Advocating

So - the Scene article has come and gone. My family managed to snag several copies and I've actually been getting all kinds of emails and calls as a result of the article. I'd say it was a wild success... and raised awareness some. Or at least I hope it did, because it would kill me to learn that I had a nude picture of my fat ass on a major publication for nothing. Seriously.

A quick update on my current health situation...

I started physical therapy two weeks ago. It's going all right and, once again, they're not sure what to do with me. Physically, I'm not what they're used to dealing with. I'm only doing the physical therapy because my surgeon insisted... but I think that the therapists are a bit flabbergasted when I tell them that I want to get back to bench pressing 100% of my body weight. They're used to dealing with women, many of them older, who have trouble lifting more than 20 or 30 pounds. Add to that the fact that I've kept up on my cardio and ran a 5K a few weeks, and they're truly at a loss. Today, one of them told me that I was, for all intents and purposes, an athlete and they needed to approach it from that point.

Oh, and they're really concerned about lymphodema. So much so, that they've got me doing stupid stretches to 'improve my plymphatic flow.' In other words, I'm doing stupid stretches that have little value other than to waste my time. (And, as always, the flier they gave me had pictures of women doing the stretches because... wait for it... men don't usually have this problem. Sigh).

So I went today and got fitted for a lymphodema sleeve. It's an elastic support sleeve that's supposed to prevent lymphdema and I now have to wear it whenever I work out, do anythingespecially strenuous, or fly.

Sadly, they didn't have any cool ones. They had colors (Flesh-colored, pink, pastel blue, and brown)as well as black. I asked if they had any that looked like, I don't know, full sleeve tattoos or something. They laughed. I went with a black one and will just suffer under the fact that, when I work out, I'll look like I just came from the Hot Topic. Imprinted lymphodema sleeves that look like you have a full sleeve tattoo is a wide open area for development, by the way. If you're looking to make a million dollars, run with it. I don't time myself...

I was also told by my thearpist to start working on my core. What they really mean is ab work. According to the therapist, my core strenght is seriously lacking. I didn't arguw with her because I know that my abs suck. I hate ab work with a passion and have always neglected it. Unfortunately, I mentioned it to Michelle, and now it looks like I'm doing crunches every night from now on. Damn it.

So, I'm also busting my ass to lose weight because my 20 year reunion's coming up at the end of Neovember. The working out will, I hope, work.

Fingers crossed...

One final note... I received an email from Cathy Reid at outoftheshadowofpink.com. See the full transcript of her email below. Please take the time to head over to her site and sign up to make the thirs week of October National Male Breast Cancer week.

Thanks!

Hi! I’ve been working to have the 3rd week in October designated as Male
Breast Cancer Week in memory of Joe. The information below is a rough draft
of our proclamation. It would be greatly appreciated if you would be
willing to sign this proclamation. If you are willing, just let me know and
I will add your name to the list. Please feel free to forward this to
anyone else that you believe would be interested in helping to establish
this vital awareness campaign.

Please send your response to creid@outoftheshadowofpink.com

Thanks so very much!

Sincerely,
Cathy Reid
Proclamation for the Third Week of October

MALE BREAST CANCER AWARENESS WEEK*

*Be It Resolved…*

*WHEREAS*, each year 450 men will die from male breast cancer and the
numbers are increasing. Men are typically diagnosed at a late stage and we
believe this is primarily due to a lack of awareness that men too can
develop the disease.

*WHEREAS*, it behooves each of us, men, women, parents, siblings,
educators, physicians and citizens to promote awareness of the disease and possibly save men’s lives.

*WHEREAS*, we must educate the world to the reality of this disease, and

*WHEREAS*, in remembrance of the many men who have lost their lives or are
fighting for their lives, due to a lack of awareness, *it is appropriate
that we designate the Third Week of October as Male Breast Cancer Awareness
Week.*
*********************************************************************
*2009 SUPPORTERS*

- Cathy Reid (Walkersville, MD), Executive Director, Out of the Shadow of Pink, www.outoftheshadowofpink..com - Wife of Joe Reid who died of Male Breast Cancer in 2009
- Monica Stevens (Walkersville, MD), Director, Out of the Shadow of Pink,
Daughter of Joe Reid, mstevens@outoftheshadowofpink.com
- Brandon Greening, (St Leonard, MD), Director, Brandon Greening Foundation
for Male Breast Cancer, www.breastcancerinmen.org - Male Breast Cancer
Survivor
- Connie Greening, (St Leonard, MD), wife of male breast cancer patient
- Jack Reid (Beallsville, MD), brother of male breast cancer victim
- James Reid (Laurel, MD), brother of male breast cancer victim
- Jack Reid Jr (Beallsville, MD)
- Jay Reid (Charlestown, WV) brother of male breast cancer victim
- Cynthia Reid (Bowie, MD), sister of male breast cancer victim
- Cheryl and David Mikulka (Crofton, MD), sister-in-law of male breast
cancer victim
- Michael Mikulka (Crofton, MD)
- Becca Williams (Crofton, MD)
- Debbie Radzilowski (Crofton, MD)
- Shawn Radzilowski (Crofton, MD)
- Brandon Radzilowski (Crofton, MD)
- Kristin and Brandon Bubar (Bath, ME)
- Denise and Gary Meese (Germantown, MD)
- Steven Call (Germantown, MD)
- Erin and Mike Colacurccio (Jacksonville, FL)
- Janice Beckham (Salisbury, MD)
- Christine Smith (Salisbury, MD)
- Kim Ortega (Salisbury, MD)
- Denise Payne (Oxen Hill, MD), breast cancer survivor
- Kevin Payne (Oxen Hill, MD)
- Kirstin Washington (Germantown, MD)
- Robert Stansbury (Wheaton, MD)
- Jen and Phil Nicholson (Germantown, MD)
- Jason Bradford (Germantown, MD)
- Pasquale Luciani (Bowie, MD)
- Jody Buyck, RN (Endicott, NY), breast cancer survivor
- Karen Luciani
- Ralph Luciani (Vestal, NY)
- Carol Addison, RN (Pinellas Park, MD)
- Becky Hildebrand (Lititz, PA)
- Stuart Bridges (CA)
- Nanette and Richard Levy (Las Vegas, NV)
- Sue Lewis (Hyattstown, MD)
- Heath and Nicole Hykas (Hagerstown, MD)