Just tried my dress on with my new shoes to see if they would definitely go together ready for the party I’m going to and I love how they look together.
Top surgery.
An innocuous, melodic turn of phrase, for radical double mastectomy.
Every 10 minutes, a woman in the UK is diagnosed with breast cancer. 1 in 8 women will be handed this potential death sentence. Her daughters and sisters account for the 1 in 3, who’s lives will be changed because of it.
My mother was one in eight, in April 2022.
The surgeon, despite his experience and competence, stumbled through the conversation.
With an ‘almost smile’, he began with -
“Well, I know we were exploring the results of your recent biopsy. And I had previously told you that I am quite sure that your tumour is cancer. Well…”
Though both my mother and I had already come to terms with what we knew to be true, I felt silly for letting a little sting of hope into my heart.
His tone, had allowed for misinterpretation.
He finished his sentence. And rather than feeling sadness, which we’d already exhausted, we glanced at each other, confused. Telepathically sharing a moment of judgement for the doctor’s poor delivery. Both knowing we would be bitching about it in the car ride home.
A unilateral mastectomy was ordered. And mum was ushered through the pre-op appointments. But all was halted in the eleventh hour. A new approach. A regimen to shrink the tumour prior to surgery. Postponing mum’s ‘all clear’ status by 14 months.
Why?
To make the surgery less invasive. Requiring less recovery time. To reduce trauma to the surrounding healthy tissues of the armpits, chest wall and shoulders. To lower the chance of infections, excessive blood loss or clotting. To avoid lymphoedema and disabling nerve damage.
Etc, etc.
My mother had been very clear about her lack of concern about aesthetics. Sure, there was some ‘cope’ happening. But she most certainly hadn’t asked the doctors about ways to avoid the loss of her breast. She had turned her mind solely to being thankful for her chance to live.
Tell me - why would her team of doctors conclude that breast preserving surgery would be better? She lived with the side effects of her medication for a year, because the doctor - not she - wanted to save her flesh.
Could it possibly be the case that ‘Top Surgery’ is in fact, ‘a very big deal’?
Might it be time to refer to this medical procedure, which is offered to childless children, as precisely what it is, instead?
What do you call it?
@ClaireJane5 @LeroySkeete With all that money you would think he could afford a decent collar, tie and suit? Maybe he could claim on expenses like every everything else.
Dear #onthebeach just seen your TV advert and feel compelled to inform you that ‘The Most Wonderful Time of the Year’ occurred last month so why not instruct your ad agency to earn some of their large exorbitant by fee coming up with something original for once. @QuietStormAdv
Today @BorisJohnson and I visited @Colne_Valley to discuss with the team there what more we can do to protect this beautiful landscape that benefits both of our constituencies and beyond.
@katejsmith_ I've had a stoma for 5mths, given up on trying to contol it, has a life of its own. Got some new hearing aids 3mths ago and at last realised how loud it was, it's a conversation starter for sure.
If you need a counterweight to the never-ending governmental shittery, then I can heartily recommend the film Toni Erdmann - extraordinary, curious, unique and heart-warming x
Meet Egyptian, Dr Sheri Elkhososy living in Liverpool. He was engaged in what he thought was online chat with a 13 year old girl.
Sent obscene images & arranged to meet for coffee. He asked her to shave, bring massage oil & advised her to bring some paracetamol for the pain.