Mandie the 5th arrived Friday!

Funny how the smallest things can make you smile. On Friday I went to where I get my prostetics, and I had to bring back Mandie the 4th back ( because she was defective), literally she kept falling off. Not really impressive if your body parts start falling off! :) Anyway, I was wearing my older prosthetic Mandie the 3rd and had Mandie the 4th in her box. Ok, are you still with me?
Anyway, as I walked in the receptionist said hi and how can I help you? My reply was " I am getting a new prosthetic and bringing back the old one. Guess it's not every day that you have someone comes in to trade you body parts, is it?" She looked right at me with a smile and said " actually, we do around here!"  It made me laugh and it made me feel good some how that I am not the only one to be swapping body parts. I laughed to, to think what people would say ( that passed by me ) if they knew what I had in the box.
Still I was grateful for the way it made me feel. A little over 4 years ago, there was nothing that I thought would ever make me feel good about my mastectomy, or having to wear a prosthetic for the rest of my life. Naming the prosthetic, did help. I was grateful for it and how I felt ( more normal ) when I had her on. I loved the name Madie, and thought it was a very feminine name. Feeling feminine again, was a long time coming also.
So I proudly took Mandie the 5th home, and told her we were in this together! For that I am thankful! Yes, it is some of the smallest things that bring happiness!
Good night dear friends!

Mandy the Third!

Now I know this may sound a bit weird... but try to listen. It is important during stressful times, to try to find some humor if you can. So after my mastectomy, I realized that in order to feel or look partially normal I had to get a prosthetic. Since I didn't want to have to say Prosthetic all the time, I named it Sally. Now Sally wasn't the best fit for me, and so I had to return her and go to another store that sold prosthetics and knew more about how to fit... them so that is exactly what I did. My new prosthetic is named Mandy, I actually liked that name better for some reason. After a year of use, Mandy had some problems and so I had to return her  (and since she was under warranty) I received Mandy the Second.

These new prosthetics are actually amazing. They don't need a specialty bra with a pocket sewn in them, if you don't want to. You can use them with any bra or bathing suit. They stick to you and so they are much more convenient when you have to get up and dressed in a hurry. But of course like everything else lately, the prices have raised. They cost $500.00 can you believe that? Insurance will pay $350.00 of that, and the rest is out of pocket. How funny that something like this would cost so much, and all for a prosthetic you can use out of pocket, is going to cost quite a bit out of pocket! :)  I thought about calling all the kids, and see if they want to donate for the purchasing of Mandy the Third with me ( just kidding ) but thought I'd better not, sometimes my kids don't quite understand my humor...can you imagine that?

Truth is, I am grateful to be in remission for the past two years, I am grateful for technology that has invented a prosthetic that looks pretty normal and I am grateful that I can have a sense of humor about it all, for the first few months...I didn't even think I would smile again or go out in public. I am a far cry from that and I am so glad.

So life is hard but things could always be worse. Try to look on the bright side of your trials and learn from them...it really does help!

 

"Determination, patience and courage are the only things needed to improve any situation."  ~Unknown

"Every trial endured and weathered in the right spirit makes a soul nobler and stronger than it was before."
~James Buckham

"If you don't like something change it; if you can't change it, change the way you think about it."
~Mary Engelbreit

Now Playing...

It almost sounds like a movie when I say that I got to see Mandy 2 today! Actually it is a real life movie....but of my life. My prosthetic is named Mandy. I am not sure why I did that? Maybe it is my twisted humor or I was just got tired of writing and saying the word Prosthetic? Either way, Mandy was my 2nd and best prosthetic that I had, the first one was Sally and she and I weren't together long. Mandy and I go everywhere together and because of her, I was able to go back into life with much more confidence and peace after my mastectomy. She is a one of the newest type of prosthetic out there. A few months ago I noticed a few things that were going wrong with her and so when I took her back to the shop I got her from, they said she needed to be returned and that I would get a new replacement one soon. So a friend and I went to Marysville this morning, to pick up Mandy 2 at ...Viginia's Feminine Boutique. They do an amazing job at the fittings and they are very knowledgeable and compassionate. It is definitely worth the drive. Here is there web site... Virginia's Feminine Boutique

I realized today how grateful I am for those people who have developed the prosthetics, in the olden days, they use to make their own with rice, or herbs, even water. Yes, we have come a long way.

I am so glad that I am now a little less self conscience that I was a year ago. I seem to be more comfortable in my own skin now. I don't really even let anyone ( other than family ) see me without my prosthetic but still, I feel much better about myself than I did a year ago. I know I have a long way to go, but I only hope it continues to get easier and better each year.

Many of you have watched me and all the ups and downs that I have gone through in the past year and half, with cancer. Thank you for your love and support. It has been a hard, and yet it has taught me so many different things, things that I am sure I could not have learned in any other way. In some ways I feel like a better person since I have had cancer twice, and yet it has been one of the worst things I had to ever go through. Cancer gives you a perspective, that can be life changing... if you let it. I guess the greatest thing that I have come to learn is...God is in charge and I need to learn to trust in His wisdom and timing. And with that knowledge, to then strive to learn, enjoy and live every moment ( no matter how many I have left). Quality is a big thing with me now, I am more worried about quality of life than quantity ( especially since, that is the only area that I can control anyway! )

So the quote that keeps coming to my mind tonight about life and lessons of life is this one by Maria Robinson... "Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending."

As a daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother and friend, I know it is important to show everyone that I am not going to quit, but continue to learn and grow from each experience that happens to me. I need to show them that I trust the Lord, and that I am leaving things into His hands.  I don't want to miss one moment with my family and friends. Yes, life is like a movie ...but I can at least, make sure how it is going to end! (within reason!)

"Don't wait until everything is just right. It will never be perfect. There will always be challenges, obstacles and less than perfect condition. So what. Get started now. With each step you take, you will grow stronger and stronger, more and more skilled, more and more self-confident and more and more successful."  ~ Mark Victor Hansen

"If we're growing, we're always going to be out of our comfort zone."   ~John Maxwell quotes

"The purpose of life is a life of purpose."     ~Robert Byrne