pink

Yes, it's Breast Cancer Awareness Month. My guess is that some people are sick of hearing about it. There's a lot of hype & a lot of pink. Stores are filled with pink… pink socks, pink shoes, pink purses, pink jammies, swimsuits, lipstick, jewelry, clothing, & the list goes on. What isn't pink? What can I say? Pink is dear to my heart. It's my favorite color. It cheers me up. It's part of my identity. I even have a pink ribbon tattoo. Yay me!

Pink is in the news. It's on the Today Show. It's on the front of magazine covers. It's posted all over Facebook. Pink celebrations are taking place. The Sisterhood of Pink Survivors unites. It's like being a part of a club. Our bonds are lasting. We are each others' cheer leaders. We are prayer warriors. We are Survivors. We are strong. We are not who we were prior to our diagnosis (nor do we want to be). Our faiths have taken on new meaning. Our perspectives are different. Our purposes have changed. We don't take one day, not even one moment for granted. Nope, every day is a gift (even the sad ones).

Pink so much more than the undiagnosed might understand. It's a cheerful way to acknowledge a cause that keeps haunting our world. It's sobering. It's heartbreaking. It represents strength & support, but at the same time, it represents pain, a pain so deep that only a Survivor can understand. That's not to say other causes don't have the same effect. They do.

The pain of Breast Cancer (depending on its staging) never really goes away. At least not in my 3 years as a Survivor. The pain is present on so many levels. It effects our self image, our relationships, our outlook. Its treatments have lasting side effects. These side effects serve as constant reminders of our journey. Some of us have gained weight. Some of us have become disfigured through surgeries & radiation. We have scars. Scars from reconstruction, scars from skin grafts, scars from our ports, scars on our hearts. We have been liposuctioned on more than one occasion, had our precious parts rebuilt & then tweaked numerous times (never to be the same).

Some of us have lost parts of our ability to remember. We've had increased neuropathy. Our security has been completely ripped out from beneath us. And… if that isn't enough, life just keeps happening. We are not exempt from other tragedies. Our loved ones still pass away. We do not escape tornados. We suffer with our friends who now have Metastatic Breast Cancer. We ask, "Why Lord?" We ask, "Why not?" We live with Survivors guilt. We are pained for our sisters who suffer & don't seem to get better. Selfishly, we never forget that it could be us.

So… if a little bit of Pink (or sometimes a lot) brings awareness to our cause, we apologize if others are sick o f hearing about it. However, if you or your loved one should ever receive this diagnosis, it goes unsaid, we are here for you. We will rally around you, share our stories, love you, encourage you, & hold your hand. We will have a bond before we ever meet. All the research that Pink has cultivated will be a part of your future & may just be what saves your life. It did mine.