The thread is also of note because it proves we’re swallowing the same ole crap in 2008 as we did in 1955. Shame on the whole damn medical industrial complex. All right already, here’s the thread:

12.07.2008 00:34:55
Name:
The en Murrray
Subject:
Post Mastectomy Problems
Content:
I had the good fortune of never being sick in my entire life other than a few childhood diseases. When bam, breast cancer.

I had a very small tumor but I was told it might be an “invasive” type of cancer so I chose a simple mastectomy. I had chemo and thought all was well when I was through with treatment.

As a result of the chemo, it destroyed my esophagas and I have to have it stretched every month so I can eat. I also developed osteoporosis and arthritis of the spine, hip and tailbone. To say the least, I am in constant pain.

I was wondering if other women have had similar experiences. To say the least, the mastectomy was a piece of cake compared to everything else that is now wrong with me.

***
Name:
d2
Subject:
Re: Post Mastectomy Problems
Content:
I too have troubles swallowing…
ent & dentist say I have eagles syndrome…
I blame it on chemo? Mine was done in 1995-so I hope there has been many advances in the surgery & folllow-up. I wish they would have endorsed physical therapy back then as the muscle discomfort in my arm-pit & rib-cage is almost unbearable…I guess we have to bear the alternatives to getting the cancer out…
they call us SURVIVORS for a reason ( smile-hug)

***
02.10.2008 23:06:25
Name:
Kathleen Murray
Subject:
Re: Post Mastectomy Problems
Content:
Thank you for your e-mail. You mentioned 2 problems. First, the swallowing. My gastroenterologist tells me that the chemo damaged my esophagas, therefore he has to go in with a balloon every month and try to stretch it. Despite having this done for 18 months in a row, it is still a problem. He hopes someday it with “take”. Meanwhile it is very difficult to eat. Second, you mentioned the pain in your rib cage. A relative of mine had a double mastectomy and later went in for reconstruction. In the meantime the pain was excrutiating. Only when the surgeon went in to reconstruct, did he learn that as the tissue was healing it adhered itself to the rib cage. The result was surgery to cut away the tissue first, let it heal, then do the reconstruction. It was a nightmare. It might be something to look into.
***

Twisty, I want you to know that your cancer ramblings were amonng the few that made any sense to me. What a relief to hear you blurting out the awful truth. Me,I used to be a fun person but now I’m just the PARTY POOPER who ruins the fun for all my non-cancerous cohorts by refusing to be happy about my cancer mistreatements. But then maybe I should call them my “not yet cancerous cohorts” since it’s clear we have an epidemic on our hands and no one is looking at cause, just keep piling on the mistreatments, cause cancerous people can be counted on to keep our economy going, even when the banks can’t.
PP

On the same thread, it’s crap having somthing to hide. I love bikinis, I love lounging around as naked as I can possibly socially be, and I love my wonderful healthy body to bits but I hate beaches and every male when I wear a bikini. I hate the fact that if I drop my towel then I know every male in the vicinity is checking me out. I hate it that after being in the chilly brittish seas nipples perk up, so every male with enough restraint not to stare at my boobs before now cant take their eyes off them, because they now know I have NIPPLES.

Whats the deal! They have nipples too. Fuck em. I am sick of the leery, lecherous, ogling stares I get everywhere, just cos I am a pretty lady. I am sick of walking home at dusk and being paranoid every man I past is a potential rapist. I am sick of feeling intimidated whenever a guy gives me an “approving” look. This summer, I am wearing a nice green T-shirt instead of a bikini top, and leaving my hotpant-clad legs hairy as a monkey, cos I am sick of being found sexy. I hate sexy.

Whatever happened to beautiful? You can respect a beautiful person.

I have been a rebel in many other ways in my outward appearance, and am not a member of the dominant religion. I don’t feel compelled to conform in other ways. But for some reason, I get utterly depressed when I try to imagine displaying my body in a swimsuit of the usual cuts. I know I shouldn’t be. But there it is.

Add to that nerve damage at the top of my thighs that makes anything cutting into my skin (like a standard swimsuit would do at the legs) and I’d lost all hope of feeling comfortable in any style of the suits I’ve seen in catalogs.

Thanks to reading this thread, I see I’ve just been looking in the wrong catalogs. I’ve now seen links to types of suits that aren’t about trying to be sexy. Aren’t based along the usual swimsuit cut, just redone in “figure flattering colors”, or with silly flouncy skirts. I’ve finally seen suits that would be modest enough to make me feel comfortable, without being frumpy or froo-froo.

I finally think I might be comfortable swimming again.

Thank you.

I don’t know if they do it in Texas, but Florida cockroaches all fly. There’s nothing quite like seeing a three inch “waterbug” zooming past your head and into your house to escape the rain. I can’t imagine even the most dedicated insect enthusiast with a collection of the hideous things, however.

Shelf bras are evil. I stopped swimming when I could no longer find a swimsuit that had enough support in the front. Of course, I also stopped because I was being harrassed constantly about my weight if I didn’t cover up from neck to ankles in fabric. They don’t let you swim in jeans and a longsleeve t-shirt. Trudging along in 90 degree weather dressed like it’s the middle of fall to avoid being persecuted, you know who I’ll blame for my heatstroke.

What a friggin (sillyarsed)predicament.

I’ll also vote for the tassels. Multiple tassles in different colors and shapes. All over your body. When you swim, you could look like a living, sparkling, oceanic reef (though not as big).

This sort of relates to a blog that I read yesterday about a painting that was censored from a show because the subject supposedly was not fit for family viewing. The subject of the painting had a mastectomy. The painter is a lesbian. The whole thing is beyond sad.

http://www.pegasusnews.com/news/2007/may/01/dallas-artist-breast-cancer-portrait-banned-deep-e/