SHAME ON YOU!
"I'm sorry. I wish I had better news. You have the beginnings of Stage 4 breast cancer. You have a good chance, however, of survival. We will need to do surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. It will be very difficult for both of you, and we need to do the surgery as soon as possible."
Although the news was expected to some degree, no one can quite be prepared to hear the pronouncement. Sheila asked, "What do you mean by surgery? Are you going to take the cancerous part of one of my breasts out?"
"No. If we tried that, I'm afraid we would be back here in less than a year or so to do more surgery. We have found it best that we remove both breasts to ensure we got it all. Even then, there's a chance it may have already spread. In your case, I'm pretty sure that the surgery and other therapy will do the trick."
"It's easy for you to say, 'cut off her breasts.' You don't have breasts! I won't be a woman anymore!" Sheila started crying.
Kurt, her husband spoke up, "Sheila, you will still be a woman: the woman I love and cherish. If it will keep you alive, you need to do it."
The doctor chimed in. "Mrs. Ambrose, your insurance covers breast surgery and plastic surgery. You will get two new breasts that, as far as appearance under clothing, will make you look normal. As far as function, however, you won't be able to breast feed. It will take several progressive surgeries to get the results that I believe you will feel comfortable about. We've done many of these over the years and we've gotten better each time. As far as the new breasts are concerned, many women tell me that either no one noticed or had actually heard comments that her breasts looked better than before."
"Better? How?"
"Well, you can choose the size and shape breasts you want. Most women choose larger breasts and more rounded. But that would be up to you."
"You mean I can have larger breasts if I want. Kurt, wouldn't you like that?"
"I would like anything that keeps you alive and healthy. If you want bigger breasts, go for it."
"All right. When can you do the surgery?"
Sheila's surgery went well. She was in considerable pain, but Kurt, her mother or her sister helped her through. All three took turns performing some of Sheila's household chores. Her school let her have a year sabbatical from teaching.
The reaction to the chemotherapy and radiation was worse than the surgery. It was hard for Sheila to eat or even drink at times. She lost a lot of weight and hair. Vomiting was almost a daily part of her life for what seemed a long time. Kurt provided most of her care. He used up all the vacation and sick leave time he could before applying for the Family Leave program. That meant he kept his job even with the long absence. He turned down a job promotion because it would have kept him away from home while Sheila was still recovering.
It was a year before Sheila felt like she was back to normal. Actually, she felt she was better than normal. In high school she was teased as belonging to the 'Little Bitty Titty Club.' Now she had a 36 C bra size. She was more than confident in her appearance. Sheila had a huge personality change.
Although she had lost a lot of weight, she knew she would gain some of it back. Sheila enrolled herself and Kurt at a gym and they started working out. Healthy weight was gained to the right places. By the time her hair grew back, she was looking good. She asked Kurt, "Did you see how those college boys were looking at me?"
"All the men noticed how good you look. I'm proud of your hard work. I'm most glad that you're healthier now than you ever have been."
"I've never had men look at me that way. It's exciting. Do you think they might be hoping to have sex with me? That would be so cool."
"You want to attract men who want to have sex with you?"
"You know I don't want to have sex with anyone but you, BUTTTT, it makes me feel alive to know that I'm attractive to other men besides you. I've always wondered why someone as handsome was you wanted to marry me. Now I feel like I'm more in your class of looks."
"Sheila, I ALWAYS have thought you were pretty, inside and out. Now the outside part is more glamorous. I'm glad you're happy with it but looks aren't everything."
"Well, looks may not be everything, but I'm going to enjoy showing off my new looks."
"Just be sure not to show too much." Sheila dismissed his concern.
Sheila couldn't wear anything daring when she returned to teaching middle school science. It did not matter. It did not take showing a lot of skin or wearing tight clothes to make middle school boys lust after their female teachers. She could tell the looks she got from the boys were more lingering than before. It actually helped with discipline as the boys did not want to get in trouble with the object of their carnal desires.
It was at outings and parties that Sheila's wardrobe changed the most. She wanted to display her new wares in the front window. Men more than noticed. She got comments which she appreciated. The more risqué the comments, the more she approved, leading to more suggestive comments and the desire to touch her 'new puppies.' When she danced with men, being held close meant rubbing her large breasts against the men. She escalated their lust by rubbing their crotches with her lower body. There were more tents than at a Boy Scout Jamboree.
