One survivor’s thoughts on things serious and humorous; breast cancer, pomeranians, marriage, psychotherapy, faith, and MORE.
September 15, 2009 at 6:22 am · Filed under politics
I am not very political. I grew up rabidly hating Nixon because my parents did. In the 60s I hated Johnson because it was the 60s and I was in college. I rooted for McCarthy and mocked Bobby Kennedy until I watched him get assassinated on TV. Then my friends and I wept for the nation, as we had recently buried Martin Luther King. This all happened while I was at Cornell when the Black Liberation Army took over the Student Union with machine guns, classes came to a screeching halt, and the eyes of the nation (and our terrified parents) were on us. We eagerly watched the news reports of our events, and were horrified at how distorted the stories were. Thus began the germination of my political ennui, i.e., the only thing I know is what I hear and read, which is rarely what actually occurred. I salivated while Nixon got his recompense for Watergate, but by the time Pat Nixon died and Dick nearly croaked from a thrombosis, God’s forgiveness had percolated through me enough to be able to just pray for the SOB.
I simply stopped putting faith in politics, because there is no way around “power corrupts” phenomenon on both sides of the aisle.
The next time I let myself get riled about politics was in 2000, when we had to choose between Tweedledee and Tweedledum, so I think I wrote in Geraldo Rivera. I supported the war when it started (even with my only son in the infantry) because I believed the arguments in favor more than those against. I listened to Ronn Owens, Gene Burns, and for counterpoint, Hannity and Limbaugh, until I couldn’t tell them apart. Two elections and countless deaths later, I am more certain than ever that we only know what we hear and read from others who say they know.
December 17, 2008 at 9:12 pm · Filed under breast cancer awareness and tagged: breast cancer awareness, DIEP flap procedure, health, reconstructive surgery, support
Three Christmases ago I learned I had breast cancer for the second time, and for the second time my life was spared because of early detection. Even though I lost both breasts and endured 18 months of hell, I emerged healthier in body and spirit, and now I gladly devote myself to supporting people whose lives have been touched my breast cancer. I love to hear from women all over the country who are facing or recovering from some stage of treatment. I am particularly interested in reconstructive surgery since I had the latest and best DIEP flap procedure and have a flat tummy to show for it. I am a DIEP sister and will sign off with my motto
I am alive…and I have cleavage!
Pinkster
December 16, 2008 at 6:25 am · Filed under Jamie's breast cancer story, breast cancer awareness, humor and tagged: humor, tattoo
Did I tell you that I got a tattoo around my reconstructed navel? And a jeweled piercing? My son plugs his ears and yells, “LALALALA!” until I cover it up, and my husband just rolls his eyes (I am 61) but I have a flat tummy, thanks to breast cancer, so why not?
December 15, 2008 at 9:19 pm · Filed under Jamie's breast cancer story and tagged: healing
A friend wrote this poem for me to commemorate the end
of my healing journey. She gave it to me on the anniversary
of my mastectomies with a scalpel, and told me that when the
time was right I could throw the scalpel away. That day was
yesterday, and here is what she wrote.
Feathers
For ties that bind
and ties that cut
and ties that lay us down
For knives that cut
and knives that bend
and do not look around
The knives and ties
that cut your heart
while healing that above
They do not see
what’s clearly there
the feathers of The Dove
The Dove sees them
with their intent
to heal what is above
Not ever seeing
what’s beneath
those feathers of The Dove
Feathers soft
that stroke you now
you cannot feel above
Yet feel
those feathers underneath
in your heart where lies The Dove
Goodbye to knives
goodbye to ties
The Dove can now fly on
For what is above
is finally healed
and now The Dove says, “DONE”
