Onions and Christmas Trees

Hi everyone,
Here's another picture from the "boob food" contest. Amazingly, it looks almost exactly like the entry that won first prize, but unfortunately, they've fallen or sagged. The boob cake was made by Amy Searles, who was ill and couldn't come to the party, but her husband, Josh, brought it. Apparently, he said, it was too warm in the car because all the icing and the other "toppings" melted and slipped, which for us older women is generally the sad state affairs for your breasts - saggy boobs! And, to commemorate the poor things, here's a joke that my cousin, Theresa Muktoyuk, sent right before my surgery. The joke seems to fit the photo!

ONIONS AND CHRISTMAS TREES

A family is at the dinner table.The son asks his father, "Dad, how many kinds of boobs are there? The father, surprised, answers, "Well, son, there are three kinds of breasts.
In her 20s, a woman's breasts are like melons, round and firm. In her
30s to 40s, they are like pears, still nice but hanging a bit. After
50, they are like onions".
"Onions?"
"Yes, you see them and they make you cry."
This infuriated his wife and daughter so the daughter said, "Mum, how many kinds of 'willies' are there?"
The mother, surprised, smiles and answers, "Well dear, a man goes through three phases.
In his 20s, his willy is like an oak tree, mighty and hard. In his 30s and 40s, it is like a birch, flexible but reliable. After his 50s, it is like a Christmas tree".
"A Christmas tree?"
"Yes - dead from the root up and the balls are just for decoration!"

HA!

I got a good laugh out of that one!

In the meantime, no new news on the treatment front, other than I seem to be healing nicely. I am actually 1) sleeping on my side now! 2) able to lift my arms above my head so that I can put on pullover shirts and turtlenecks, the latter is especially nice since it's been around freezing here in the Willamette Valley; 3) able to reach for things; and 4) hug my son (and my boyfriend) and allow my son's head to rest on my shoulder while I have my arm around him. I hadn't let my son do that when things still felt tender and because of the numbness around my chest area. I have this six-inch band of numbness that starts from about 3-4 inches below my neck to just under where my old breasts used to be, and this band extends from underneath one arm all the way around to the other arm, except for a bit of sensation right around my breast bone in the center of my chest. It's strange - I can feel pressure deeper in that area, but no sensation at all on the skin. I was a bit leery at first because I wasn't sure I could tell whether or not my son would be applying too much pressure or not (and thereby causing an injury I wouldn't be aware of because I can't feel), but I think I've figured out. Or maybe because I have nearly normal range of movement, I feel that I'm just about healed so now feel that I can hug without worrying. Boy! The issues one worries about that you never think you'd have to think about!

Next week, I will have an appointment with Dr. Kenyon and then prior to starting Herceptin, I want to have my heart function evaluated . . . so it doesn't look like I will start until mid-January. I guess he and I will also talk about chemically inducing menopause for a few months as I think I will try to have my ovaries removed when I have the permanent implants inserted. This way, I have both procedures at the same time and thereby limit my time in surgery. My plastic surgeon was okay with that scenario, so now I just need to check with my ob/gyn.

In the meantime, I want to do a couple of things around the house and tomorrow, I will be meeting with Scott's friend, Greg Hyatt, to talk about web designing; Greg wants to help develop interactive, educational web sites about endangered animals and the environment and with my interest in climate change issues in the north, it seems a good fit. I already have some information that I'd like to put into an interactive web site for the King Island community, so we'll see. It'll be fun to sit around a brainstorm for a bit tomorrow!

Take care all and Happy 2008!
Dee