After the first night Sheila had shown off the new her, she exclaimed to Kurt when they got home, "Wasn't that great! Men other than you thought I was sexy!
Kurt hated to criticize Sheila. She suffered greatly but had beaten death. She deserved some celebration of life. He kept things bottled up until he could take it no more. Before the party at the Barnes home, Kurt firmly asked her to tone down her flirting. Sheila poo-pooed his concerns as foolish jealousy. She said he should be proud that other men found her attractive. She was just having fun enjoying the attention of men she had not gotten before.
That night the kissing, rubbing, and groping was the worst yet. He was especially upset when one of the men appeared to have his hand under her skirt and was close, if not touching, between her legs. She seemed to offer no resistance. Kurt went over and the hand was quickly withdrawn. The men appeared amused at Kurt rather than feeling guilty for groping his wife.
"Sheila, I would like for us to go now."
"Why? I'm having a good time. Go mingle with the others." She turned away to pay more attention to the circle of men she was entertaining with bawdy jokes.
In a more determined voice, Kurt said, "Sheila, I would like for us to go now."
"Well, I don't care what you would like. You are my husband, but not my master. I am here to have fun, so I'm not going now." Again, she turned away.
"Good-bye Shelia."
It was almost 2:00 am when Kurt received a phone call. "Kurt, where are you? I need a ride home."
"I told you I wanted to leave. I'm already in bed. Get one of your many admirers to take you home. I'm going back to bed." He hung up.
Sheila was mad. None of her male friends were sober enough to take her home. The wives of the men were not interested in doing her any favors after she dominated the attention of their husbands all night. She took a taxi home.
The house was dark. She staggered up the porch steps and fumbled with the keys before she found the right one. "Bastard could have left a light on." Sheila opened the door. She made no effort to be quiet. "I hope I wake him up." She smiled momentarily. After throwing her purse and her wrap on the living room couch, she went upstairs, clutching to the handrail all the way.
Her heels clopped down the laminated wood floor hallway to the master bedroom. The door swung open and thumped against the door stop on the wall. She turned the light on only to be disappointed that Kurt was not in the bed. Her deliberate noisiness had been for vain. "Let him sleep in the guestroom. The bed in there sucks." Only the outer layer of her clothing came off before she fell into bed, instantly sleeping.
It was almost noon on Saturday before Sheila awoke. When she saw the clock, she wondered why Kurt had allowed her to sleep that late. She sniffed the air and did not detect the smell of coffee and breakfast that Kurt usually fixed on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Sheila figured Kurt was waiting until she awoke. She did need the extra sleep.
Putting on her robe, Sheila again had to use the handrails to descend the stairs. Once in the kitchen, she quickly saw that no coffee had been made, much less breakfast. Luckily, they had a Keurig besides the regular coffee pot. The pod of coffee wasn't Sheila's favorite, but it was quick, and she needed the caffeine as soon as possible. She put a Pop Tart in the toaster, a quickie meal usually reserved for running late days.
After the makeshift breakfast, Sheila looked out into the garage and saw only her car there. Kurt must have gone out for breakfast to continue his pouting from last night. "Now I'll have two beds to make up. He'll pay for this snit fit."
Sheila went upstairs to the guest bedroom. She was surprised to see the bed was made. In fact, it did not look like it had been slept in at all. "Where the hell is he?" She called his cell phone.
"Hello, Sheila." No terms of endearment.
"Hello, shit-head. Where the hell are you? You told me that you were going to bed when I called last night."
"No, I said I was 'in bed.' I didn't say I was in a bed at our house. I wasn't sure if you were going to bring home one of your boyfriends, so I left for a motel."
"Damn it Kurt, you know I was just flirting. Well, get your ass back here. We need to talk."
"We're talking now. I don't see why I need to come back there."
"You are being childish and ridiculous. What are you so upset about?"
"I got sick and tired of you kissing, being groped by, and having your pussy played with in front of all those men."
"Good grief, is that's all that's bothering you? We were just having a good time. The men were friendly, and I was going along with it. Nothing so bad happened for you to get so pissy about. At least THEY were pleased with how I look now."
"Just friendly? Oh really. How about answering these questions? Remember I saw you, so you better answer truthfully."
"You better watch your threats with me, buster. But go ahead. Ask away and I'll be honest."
"Did you or did you not kiss other men?"
"Sure, I did. They were just friendly kisses."
