Mastectomy Tattoos and P.INK

Firstly, I want to share the first installment of an article written by Skin Deep Magazine about P.INK and P.INK Day 2013.  You can see and read the first part of the article here.  My favorite part of this article is where they talk at the end about one of my P.INK sisters, Mari, and how Mari before tattoos is a different Mari than after her tattoos.  P.INK, maybe unknown to the project at the time, changed a lot of people in a lot of ways.  Mari and I would argue, I bet, that P.INK changed a lot of people for the better.

Well, friends, I believe I am a different Megan also.  Before my tattoos I didn't know if talking about a mastectomy and breasts was in some way indecent or inappropriate.  I always felt a yearning to share my story but at the same time I was cautious because I didn't want to make a situation awkward.  I didn't/don't want pity and I also didn't want to make people uncomfortable by talking about private body parts; regardless of the fact that the conversation would not be at all sexual.  I felt uncomfortable telling my colleagues of my leave of absence in order to have a mastectomy because I would not only be talking about breasts, but MY breasts.  I felt timid about sharing my story at the Relay for Life event where hundreds of my own students were in attendance.  Could I get fired for talking about my breasts? 

I went to New York for P.INK Day 2013 with the intention of not allowing pictures and never sharing my new ink with anyone but the three people in my household.  I left New York with my breasts splashed across the Internet from Huffington Post to Pinterest.  I also left and basically lifted up my shirt for anyone I felt would not call the cops on me.

I have an old friend that is a phenomenal photographer.  Christin Lewin who owns Captured by Christin, specializes in infant photography.  But I asked her if she would take some shots of my new ink so I could commemorate this year, this experience and this body.  My stomach will change and my foobs (fake boobs) will change, so I wanted pictures now so I could remember why I did this and the feeling of freedom and pride I had and have after getting P.INK'd.

Secondly, I want to share some of my photos compliments of Captured by Christin.  I love my tattoos.  I love my body and the way my scars are there and visible, as a gentle reminder, but so is an amazing amount of beauty and femininity.  Before I was tattooed I was "different".  I joked about my albino nips, but inside, it was a source of insecurity.  Now, I'm putting pictures of myself, half naked, on the Internet.  Right or wrong, the Megan before P.INK Day 2013 is very different than the Megan that come home.  And I wouldn't want it any other way.

Lots to Talk About...Lulumon, Turn Up the Heat, etc.)

Hello loyal followers. I can't call you readers because, well, I haven't written anything to be read ;-) Several times over the last month I have wanted to jump on here and spew my thoughts, but life, as usual, got in the way. So, here is a back log of my ponderings.....

1. Ovarian National Alliance Turn Up the Heat Event-

"The Ovarian Cancer National Alliance is proud to present the 9th Annual Turn Up the Heat! A Celebration of Women Chefs Gala on February 19, 2014, at our new venue -the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center.

Join more than 400 guests for the food event of the season while raising important funds to fight ovarian cancer! You'll have the chance to mingle with nearly 50 women chefs, restaurant owners and mixologists Click here to purchase tickets or explore the links to discover more."

2. Lulumon and stupidity-
Firstly, I really am trying to be less critical and skeptical of people and at minimum, stop making faces and comments to indicate that I am currently judging and criticizing. However, when anyone makes a statement like the one quote below, I'm sorry, it is no longer within my will power to fight my belief that you are absolutely ridiculous.

Except taken from Chip Wilson's blog post from 2009:

"Breast cancer also came into prominence in the 1990's. I suggest this was due to the number of cigarette-smoking Power Women who were on the pill (initial concentrations of hormones in the pill were very high) and taking on the stress previously left to men in the working world."

Another statements that will be referenced below:

"Quite frankly, some women’s bodies just actually don’t work,” “It’s about the rubbing through the thighs,” and “how much pressure is there.”

WHAT? There are too many leaps in logic in these two sentences for me to adequately address all of them adequately. So, let me just say this; Chip Wilson, you make absurdly expensive women's clothing, yet you are not a woman. You make ludicrous statements about the shape of women's bodies yet you do not have a woman's body. You then make asinine statements about breast cancer, yet you are not medically trained, nor are you a Power Woman. So let me say this as I feel I am ALL of these; women, thigh rubbing and powerful; shut up. You demand too much money for a product you say does work for almost nearly every woman and then you spew inaccuracies and victim blaming statements about women with breast cancer. Shut up.

