being transparent

OK...I'm at journaling class and we are going around the class introducing ourselves. We all pretty much know each other, but there are some that you don't know. It gets to me and I introduce myself..Jo, husband, children, teach, etc. Next... Then the leader says and She is a breast cancer survivor. Yes, I say. Next.

I go home and talk with a friend from class about it. Why does she do that? I want to put it behind me. Friend says, You can't...it's your witness. And I must agree!! It IS my witness to how God carried me through such a hard year. I absolutely could not have done it alone.

Fast forward...we get a new person in class. So we all introduce ourselves. It gets to me and everyone is just a grinning, cause just last week I told them all how I was offended weeks ago when the leader had 'finished' my intro. So YES...Jo, husband, kids, teach AND I'm a BC Survivor REAL LOUD!!! They all clapped and laughed. It was a great thing and I felt real good saying it!

Then they wanted real transparency so I told them the surgery was gonna be a little more than what I had said earlier and explained it all to them. You just hafta have a good humor with it all. Looking forward to my 'new me.'

1st ps visit

Here is the beginning of a "matching set". We knew from the very beginning that I'd have more surgery to complete the final outcome. With the first surgery, the mastectomy, you are reconstructed very nicely..Barbie style. It looks very nice. That's all well and good, except your good other side is still 42 years old and has nursed 4 babies!! lol So there is not a match there at all. Apparently many years ago this was fought in insurance, but they realize now that women HAVE to get the good side revised to match to be "altogether" again. So we discussed this and talked about an implant on the good side and lift to match the other. The only downfall was that I am so small chested! They really didn't have any implants my size! lol Then suggested I get the reconstructed side a little bigger to be able to get in an implant on the good side. I was like, NO!! I'm tired of surgeries! So they've ordered me a small saline implant for the right side and we'll be ready to go for surgery July 7. I'll have to come in for a pre-op with Kronowitz and the anesthesiologist. Another thing that has bothered me is a place in my abdominal area. A sharp pain there that comes from out of the blue. He is looking at reopening that incision to find out what is going on there. He will also do some liposuction on the reconstructed side to make a cleaner fold below the breast.

new haircut & guitar

I am loving this short hair!! I got another cut recently, colored, and highlighted. I was afraid of what it was going to cost and after I got to the register, I could tell WHY I was so afraid!! yikes! BUT, it looks great and I'm learning how to fix it so it looks very nice.

Well, got an electric guitar for my birthday!!! It was an Epiphone...from the local pawn shop. Used it a few days (had a 7 day return policy) and then picked up my cheapy Walmart acoustic and just couldn't stand it. We returned the Epiphone and the fellow who SOLD us the thing says, Yeah, it's got a bent neck on it...that could keep the sound from being just right! grrrr Thanks a lot for selling it to us! So, feeling real good about the return! lol

So we went to Houston and found one that is beautiful! It is a Takamine G Series... electric/acoustic. So I can plug in when I want or just go without. It's got a wonderful sound. I've gotten to take it to youth meetings and join in the band playing. It has been a dream come true to be able to do that. Learn the guitar and then to play with others. God is good!!!!