Saturday, August 25, 2018

Making Peace With My Belly After Breast Cancer

If opting for the flat and fabulous look, it's important to learn to make friends with your belly because you're going to see it more often.


PUBLISHED August 25, 2018

Bonnie Annis is a breast cancer survivor, diagnosed in 2014 with stage 2b invasive ductal carcinoma with metastasis to the lymph nodes. She is an avid photographer, freelance writer/blogger, wife, mother and grandmother.
I never really paid much attention to my stomach until after I'd had surgery to remove both breasts. Looking down, I couldn't help but notice that nice, pink, mound of flesh protruding from my midsection. Wow, it looked bigger than I remembered! Or was it more prominent now because I could see it more clearly? In the past, I barely noticed it, although I knew it was there. Years of childbearing had taken their toll on my belly and left their mark in the form of light, colored service stripes of motherhood, also known as stretch marks.

Bellies come in all shapes and sizes. They are quite laughable, especially when they jiggle, like mine. But tummies aren't the focus of this article. My missing breasts are.

Many women who've lost one or more breasts now have a clearer view of their bellies. It's not a laughing matter. They're not very likely to give their tummies much attention. Instead, they are concerned about their missing body part(s) and rightly so.

When a woman loses a breast, its life altering. These symbols of femininity are important. They're also functional. They can feed babies or offer pleasure. But when taken, our bodies respond to the loss.





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