were then geared towards me regarding the procedure, recovery, post-op instructions, etc.  From experience, I know this is a tough decision as breast cancer warriors are only given one shot at nipples due to the usage of skin.  If infection or necrosis sets in, a second attempt at nipple reconstruction is unlikely (as I understood it).

I finally thought to myself and out loud, "If anyone wants to see my boobs for themselves, I'd be happy to show them."  In my experience, most everyone in the St. Louis Metro medical community had already seen my breasts during diagnosis, treatment, and reconstruction, so what's the harm in a group of women taking a peek if it puts their minds at ease and helps make their decisions regarding their own bodies easier?

A fearless group of women warriors, I look forward to seeing them again.  If you are a breast cancer warrior undergoing treatment or post-treatment, come on out and network with some of the bravest women you will ever meet, and I may just flash you with my new ta tas.

Have you been to a support group which has helped you in your breast cancer fight?  Share the time/location below in the comments section.



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