Everyone seems to be jumping on the Breast Cancer Awareness wagon. Ford has a BCA Mustang advertised with Kelly Clarkson's BCA line of clothing (which is refreshingly not dorky). I was smacked in the face by a complete display of pink ribbony things in Bed Bath & Beyond. You can buy gobs of things that donate money to the awareness of breast cancer. The weird thing is that people seem to be aware of Breast Cancer Awareness, but not so aware of the actual threat of breast cancer.
You had breast cancer? Oh, wow. That is just terrible. My dog once had an ingrown toenail. Let me tell you all about it BLAH . . . And they proceed to barf their story all over you.
I think many people consider breast cancer to be one of those easy cancers. Like CliffsNotes cancer, diet cancer or 1/2 the cancer with 0% trans fat. You're so lucky it isn't REAL cancer. Oh, let's bip in there and skip-a-dee-doo-da-day all those naughty little cancers. We'll sing about marshmallows and sunshine and wish the little evils away. Then we'll hocus pocus some Care Bear band-aids on the ouchies and tomorrow you'll be new. Yea!
I'm sad to say, that was also me. But I'm not clueless anymore. Neither is Mel. She thought after a month she'd at least have B cups and be PTing the heck out of everyone. In contrast, she's spreading Silvadene like mayo over her wounds, spending infinity in the shower and waking up with her new boobs in her armpits.
It's been a month since surgery. Only a month, but let's review. A mastectomy is essentially a complete AMPUTATION of the breast. If you have it done to both breasts, that's obviously two mastectomies. And it's not just that. When cancer's involved it entails a scooping out of the insides. In my opinion, you should scoop ice cream. You should scoop a story. You should never scoop things from your body. It's painful, it's weird, and it sucks. Mel will back me up on that.
Fortunately, because of how early the cancer was discovered, she doesn't have to face the additional trauma of chemo or radiation therapy. As unaware as we were about the seriousness of breast cancer and the agony of recovery, we were at least aware enough to get immediate medical attention.
No one should have to go through what she's battling. But if you're aware and prepared, it's a battle you can win. There are throngs of women with the scars to prove it. Tonight as I was holding my wife and struggling with the reality of our life, I couldn't help but wonder. Why her? It's not fair. She's suffering. She's in emotional and physical anguish. She doesn't deserve this.
But then I thank God because she's alive. And she's recovering. And I know a year from now the pain won't be completely gone and her wounds won't be completely healed, but every day she'll be a little bit better. And she does deserve that.
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