Boobies, Birthdays, and Beauty

It's official - one year ago today I became officially cancer-free. (So, booby pictures are in order. They're at the bottom. I'll put some in the picture gallery so it's easier to see the comparison and how they've healed over a year.)

I celebrated (again) today. I'm a firm believer in celebrating...whatever form it may take. Often, I like the quiet, peaceful sort.

Today, I took myself to the St.Louis Art Museum at Forest Park. (Hubs had to work.)

I had an absolutely perfect day. I caught the train from Scott Air Force Base. I stopped at Burger King on the way to the train for a Dr. Pepper, hashbrowns and the zesty sauce. (The zesty sauce is horseradishey fabulousness.) No preaching please on what may be in the sauce...I started happily eating junk food after I was diagnosed. No guilt. Everything in moderation is what I say.

I caught the train. (Thoroughly enjoy trains! The metro here is extremely clean!) It's about an hour ride to the park where the museum is located. I saw several cardinals on the way in...and a red-tailed hawk. (My favorite.) So, my day started with what is a big thrill for me.

My entire day was filled with beauty - and I think the importance of beauty is all too underrated. Beauty supports the soul, enriches it. Beauty inspires, uplifts and speaks to our highest inclinations as humans.

Check out this view walking up to the museum!

...and this view looking out from the museum. 

The museum was lovely. (I'm one that simply adores that "museum" smell.)

Perhaps it was due to the "booby" centered nature of my celebration today, but as I walked through the museum, I couldn't help but notice all the boobs!

I first noticed these scantily clad ladies outside the museum. Granted, they're Greek (or reminiscent of the Greek statues)...so, you kind of expect them to be baring the "breasticles". (She had a bare-breasted friend on the other side of the door.)

Then, I stepped inside (thank God for air-conditioning...it was hot!)....I stepped inside and more breasts popped out at me...much more tasteful, however, than a certain booby-baring Super-Bowl incident.

In each corner of the main atrium stood an onyx nude - a different female nude in each corner. (Actually, there was a guy in one corner and one of the nudes was on the side.)

I traipsed through the musem, having a ball...in the past I've been maniacal about seeing everything. Today was nice because I floated through stopping only at those things that called to me, that really caught my attention.

As I made my way through (and noticed it was okay to take pictures) I began to snap a picture everytime I saw tatas...or partial tatas....there's lots of booby content in art. (I also got busted once for using the flash - a violation of all museum etiquette everywhere.)

I'll be posting the pictures of the museum boobies periodically.

Until then, here's one of the paintings. I chose this one because I think these are the most perfect boobs of all the shots. This gals' are round, full...gorgeous. Unfortunately, she's not going to be around much longer to enjoy them...and neither will her hubby - be enjoying her boobies that is. She's dying due to the arrow that he's currently pulling out of her chest.

This painting by Joachim Wtewael (Dutch) called "Cephalus and Procris" shows Cephalus pulling an arrow from between Procris' bountiful boobies. Apparently, he said he was going hunting. She thought he was seeing someone else. So, she follows him and hides in a bush. (Make your own jokes.)

Cephalus sees movement in the bush, thinks it's an animal, and shoots. Unfortunately for Procris, her hubs is a great shot.

After taking in one floor, I took myself to lunch.

Like I said, today especially was a day for beauty. So, I checked out the cafe and decided on the restaurant on the second floor....white tablecloths, servers, soft music...aaahhhh.

I was in the mood (always am) to have a beautifully prepared and plated meal, in beautiful surroundings with a good glass of wine...and that's exactly what I had.

I sat overlooking the sculpture garden (or part of it) and the waterfall. Part of the ceiling was glassed so that I could see the sky.

I had the roasted beet salad with herbed goat cheese and a glass of Blanc Baordeaux, Chateau Monjosse (??). I suddenly can't remember the winery. I've been wanting to try a white French Bordeaux and there happened to be one on the menu. Voila!

...I just LOVE beets, so I relished this salad. The goat cheese was a perfect combo as was the dressing. It was a balsamic base - and perfectly balanced.

But lunch was not without its share of boobies. Check out the statue next the the water fountain that I had the pleasure of viewing throughout my lunch. 

Below is the sculpture gal that I "had lunch with." It's a good thing she gets to go topless - or completely nakey in this case...it was warm out there and it's not like she can hop in the fountain right behind her.

I had a wonderful day and then came home. My hubs picked me up at the metro station bearing a dozen peach roses and...Colt 45. Yep, you read that right.

(He likes to tease me and he has a goofy sense of humor...just do you're not too horrified, you should know that he also had a bottle of Moet-Chandon...everyday is great day for champagne in my book! I've got a kick butt hubby.)

He thought the Colt 45 would be funny...and we've never tried it. What is malt liquor anyway?? I'm going to have to look it up. It tasted like very weak, watered down beer.

I chose the dinner place...and I chose Cracker Barrel. I know...not what you'd expect for a big celebration, but to me, celebrations are also about having exactly what I want, and today, I wanted chicken fried steak with grave, fried okra, hashbrown casserole and turnip greens. Mmmmmm good. (Except for the turnip greens.  Forgot that I don't care for Cracker Barrel's turnip greens.) Everything else was great.

So, here are my boobies one year later. The scars look good. The lumpectomy scar is (almost) barely noticeable as are the scars over the nipples. I can only see the port scar on one side.

As far as feeling goes...none on the left side with intermittent feeling on the right. The numb sensation is hard to describe. It's akin to touching a limb that's asleep and being aware that it's being touched without being able to place the location of the touch. The other oddity is that the touch has a feeling of "distance" to it.

Even when I can sense something on the right, sometimes the sensation is pleasant and other times its painful. I do have what I call "phantom" pains. I've noticed the the area on my right side right above my armpit and onto the arm is oddly, slightly numb as well.

My right side especially still acts as a "weather balloon" - very accurate in predicting rain. I kid you not! What's the old saying? "Right as rain."?

I still think that my left side implant has shifted or dropped. I know that they are both 425 cc, but the left side looks smaller...not that I'm complaining.

The only other thing is that I still do not sleep on my stomach. I thought perhaps that would come back as it was my favored way to sleep. It just feels too odd. It's like I can feel the implants directly on my chest wall. Eewww. Don't like it at all.

Overall, I'm completely thrilled with the new tataz. After all, they are cancer free...and make my clothes hang really well. I'd say that I don't have to wear a bra...which, technically, I don't. However, the truth is, I wear one all the time - even to bed. I don't think I posted pics of what I call my "booby harness"...there's somthing comforting about it now. Plus, they put my implants under the skin, not under the muscle. Gives a nicer appearance apparently - and less painful - but there's more of a chance for droop.