Why I Will Wear Lipstick

The movie, "Why I Wore Lipstick to My Mastectomy" by Geralyn Lucas was on the Lifetime Channel this past Monday night. For anyone who may have missed it or who didn't know even anything about it, you have another opportunity to see it this Saturday night. The Lifetime channel is rebroadcasting the movie at 9:00 p.m.

I first learned about this book about two months ago when I was out shopping one afternoon. A woman in her early 30s, who recognized my telltale signs of chemo, approached me to share her own personal story of breast cancer. She recommended this book, but I never did pick it up. Then this past Sunday, I learned during my Young Breast Cancer Victors (YBCV) gathering that the book had been turned into a movie and was being aired Monday evening. A couple of people even called me to let me know about it. (Thank you, Ann and Auntie Jo!) My sister-in-law, Julie also mentioned it in her blog comment on Monday.

Jeralyn was only 27 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. When I think about what a total basket case I was at the age of 27, it makes me really appreciate the courage, emotional capacity, and sense of humor this woman had to deal with her diagnosis at such a young age. Okay, I wasn't a total basket case, but I certainly didn't have the inner strength, maturity, and benefit of life experience I now have, nor did I have the entire, incredible support system that presently surrounds me. I admire all of the very young women who are forced to face a disease that is likely to be more aggressive and serious when it strikes women in their 20s and 30s.

Bo and I watched the movie together, and he enjoyed it as much as I did. There were many moments that elicited tears and just as many that elicited laughter. I could relate to much of what Geralyn experienced such as feeling like a fraud while wearing a wig. There were other things she expressed that I didn't ever encounter such as thinking of herself as damaged goods and fear that her husband would leave her as a result of this imperfection. The whole strip club visit never crossed my mind; although if it had, the closest thing we have to that type of establishment in Williamsburg is the oh so controversial Hooters. I also haven't done the wet t-shirt prance in front of the construction workers, but... hmmm... I still have six days left...

This movie reinforced for me that while many women may share the common experience of breast cancer, we all have our unique responses to it, our own ways of processing through it, and our own paths to healing.

So why will I wear lipstick to my mastectomy? Because Julie told me to. Today when I returned home from my pre-op appointment with Dr. H, there were two packages waiting for me. Julie had sent me a copy of Jeralyn's book. She had also sent me at tube of brilliantly red shade of lipstick called "Fire Down Below" with a note, "Wear lipstick to your mastectomy." I laughed, and I got a little misty eyed too. I loved the message of support, encouragement, and pure spunk that Julie was sending to me through that tube of undeniable, kick ass, red lipstick. So I will wear "Fire Down Below" next Wednesday for me and for all of the other women in this sisterhood of breast cancer. Cancer may take our breasts, it may take our hair, it may even someday take our lives, but it will never steal our spirits or the fire deep within all of us! You go girls!!

I wonder how many women will go to their mastectomies armed with lipstick as a result of Geralyn...