Its so hard to say goodbye to my tittays

Today, I'm especially grateful for all the time I spent showing off my cleavage while I still had my original breasts. You may have loved it (and thus join in my sadness) or hated it (and thus, have found the end of your woes). My advice: flaunt em while you got em. About 1 in 8 of us are going to face losing them. Some sooner rather than later. While reconstruction is great, it'll never replace your original pair.

I've put together a little slideshow of me and the little sisters over the years. Just for fun. It's nice to keep busy when you're stressed and don't feel well. Blah.

take a moment to dry your eyes...

On a more serious note, I'd like to share a piece of advice for women facing mastectomy. I connected with a really talented and compassionate photographer, Kathy Anderson, who agreed to do a topless photoshoot before my surgery. You may not ever want to see those photos again, but this is your last chance to take them. I strongly recommend you do. It may seem frivolous. You may have a hard time thinking about your body or your future right now. If you have a close friend preparing for breast surgery, maybe gently suggest that they consider taking some "before" photos. If you're a great friend, do some of the legwork and find a photographer in the area for them. 

She and I are actually working on a series that covers the different stages of reconstruction and healing. Like I said, I may never use them, she may never use them, I may never be brave enough to share them, but I feel better having a history of what my body has gone through in this process. One fewer possible regret.