Pink Hugs

I usually refrain from divulging so much of my personal life on this blog, but this will have to be an exception. Last Friday as I was idling the afternoon away, I chanced upon this webpage <The Scar Project>.  The photo gallery is very striking and I felt somehow correlated. Please indulge me while I take some space and time to explain why.

In August2011 (on my birthday itself), only few days after arriving back in the UAE, I was told by my sister that our dear mother was diagnosed with breast cancer stage2; she’s 70. It was a tragic blow to me and my entire family. Have I known it while I was there, I would have stayed longer to compensate for the lost time I was away and during those non-speaking terms early on. My sisters (I salute you!) have taken turns to attend to her while I patiently waited here for their updates. Doctors did not suggest any radio therapy or chemotherapy considering her HTN and the potential side effects. We would soon be told that she had to undergo an operation and had mastectomy thereafter. No matter how clear the explanation is, the terminologies remain so foreign to me I cannot understand. No matter how we weighed the alternatives and consequences, I still cannot accept the truth especially when doctors tell you ‘so be it’. Mamay’s battle is not over yet as recurrence might be on stand-by. God, we pray for remission. In You, all things are possible.

The pink ribbon is the international symbol of breast cancer awareness

E-card for Mamay on her 71st birthday

Now going back to the website, the photos showcase the true reality of losing a bosom and the courage of these women to stand up after their battles. These are the photos that I do not dare my eyes look at. But when I try to imagine how my mother’s bosom would look like now after her mastectomy, I started to appreciate the graphics. These women lost their bosoms. The bosom that gave the best source of nutrition for their newborns; the bosom that used to hold their child to sleep close to their hearts; the bosom hugs they gave to their husbands every single day; the bosom that represents their identity as a woman. The bosom may be gone now but the courage and strength remain.

This is an eye-opening to me and I am getting afraid, really. This year, as I hit the big 4-0, I will begin having mammograms yearly. It may not be as comfortable as simply flopping your boob on the cold plate, but as they say early detection is better than cure.

Here’s hoping that you get lots and lots of hugs from your loved ones. To those reading this, here’s a big virtual hug to everyone today.

If you can spare just one little hug, please throw it my way.

 
 

— JBQ —

United Arab Emirates

17May2012

Leave a comment