TIT FOR TAT

On September 25^th I am walking in the Susan G. Koman Breast Cancer walk/race and it inspired me to write this poem. I know that this is not a GLBT issue, but I feel gay or straight, we have all been touched by this insidious disease.

My dear friends, Amy and Niki, are in the midst of this battle. They have been together for 10 years and Niki, who is genetically predisposed to breast and ovarian cancer, is battling a rare form of Stage 4 ovarian cancer. During the past two years, Niki has had a bilateral mastectomy, a hysterectomy, and aggressive chemo and radiation, as part of her treatment plan. Niki is a fighter by nature and at this writing she is in remission.

Amy and Niki have weathered this storm with grace and dignity each being a support to one another and we hope and pray there will only be sunny days and blue skies in their future together. So it is for Niki and so many others that I have in my heart, that I share these words with you.

Hugs, Barbara

TIT FOR TAT

There are many names for a woman’s breast,

Tits, the girls, ta ta’s, and jugs, to name a few.

Some are big, some are little and only few are perfect.

We increase them, decrease them and some of us,

We’re better without them.

And then there are those of us, who when we lose them,

Replace them, and honor our scars, we’re survivors.

Our breasts are used to nourish our babes and titillate our mates.

We have push-up bras, we have minimizers and bras for all occasions,

The Wonder bra, the 24 hour bra, sport bra and underwire.

But at the end of the day what is important is this,

No matter the size or shape, lost or replaced,

Our breasts do not define us.

Rich or poor, powerful or weak,

One common denominator binds us together.

At the end of the day, we take our bra’s off,

All the same way,

One strap at a time my friend, one strap at a time. .

Barbara Mulcahy

In honor of my Mother, Ruth Rosenfeld 1924 - 1988

SO YOU THINK YOU CAN BLOG??

Yes you can! I know I’m not the only mother with a voice and after reading Sharon Zimmerman’s great story in the GBPFLAG summer newsletter I realized there are so many other parents and friends who can do this too.

Trust me, if there was a contest to be a blogger, I would have been voted “Most likely never to blog”. I struggle with our universal remote, the CD player is not my friend and changing the ringtone on my phone is not an option. My biggest nightmare has been when “password not recognized” pops up on my screen, it can bring me to my knees. So, if I can blog, so can you.

Although there have been many challenges starting this website, I do not regret the angst and adjada, for it has made me more of myself. I’ve come to realize that it doesn’t matter how many people read my blog, it’s about how it changes the lives of the readers.

So I say to you, don’t be shy, gather your courage and start thinking about starting one. Your friends and family will be educated and entertained by what you have to say. If you can make a difference in your own small way the reward from your hard work is “priceless”.

If you have any questions on how to get started, please contact me at oyveyhesgay@gmail.com. I am certainly not an expert but I would be happy to share what I know. What I have learned since joining PFLAG nine years ago is that when it comes to supporting your child, you find the courage.

Hugs, Barbara