Breast Cancer Awareness Month

I went today for my yearly mammogram... here 4 days before my birthday! My mind on so many things; the book, Healing Heartaches, today's blog (yet to be done), my dear Mom who is having resurgence of old man grief hitting her hard and fiercely, those that I have walked with through many journey's of loss and grief.  Ah, but I was ever so busy this day as I made my way to be pushed, pulled, squeezed and mashed. Anything to rid my mind of this temporary pain that I would soon experience while chuckling to myself that this machine had to have been developed and designed by the male species to be sure. I was given the usual message, take everything off from the waist up and put on this lovely cape, it snaps at the top.... Yippee I thought it snaps at my throat and my boobs will just flap around my waist to be sure!  Great, just what I need for my self-esteem.  OK, I can do this.  Then of course you get to sit; and sit awhile longer, greeting other women who appear a bit anxious in their capes as well.

And then the lady who handles boobs of all shapes and sizes comes for you; checking to be sure that you are in fact who you say you are by looking at your name on the bracelet you are wearing. I think if a person answers easily to their name when called, they are probably indeed that person, but who am I to question a system that appears to be working.  With that said we go into the room of the man thought of machine and she directs me to it.  Many directions to be sure, directions that involve my feet lining up with the center of the devise that my boob fits in; directions of looking over my shoulder, relaxing my shoulder, leaning in, being still (all while she is manipulating, pulling) and then the big squeeze..... OUCH. All done, now for the next angle!  Whew, we're done... I am more than ready to lose the cape and retrieve my t-shirt and bra, but am told to sit tight....

An hour later I am sitting tight when told it will be a while longer, uh..... wait.... Dr. wants to do an ultra-sound.  OK, off to ultra-sound with coffee in hand we go.  There that wasn't so bad now was it?  Just have a seat, we'll be with you.

I'm sitting.... and then I meet a lovely lady who actually says, "Good morning"!  What a wonderful relief, a smiling human who is in a cape like me and is waiting... And then it happened, with no ceremony, no idea of who either of us are, no introduction:

She says, "Life isn't always fair you know... people need to just get used to it and get on with their lives, stop having pity parties and just party!"  I laughed out loud and then she told me she had Breast Cancer, had lost many friends to the disease, and had decided long ago that life isn't always fair.  She went on to say she used to have depression, enjoy pity parties and was close to becoming a bitter woman and then one day it just happened.  She just made a choice to LIVE HER LIFE LIKE IT WAS THE ONLY DAY SHE HAD TO LIVE.

With that declaration the boob lady came out and told us both we looked good and we could go and get dressed!  We were GOOD TO GO, and doctor says to come back in a year!!!  Oh thank you, thank you, thank you!  For all of us who have good news today, I say thank you.  And to this wonderful woman, I say thanks for the blessings you provided to me and those who read this today. She filled my heart with her story and I hope it fills yours as well. We all have the ability to choose how we want our life to be, feel and see.  Choose wisely, it's your life!

So there you have it: 

Walk In Beauty