Pink Lemonade: Change vs Rearrange

Pink Lemonade: Change vs Rearrange: It has been a while since I last blogged.  Life sure has a way of monopolizing your time don't you think? Change is inevitable, it is a c...

Change vs Rearrange

It has been a while since I last blogged. 
Life sure has a way of monopolizing your time don't you think?
Change is inevitable, it is a constant for a healthy and productive life.
What changes can we make to insure that we get the most out of our relationships, self image, spirituality, home and finances?
We read  about these self help tips and techniques every where, the checkout line of the grocery store   women's magazines, talk shows and television doctors.

My theory has always been one  of rearranging, never truly changing. I believe I am what God intended me to be. Take a look at Oprah for instance, she is the same person fat or thin. She gives from her heart.  One of the wealthiest most influential woman in the world and yet she still has her demons about change.
Can outside influences  MAKE us change, adapt and adjust?
I accept  adaptation and adjusting its really just rearranging what you have to make you feel comfortable.

Deep huh.......
Change your circumstances or rearrange them?
If we are told we have to change or that a change is coming we panic thinking it is something bad. But if we are told we have to rearrange it is less offensive. We do not see it as a loss of something, rather moving things around to make things flow better.
My family struggles with my rearranging, I have been know to rearrange furniture while they sleep and it's their house.Some Love it, some...... well they will get used to it unless they want to change it back themselves.(I would never do this as  a  guest in a friends house).
I have had to rearrange my life a little over these past months. Moved to a new home, same furniture just rearranged it and everything looks like new.
I had plans to start a new business venture, but it vaporized. Now I look to see what else I can do. I have to create a need and fill it. I have skills professionally and personally through growth and maturity I know that by rearranging I can do anything I put my heart and soul into.
So that is the message...... Heart and soul, rearrange your life so that you can enjoy who you are.
Any thought?
Always your breast friend
Janie Kay

Picking the Right Nipple

I cannot believe next month June 7th it will be two years since I was diagnosed with invasive Breast Cancer.
There were some pretty tough times but overall it has been okay, I am still here and I have had a lot to laugh about during the last two years. The latest was my Last mammogram the first one I have had since my reduction surgery on my left breast.
They had to remove my left nipple and move it up higher. It would of looked really odd if they had left it in the same place and just reduced and lifted my breast. It probably would be somewhere below the curve of the breast facing down pointing to my left foot.
Even though the reduction surgery didnt hurt I was always a little nervous of the reattached nipple. It looked very pale and anemic of course there wasnt another one on the right side to compare it to. My Surgeon was going to use this shape and projection as a model for my right breast.
It did not look like model material to me.
Anyway like I said I went in for my mammogram. As you know, or should know you are not to wear any lotions perfumes or deodorant when going in for a mammogram. I began to sweat profusely as I started to disrobe, the beads of sweat were from fear. I wasnt worried they would find a lump. I was worried that when my breast was put in that vice like grip the nipple would pop off and shoot across the room. Then my boob would look like a crushed melon.
FEAR.... acronym: False Evidence Appearing Real.
No problems the test was fine and so was my nipple.
After that I decided I was not going to worry about that ever again. I will have a prosthetic Nipple made instead of one done surgically on my right breast. If that shot off during any mashing it would just stick to the wall like a window cling....
That is exactly what they look like except you can pick/match the color to your natural skin tones. It is held in place by an adhesive that allows it to stay put while swimming, excersise, showering and even during sex.
When this was expalined to me it reminded me of the old Tampax commercials "you can wear them Horseback riding, swimming, exercise and no one will know"lol
So a girlfriend and I had a little road trip to the nearest  prosthetic nipple fitter, which was about an hour from where I live. My husband didnt want to go with me he wants to be suprised. Girlfriends are the best to shop with. They are honest and supportive...... Does this nipple make my butt look big?
Well it will take a couple of weeks to come in and until then I am rocking the tank tops with one headlight showing through. I will keep you updated on how it works out for me and my lick and stick nipple.........
Always your Breast Friend,
Janie Kay

What to do ...what to do.....

