My Breasts are Big in Iraq...(Is that wrong?)

My step-sister from a former life (her mom was married to my dad up until her mother passed away), Laura Ballantine, sent me a great "Save the Ta-Tas" t-shirt (pictures later--I have to select the appropriate wig). She also sent her husband Jayson, currently serving our country in Iraq, several of the bumper stickers. And he's apparently handing them out gathering support in Ur and Camp Victory, Iraq among the Engineers who are there helping to rebuild and currently building a medical station in Ur. The ones in full gear are on alert for mortar rounds coming in. I thought this was awesome. And it looks like it brought smiles to their faces too.

My battle with breast cancer has quite an army behind it, eh? And sadly, my battle will likely be all over before Laura gets her husband back from Iraq and safe at home with her. So special shout-out and thanks for everything to LAURA and JAYSON BALLANTINE!! (And Michael, call your sister. She misses hearing from you.)

In other less fascinating news, I was able to get ready in under 20 minutes today. Seriously, you men have it so easy! I had nothing to shave, nothing to shampoo, nothing to comb, style, brush or blow-dry. Crazy! A quick hot shower, throw on some make-up, throw on a scarf and voila' I am ready to start my day. I'm going to like this! Of course, make-up was a bit of a trick. My hair color is different and well, there's not much of a hairline. And you know, you are supposed to blend your foundation into your hairline (you know this right? If I teach you nothing else on this blog, it's the importance of blending your foundation!!). I managed. Plus, now my hairline is movable.

I meant to spend the day getting used to the wig. That didn't really last. I had things to do. So I went with the Coach scarf look--even when Chris and I took Seamus for a walk around the neighborhood. It just seemed stupid to put on hair to walk the dog. But I'm sure I was quite the sight, in my pink scarf, pink "Save the Tatas" shirt and white and pink "Beagles for Boobies" sweatshirt. You think anybody would be able to figure out my situation? We went to dinner at JANE and FRANCIS CARNEY'S home with RICHARD and CINDY ROTH and I wore the dark and mysterious wig, because that was Richard's favorite. But it only made it about halfway through the evening and then it was just easier to go "aerodynamic" (which is what Richard calls my "hair" as it is naturally now; he's an Air Force guy). And here's some additional good news--the metallic taste is disappearing!! And even better--wine tasted good again!!

Of course, I would have drank wine if it still tasted like dirt since I spent the day organizing insurance "explanation of benefits" payment statements, reviewing medical bills, matching the two up and then paying the damn medical bills. The stack of damn medical bills. And because that was not fun enough, I then got all my tax stuff organized to take to my accountant on Monday. Isn't that the perfect agenda for my first day as a nearly bald woman? You'd think I was trying to launch myself into a depression. I wasn't. And it didn't happen. I'm just happy to get that stuff all done.

And speaking of bald...which I find myself doing a lot these days. I found this great book of beautiful and inspirational portraits, Turning Heads. The author, Jackson Hunsicker, is a breast cancer survivor. She wanted portraits that were "...truthful about what really goes on with the disease, not the angst or the painful stuff, but pictures that say were still out in the world, doing things, going about the business of life." I'm not big on inspirational stuff, but I kinda like this. And the portraits look great (I found it online, so I haven't seen it in person to read through it yet).

Earlier in the week (pre-head shaving), when I was driving home from work I saw two women out walking. One of them had what is so easily identifiable as a chemo crew cut. Really short (she's probably just starting to grow it back, or just shaved it). I was on the phone with Chris and I said, a little sadly, "There's my future." And he said, "Really? Future Teresa goes walking??" That pretty much cracked me up. But yes, as it turned out, only a few days later a newly shorn Teresa went out walking. Okay, I had a scarf on...but give me another 24 hours or so. Maybe I'll be turning heads with my fuzzy head.