Odd title for a blog, yes? Well, I like to get straight to the point most of the time so today shouldn’t be any different. With that in mind…
There are many names for breasts. Some of them juvenile, similar to the label I just used. Tatas, boobies, bazangas, cans, yams etc. etc. Men love them. Lesbians love them. Hell, everyone in the LGBTQIA umbrella loves them in one form or another. That much is universal. Breasts exist for pleasure, sustenance, and for some women their identity as female is directly related to them.
I am not one of those women.
You see, the existence of my breasts, tatas, boobies, cans, yams whatever you choose to call them, could very well prove dangerous for me one day. My chance of developing breast cancer is exceedingly high, over 50%. That’s based on my history of ten biopsies/procedures, and when they were alive, my mother’s and aunt’s bouts with cancer. It killed my aunt, but my mother was a two time survivor. She beat the shit out of cancer. It was COVID-19 that got her in the end. That my friends is another story.
Due to all that, and back to back to back biopsies in 2018, 2019, and 2020 I went from contemplating a preventative bilateral mastectomy to actively planning it. I discussed it with my wife and after my latest biopsy just over a month or so ago I decided to discuss it with my oncologist.
Yeah, I don’t have cancer but I have an oncologist. I’ve never had cancer, but the lumps and micro-calcifications found through mammography have ended up being highly…highly suspicious. With my mind made up, I wrote her this long email, outlining my decision and asking her to advocate with my insurance company to see if they would pay or partly pay for a preventative mastectomy.
Wanna know what she said? Sure you do. She said no. She would not advocate for me. She said this was a drastic measure and she empathize with me going through back to back biopsies. She said she recalculated my chances for breast cancer and they could actually be lower…although still higher than the average.
Am I supposed to say yay?
Fuck that. I decided to raise the money or at least some of the $20,000 I need and there was Rachel Byrne with a brilliant idea, an auction. As a result, starting at 12:00am CST on July 25th, KD Preventative Mastectomy Fund/Auction will commence on Facebook until August 1st. In an outpouring of support and affection I never thought I’d receive or deserved, over a hundred lesfic/WLW authors joined me in donating autographed paperbacks and some audiobooks. There’s even a few writers who are auctioning off the rights to name characters all to the highest bidders. Melissa Brayden, Georgia Beers, Lise Mactague, Ann McMan, G Benson, Lee Winter, A.L. Brooks, Anne Shade, Penny Micklebury, Cheryl A. Head. Catherine. M. Wilson just to name a few. Every time I think about all the emails, and private messages I’ve gotten from authors, it takes my breath away.
Go have a look at the list and the instructions for bidding. I think you’ll be as floored as I am: AUCTION
Will you come? I hope you do. If you decide to stay, here are some instructions:
1. Bidding starts on July 25th, 12am CST and ends 3pm on August 1st.
2. All bids will be visible so readers will be able to up their bid if needed.
3. Click on the discussion tab to unroll all the posts for viewing
4. Bid within the post of the book, books, audiobook or so on you are looking to win.
5. On August 1st at 3pm, the highest bidder wins.
6. I will make a list of the winners and the corresponding book or book set.
7. The winning bidder will deposit their donation in US dollars via paypal at terpister@yahoo.com and add a note with their names so I can match them up. Those funds will go into a savings account.
8. I will email the winner and the author so shipping can be set up.
If you can’t, with the urging of friends, I’ve created a GOFUNDME which has soared to $5000 in a short time.
All of this is so strange to me. I’ve gone from encouraging readers to buy my books to asking for money. It wasn’t an easy thing to do, but I’m doing it.
I have to.
Women and Words 