Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Everybody Got Their Something

So the other day my friend Bacchus was wearing this really great t-shirt.

It was "think pink" day at school in honor of the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure and Breast Cancer Awareness month. The kids and teachers all wore pink shirts, or race shirts...it was pretty great...

I was helping my team teach our art history course to The Cutest Boy in the World's 7th grade class that day. I teach in Bacchus' classroom.

I told him I loved the t-shirt he had on...it was really cute...and then I saw how amazing and special it was when I saw the back.

His wife's name was on the back in a pink ribbon.

BECAUSE SHE IS A SURVIVOR...
OF BREAST CANCER...

That warrior woman taught school all while having breast cancer.

Take a moment to contemplate teaching kids while having chemo...

did you put your brain there?

SCARY place...scary enough to teach...scary enough to have chemo...now COMBINE those frights together...

and she did it...and never missed a beat.

I was mad at Bacchus for not telling me...but she is "good" now so I have forgiven him but wish I had known so I could have supported him...or at least prayed for her.

So the shirt was not only cute but SPECIAL...

And Bacchus had ONE FOR ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was so happy and honored to get it...and so happy that his wife was better and her name was on it...

and then I hit misery because I looked at the size of the shirt...

He thinks I wear a "large".

Now to most of you, wearing a large would be horrifying. And you would be insulted to have a man hand you a size "L" shirt. But to me, a large would be a victory!

Because I haven't been a large in so long that Ke$ha Barbie was in elementary school.

I was a 3XL last spring...and a 2XL most of the summer...and barely an XL lately.

I wasn't insulted that he gave me a large...I was bummed.

Because there was no way that shirt was going to fit me. And I really really really wanted to wear the shirt.

Especially because at that moment I was wearing a silk dress that had tempera egg paint all over the bottom of it from the art history class.

I told him I was going home to change...

"into the shirt?"

"um...yeah...I'll put it on for you!"

right...

Damn...

So I went home and took off the silk dress. And I put on the shirt...

AND IT TOTALLY FIT ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I danced around my closet. I danced around my bathroom. Remember, I am a prima ballerina...in my bathroom...when no one is around...

The shirt fit...the shirt fit...

People, I wear a "L"...that stands for large...not an XL...not a 2XL...and thank my sweet Lord in Heaven (because He helped me get here), not a 3XL!!!!!!!!!!!!

I threw on a skirt and dashed back up to school. Busted back into his classroom (no kids in there at that time) and made him and Precious and Adorable History Teacher (he was in the room) hug me and clap and tell me I looked good.

Precious and Adorable History Teacher pointed out that the sleeves were very roomy and he thought I could wear a smaller size because it was not tight at all.

Have I told you that he is wonderful? And precious and adorable? The man knows how to charm a woman...he gets my kidney if he needs it...that comment alone guaranteed it...

I put my arms around Bacchus (who is not as huggy a person as Precious and Adorable is) and kissed his cheek and told him I loved him...not for the shirt (which was pretty great and pretty cute and FIT) but because his beautiful wife's name was on the back and I was proud to support her in her victory...and that I loved doing it in a smaller shirt than I expected to be able to wear...and that he was a pretty great guy and I know that last year had to be pretty hard on him too...

Oh yes...and he had washed it so it had already shrunk...it just got better...

I went downstairs and cried to GOTT and TTG...I told them both how much I loved them for helping me get to a better place with myself. I promise you I could not do this without them. I had my friend Musical Muse (the music teacher) read the tag on my shirt...we hugged and got a bit teary...or at least I did...and then I full out started to cry...

My victory with the t-shirt is a very small insignificant tiny thing compared to Bacchus warrior wife and her battle.

And she is not my only friend to stare breast cancer in the face and say "ha!" and defeat it. And not a one of them had an easy time doing it.

They all battled.

They are all warriors.

They are the most beautiful women I know.

They have been through immeasurable pain and stress and discomfort.

They have had poison drip through their veins all in the name of healing.

They have had their bodies cut into and sliced and diced up to remove those horrible cancer cells that threatened their lives and dared to TRY and take them from their loved ones.

They have had their bodies bombarded with radiation...very scary radiation.

Some found lumps. Some found it on a mammogram.

All of them had to hear the dreaded words:
"YOU HAVE BREAST CANCER"

I've had a few "funky" mammograms. They scared the hell out of me.

Last year I literally hugged the radiologist when he told me that my mammogram was "fine" and that he would see me next year.

There is nothing fun about having a mammogram (and it is way harder when you are fat and trying to contort your fat around the thing that squeezes your boob). I go to the Methodist Breast Center on Hwy 59 at Kirby. It is like the spa. A great place to go. They play soothing music. They give you lattes and Diet Coke. They read your mammogram BEFORE YOU LEAVE.

I hear Memorial City has the same set-up.

Point here: GO AND GET A MAMMOGRAM IF YOU ARE DUE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So my warrior friends who have won this battle are truly goddesses...and I am grateful to God for healing them and returning healthy women to their families.

So "Shout Out" to my girlfriends who have won the battle over the tatas...
YOU TOTALLY ROCK AND ARE AMAZING AND I LOVE YOU ALL SO VERY VERY VERY MUCH!!!!!

I am winning my little battle. I hate to even compare it in the same blog. I feel ashamed and small to even write about me losing weight at the same time as talking about my friends who have had breast cancer.

My victory is small and insignificant. It is unimportant.

Their victory is mighty...

But everybody has their something to battle. Some of us face big battles---hell, some have faced WARS...I have faced small battles:
losing my mom
losing my dad
my weight

But I haven't faced anything like cancer.

And God willing...I never will...

But if I do, I have some mighty fine survivor girlfriends that can help me through...

So...put on your pink...hug a survivor...pray for those we have lost to this terrible disease...get a mammogram...make a donation to breast cancer research...be aware...

This blog is dedicated to my Warrior Women...you know who you are...I am sending you all hugs and kisses and love...and I thank God you are here!!!!!!

Inspiration song: "Everybody Got Their Something" by Nikka Costa. Fun little ditty. Because we all have battles to face...

Bye Darlings...

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