Last week I had my three month check up with my oncologists, rocking my new hair do and new lady bumps I walked into the office greeting staff and patients as though I was a regular fixture, more like a family member.
It had been my three month check up but in actual fact I hadn't been in the office since November 2011, I just kept rescheduling, at the time I thought it was good enough reason to, babysitting grandson was one, visiting Mother was another, couldn't be bothered was the third, finally I had to face the fact I was avoiding having to go back to what was, not what I felt like now.
I was feeling good Cancer and treatments was behind me I didn't want to be reminded of what I had been through. Once I had finally got enough gumption to go ahead and bite the bullet I decided to take in a bag of all my old head scarfs and hats and donate them to patients, I wasn't going to need them anymore and I certainly  wasn't going to wear them again. I was confident I was cured, or was I? That is always nagging in the back of your head. What if? Would I be willing to go through it all again? I think I rode that horse long enough for my liking I wasn't about to ride again. I will walk thank you very much. So after the blood draws and lab results came back and i sat with the Doc and answered all the precursory questions, the visit was over.... wait I said does that mean I am okay? Sure he said," look July will be two years, I can't say it will never come back but if it was to it would normally return within the first two years from your original diagnosis", my heart did a little skip of relief, "great" I said, "now I think I need to have a Colonoscopy seeings that we are supposed to have our first one done at age 50 and I will be 55 this year.....But don"t schedule til July". What am I a masochist or a glutton for punishment. All these things we have to do to preserve or health, to live longer... to enjoy life and all it's goodness. To be a part of something greater than yourself, to tell your story so others wont feel so alone. Well at least the preparation for the Colonoscopy will help shed a few lbs to get me started on my summer weight loss program......lol.
Moral of the story is:
Dont make excuses peeps just do it, for shits and grins...xoxo
Always your breast friend
Janie Kay

Patriotism

It was around 5:15 pm as I sat waiting for my grandsons little league game to start, the ball fields and spectator sections through out the ball park began to fill. The undeniable sound of cleets walking/running on the cement sidewalks, coaches rallying their teams with pregame warm ups. Parents and grandparents hustling to their child's field to support their little "athlete", whether they were stars, pinch runners and the occasional butterfly catcher in the outfield. "Baseball the great American Pastime". A game that can be played by old and young male and female. Spectators, with their drinks, popcorn or sunflowers seeds ready for the big game.  I am a people watcher and as always I pay a lot of attention to whats going on around me. At exactly 5:25pm the loud speaker played  a recording of a young lady singing the national anthem. The teams, coaches, older men and women rose to their feet and faced the flag removing their hats, many put their right hands over their hearts. I looked over to the American Flag waving in the breeze and then my gaze wandered off to the continued hustle and bustle of the people coming and going on the sidewalks around the ball park. I wouldn't call it disrespect, just maybe a little ignorant, there were several adults talking on the cells phones, children still running around and parents hollering at them to wait up. Shaking my head my gaze returned to the flag. I began to well up with tears, not so much of pride, but sadness. I thought of  our soldiers fighting and dying for this flag. The innocence of the kids playing, that one day they would be fighting that fight and dying for that right. I looked back at the flag as the last verse was being sung "for the land of the free and the home of the brave". Play Ball, the concession stand opened and that was it game on.Sunflower seeds spit to the ground parents cheering on their teams, I sat for a moment, and said a word of thanks to those soldiers  that have fought and lost their lives to All Flags. It's not until we are faced with this kind of truth that we can truly appreciate what we have. When I say All Flags I say this from my point of view as English woman who has seen patriotism  and pride on both continents and as a Mother and Grandmother who wants a better life for her children. So if its ignorance or innocence may God bless our children keep them safe and protect us all. No lessons learned the hard way makes anyone a winner.

Welcome Words from a Professional fitter...

Hi Jane,

Sorry it has taken me  a bit to get back to you but here goes-

A lot of info and pics of store are on our website www.treva's.com for starters.  I graduated from DU in education and then went into business in 1971, nearly 41 years ago. So my resume’ would be very short. I jokingly tell my clients my minor in psychology has been far more helpful than the major  I got.  Then when I pause to think, I recognize that I have been teaching in the fitting rooms every since.  Educating women on how to put their bras on, what is the best fit, and how to hide or minimize defects or differences in breast size, shape, etc.  We deal with post mastectomies, and also the full-figured woman who cannot find a bra past a triple D cup. (We go to cup size N) The dear team of women who work in Treva’s are all excellent fitters and problem solvers.  When you were talking about needing a matching nipple, had it been in the store, I would have gone straight to my back room for an attachable nipple in the right size and color.