Get P. INK'd

P.INK Day 2014 wants you! E-mail help@p-ink.org

 

 

Every Voice Matters

From the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Genetic Counselibg Program:

Help future young, high-risk individuals like me and you by participating in a research study! We would love to hear your story! We are looking for women or men under the age of 25 who have undergone genetic testing and know that they carry a BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation to take our online survey! For more details and information or to participate in our research please click here:http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/8HQNVDD

Angelina Jolie Previvor Montage

I stole this montage from a blog called: http://www.helloeverydaylife.com

The video has a lot of great questions regarding BRCA and prophylactic surgery stemming from Angelina's announcement.  I wish the clip included the doctor referenced in the third segment. Again, I'll look for it and update once I'm off mobile.

 

Also stolen from Hello Everyday Life, this graphic on BRCA, who's at risk, what's the risk and general statistics. 

P.INK Day 2013

I just got back from New York City (first trip ever), and I am on a high of positive energy and have a renewed sense of "fight" for the cause. This trip was mind blowing in so many ways. I met amazing women from advocates, to survivors to artists. Everyone gave something to make the weekend as amazing as possible for the participants and the coordinators.

We arrived Sunday night to our hotel. It was crazy driving through the city, through tunnels and across bridges, dodging bikers and pedestrians. It was something I had never seen before. Once we arrived, we got ready for a pre-event reception in lower Manhattan. There I met the P.INK team as well as tattoo artists and fellow survivor participants. Right away the energy in the room was hopeful and excited. We were all so very grateful for each other and listened adoringly to each story as we had a chance to meet and connect. As we said our goodbyes I was overwhelmed with excitement that I had a hard time sleeping.

Monday morning, we all gathered outside of Saved Tattoo in Brooklyn. Saved Tattoo graciously allowed P.INK to use their space and invite guest artists to complete 10 mastectomy tattoos for the first P.INK Day. Stephanie Tomez is a part owner of Saved Tattoo and she, along with other artists of Saved Tattoo participated in marathon tattooing. Some women were there for more than 8 hours of tattooing. That is nothing short of miraculous and fierce for not only the woman being tattooed, but also the tattoo artist.

My artist, Joy Rumore, is from Twelve 28 Tattoo around the corner from Saved Tattoo. She single handedly owns Twelve 28 Tattoo and has a connection with the cause. She herself had a cancer scare herself at 19 and lost loved ones to the disease. We connected immediately on these points and our silly witty personalities. I was tattooed for 3-4 hours and we laughed the entire time. I am honored to say that Joy is a truly beautiful person inside and out and I look forward to a forever friendship and bond from this experience with her.

After we were all tattooed and refreshed, we met for a post reception at a local bar/restaurant. There we talked about the day and exchanged thank yous to the organizers. We got to further meet and talk to Mollie the inspiration behind the entire project (see Mollie's story here). There I was asked an interesting question. What makes a mastectomy tattoo different than any other tattoo? I'll get back to this answer later, because it is a provocative question.

The next day, Tuesday, I was asked to participate in an interview with HuffLive about my experiences with P.INK and P.INK Day 2013. Of course I said yes! While in the "Green Room" (which is not green at all), I rubbed elbows with a super cute TV star, Tyler Blackburn of Pretty Little Liars and Ravenswood. 

After taking pics and drinking yummy coffee drinks, I was on set talking about my mom, my story and P.INK Day 2013.  You can see the full conversation here .  Huffington Post also wrote up a short article about my personal story with BRCA and my mom, as well as clipped just my speaking parts. You can see both the article and the short clip here.

The interview was an amazing experience. I was apprehensive at first being a teacher. I wasn't sure if I would have negative backlash for talking about a sensitive issue so publically. But, after much antagonizing thought, I decided that I am not doing anything wrong, ugly or perverse, so I have nothing to hide or be ashamed of. I dare anyone to say otherwise. Go on, I dare you! (haha)


The experience I had with P.INK cannot be categorized with words. I didn't realize what I was being given and I cannot find the words to adequately express my gratitude, and pride for this organization. I hope to help in any way I can for the future of P.INK and for survivors and women everywhere.

Please consider donating to P.INK 2013 and to future events. 

I donated...

And you should too!

http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/p-ink-day-2013