Taking Care of Our Girls – Beauty of a Woman #BOAW2018

Well, here we are again. It’s time for my annual blog post, thanks to August McLaughlin’s beautiful self and her 7th Annual Beauty of a Woman Blogfest!

(I really do plan to blog more, seriously. I even have a few posts ready to go!! I am hoping this post is my version of a jumper cable. But anyway…)

By definition, beauty is the quality present in a thing or person that gives intense pleasure or deep satisfaction to the mind, whether arising from sensory manifestations, a meaningful design or platform, or something else.

Now in my third year of participation, I thought I would continue on one of my previous year’s posts and talk about the importance of a woman’s breasts.

Men have always appreciated a woman’s breasts. Not to belittle a man, but they love to ogle a woman’s boobs and do from early on. My boys are one and three years old and they adore my chest, of course they fed off of them for almost a year and a half each. Additionally, an industry thrived for decades because men love to stare at and fantasize about a woman’s breasts. There is nothing wrong with any of this.

Boobs are beautiful.

But have we as women appreciated our breasts as much as the men? Probably not. We’re our worst critics. I bet as a whole, we complain a lot about the pair we have… much like our hair, our thighs, and any other body part we deem imperfect. Notice I said ‘we deem’…

But guess what? Our breasts are AMAZING!

Small, large, super-sized, droopy, perky, it doesn’t matter.

All boobs rock!

That is why it’s important for us to take care of our sisters.

Now 41, it’s time for my first mammogram. I should have had this done at 40, but I was breastfeeding. And before we decide 100% as to whether or not we are finished adding to our family, my OB/GYN is sending me in.

I have my breasts manually checked annually at my female exams. And now it’s time for my mammogram. Not because I have ever been given reason to worry but because of my age. Afterall, this imagery test is just another standard preventative test.

But I’m not going to lie–I am nervous. Like I said, I haven’t ever received any news from my doctor to lead me to worry. Nor do I knowingly have a family history. However, I have known multiple women with breast cancer.

Breast cancer doesn’t discriminate. It attacks 20 somethings; it attacks 60 somethings; it even attacks men! If you have boobs, and everyONE does, you are at risk.

So it’s my time to get checked. It’s my responsibility. My health is not only important to me, but an absolute must for my boys. The way I look at this, I have no other choice.

My Babies Feet. Loves of My Life. For them, I would do anything. (Copyright Tiffany A. White)

Naked from the waist up, covered only by a medical gown, and free of all lotions, powders and deodorants, I walked into the imagery room. The butterflies fluttered ferociously in my belly.  Just like in labor and delivery, I repeatedly reminded myself to breathe. Deep breaths. Deeeeeep breaths.

Is it painful?  Having given birth vaginally twice, I say no. Is it uncomfortable? Yes, but not for my breasts. Most uncomfortable was definitely my armpits.   The technician pulls and repositions the girls in ways you didn’t realize was possible, but I do believe breastfeeding desensitized me.  Even with the awkwardness, it only lasts a few minutes.  And if you are lucky like me, the nurse’s friendliness makes those few minutes fly by.

And then you’re done. Of course then the waiting time begins, probably the most stressful of all.  I was told to not be surprised if I get a call back to come back in for further testing.  This is supposedly normal for first time mammogrammers because they have nothing to compare your images to.  If all is normal, expect an email, but probably the call.  Either way, longest 3-4 business days ever.  Am I right?

So what is beauty to me?  Or better yet, what makes a woman beautiful?

WOMEN ARE BEAUTIFUL.  ALL WOMEN!

Period.

But making the decision to take care of ourselves, our bodies, our breasts and striving to do all we can to remain healthy and fix anything that needs fixing, makes us women even more beautiful.

There are other things that make us beautiful–our pride, our strength, and our resolve!

Take pride in our beings, inside and out. Be proud of who we are. Have the strength to be all we can, including taking all measures to ensure our health. Find the strength to do what’s necessary to regain that health.  And have the resolve to be our #1. If we love us, nothing else matters.

And boobs.

My ‘I Got This!” Face. And yes; I’m wearing PINK for Boobies! (Copyright Tiffany A. White)

It’s time for me to now go brew another cup of my Heaven, my lifeline, my momma juice as I call it–COFFEE–and play dinosaurs and blocks.  Oh, the life of a boy mom!

Thanks again to August for hosting such an awesome event and for inviting me to participate.  As wonderful and as beautiful as us women are, we do need the reminder now and again.

Be sure to stop by Beauty of a Woman #BOAW2018 to join in the fun.

Until next time…

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Update — “No evidence of breast cancer or other significant abnormality!”  Such beautiful words.  I do have dense breast tissue, but was told that’s nothing to worry about–it’s only a talking point for my next visit with my OB/GYN.  YAY!

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Tiffany A. White is the author of the YA mystery Football Sweetheart series available on Kindle and Nook.  She is available for contact via Twitter, Facebook, Google+, or via email at tiffany {at} tiffanyawhite {dot} com.

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This post is part of The Beauty of a Woman BlogFest VII!  To read more entries, and potentially win a fun prize, visit the fest page on August McLaughlin’s site between today and 11pm PST March 9th.