We do a lot of fitting for women, who like you, have had reconstruction and don’t quite match up to the other side.  We have some nice products to correct that problem, silicone shell liners, bust cups that are very inexpensive,  and sometimes just a good contour bra works well.  There are also the women who were born with 1 breast larger by 1-3 cups different in size.

To answer one of your questions, what are the parameters of good bra fit -  the bra should be comfortable in the band, low in the back, hooked in the loosest hooks which will allow for some relaxing of the elastic as it is worn and tightening at that point.  A bra should never ride up the back, indicating too big in the band and that also causes the straps to slip down on the shoulders.  It should be wide enough under the arm to hold in the tissue (part breast and part body fat).

Smaller cup sizes – A and B tend to be narrower on the sides and have fewer hooks, 2, in the back.  Now for the front fit – the bra should rest comfortably on the rib cage with an easy finger run under the band.  The breast tissue should be enclosed in the cup, fill the top, and and rest against the chest wall.  We do not do a lot of work with the deep plunges, and more breast out than in.  We leave those bras to the Victoria’s Secrets and their younger clientele and staff.

I will find pictures of some of the products which I have mentioned if that would be helpful.

 Well there we have it ladies there is someone out there that can help us, Thank you so much Treva and your great staff. I sure hope you will get support from my readers as you have given support (pun intended) to so many women....
Always your breast friend,
Janie Kay xoxo

Victoria's Secret vs Jane's Secret

Fifteen months ago I had my right breast removed due to Breast Cancer. While it truly has been life changing I really have accepted each stage as a learning curve in acceptability. I now have had an implant on the right and a breast lift and reduction on the left. I am happy with the lady bumps and in fact I really like my right mound better than the natural breast on the left. I have been wearing lacy camisole's and tank's instead of bra's because..... well, I didn't think I really needed one. They were perky and firm just like they were when I was in my twenties.
I have been looking forward to the summer, wearing tank tops and swimsuits, my problem is I have only one nipple at this time and well it is very noticeable under my sweater and T shirts. I thought that if I wore a bra  it would hide the offensive nub and I would feel less self conscious about my one headlight. So this last Saturday I went to Victoria's Secret to get measured for a new bra. The young sale clerk took me to the dressing rooms and handed me over to a very confident and professional fitter, (she couldn't have been more that 23 years old). "what size bra do you usually wear" she said. I explained to her that I was a Breast cancer survivor and had reconstruction so I have no idea what size I needed. "Lift up your arms she said and let me measure you", I did as I was instructed, I did feel kinda weird as I am 5'8" and the clerk was maybe 5' coming  face to face with my breast, she had to step forward to adequately put the tape around my back,  her nose  rested right between my cleavage."Hmm she said again, 39 B", she then dropped the tape and asked me what kind of bra I would like to try on. "It has to be wire free I said". She showed me into a dressing room and told me she would return with the "perfect bra".A few moments later I had taken off my camisole and she returned passing a bra over the top of the dressing room door and asked me to try it on and then let her know how it felt. As I put the bra on securing the hook and eye in the front and twisting it around so that the cups were level with my breast I leaned forward placed each breast in its rightful place and hoisting the straps over my shoulder  with a little adjustment turned to look at myself in the mirror, my hands over the cups of the bra, they felt secure as I dropped my hands and took a long look at the image in front of me I  was horrified to see I had more fat pouring over the underarm of my bra than what was in the cup. I guess this was my ah ha moment... you cant put 20 something year old boobies on a 55 year old woman. These were custom made boobs and they did not look good with the old chasise. I know I still have one more surgery left to tweek out the set and have a nipple added, but I just cant stand the idea that when they lay me to rest my body would fall in waves of hills and valleys and my boob will stand up like twin spires. If I had just chosen to have the tram flap procedure done instead I would have a flat tummy but my boobs would look like a dry river bed of stretch marks..... It seems like no matter what we will never be perfect and thats okay  because I can still laugh and to many humor is one of the best charactoristics anyone can have.... that and a greatful heart.

Always Your Breast friend
Janie Kay