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Surviving Breast Cancer : in Balance
If you had told me when I first started paying the Medicare Payroll Tax in my twenties that one benefit was I could get free lingerie when I was 65 , I would have laughed myself silly . Yet fourteen months after my breast cancer surgery , I walked out of the Cancer Center Boutique with a gift — three post-surgical bras and a silicone prosthesis .
I needed a prosthesis , my oncologist said , “ To make you even . When we get dressed up , we women like to look even .” Apparently , the federal government is also invested in breast cancer survivors being even . They don ’ t like to see us leaning too far to the right or the left , I suppose . 1 out of 8 women in the U . S . has had , or will have breast cancer . This means that if all survivors leaned the same way , it would completely mess up the whole checks and balances thing our democracy is founded on . Instead of having red states and blue states , the whole map would be pink .
I came into the boutique feeling rather sheepish . First , the whole idea of getting bras from my uncle — even though it was Uncle Sam — seemed rather sleazy . Second , I didn ’ t know what kind of bra Medicare would cover , because I knew from looking online that quality post-surgical bras and prostheses are expensive . Third , the way the boutique is set up makes it look like an upscale designer lingerie and hat shop .
I was immediately put at ease by Lynore , the certified specialist who fitted me . She explained the various features of the bras they carry in the shop , and they were the same quality as the ones I ’ d seen on line . Lynore didn ’ t just discuss fit and fashion , she also discussed the care and cleaning of the prosthesis . “ Do you have any pets , other than a goldfish ?” she asked . I thought it an odd question , but came to understand that from Lynore ’ s experience , a goldfish is about the only pet that ’ s safe for a woman with a breast prosthesis .
Part of caring for your prosthesis involves keeping it away from your dog — he will mistake it for a chew toy . Cats may jump on it and knead until it ’ s flat as a pillow that has lost its
BY MARY ELIZABETH LANG
stuffing . If you have pet mice be careful , they like to gnaw around the edges . If this happens , you will no longer look even . You will look like part of your government handout has been gnawed away by Congressional budget cuts . “ If any pet damage occurs ,” Lynore said , “ you will have to replace your prosthesis at your own expense , because Medicare will only pay for one every two years .” I was still getting used to the idea that the government wanted to give me a free prosthesis , so I didn ’ t need convincing that they didn ’ t want to pay for pet chew toys .
Also , Lynore warned , Medicare will not pay for a replacement if I fail to keep the prosthesis clean and it deteriorates . She told me to wash the prosthesis daily in mild soap and water and let it air dry on a flat surface . My mind raced about my home looking for any place I could put it while it dried .
On the bathroom vanity ? No , my two cats can jump up there easily . On the clothesline outside ? No , the squirrels might find it and mistake it for winter nesting material . I finally settled on a towel on top of my bookshelves .
After giving me my final instructions , Lynore tied my shopping bag handles together with a pink bow and wished me luck . As I walked through the door of the cancer center wearing my new prosthesis , I realized I was feeling much more balanced , poised and confident . I was , as my oncologist said I would be , happy to be “ even ” once again . I began to understand why Medicare benefits cover post-surgical bras and prostheses . These items are every bit a part of the healing from breast cancer . A prosthesis is thousands of dollars cheaper than reconstructive surgery , also an option under Medicare . Contemplating this , I felt downright patriotic . I had saved Uncle Sam money ! Maybe the next post-surgical bra I get should be red , white , and blue .
MARY ELIZABETH LANG is a retired English instructor , a freelance writer and poet , and a cancer survivor .
Summer 2013 THE PINK PAPER
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