News from the top

I was in fourth grade when I got my first one. I can remember going to J.C. Penney with my mother, both embarrassed and secretly excited to be growing up.

But any excitement I felt quickly vanished when I went to school the next day. The white blouse of my school uniform did little to hide the mortifying fact that I was the first girl in my class to get a bra.

I was teased as a child for them. Mistaken as an adolescent for being much older than I was (if kids 12 and younger ate free, my mom wanted to bring a copy of my birth certificate), and, as an adult, struggled with extra sports bras and contraptions to get me through a workout. Big boobs just get in the way.

Soon, though, they won’t. Next Thursday, Dec. 15, I will be undergoing breast reduction surgery.

My emotions about this are mixed. I’m mostly excited. I know this is ultimately going to be a fantastic thing for me. Since I was approved for surgery, I’ve been fantasizing during my workouts about how much easier it will be without these things threatening to hit me in the face.

I’m also nervous, though. I’ve never had a major surgery, and this one is no joke. The recovery is pretty extensive, though friends of mine who’ve had it told me it was easier than expected. I hope that’s the case for me, too.

One thing that worries me is getting back into my exercise routine when I’m able. Since I started this whole journey in January 2010 (nearly two years ago—hard to believe), I haven’t gone longer than a week without working out. When I had my initial consultation, one of the first questions I asked was about getting back into my gym routine. The nurse told me I had to wait six weeks before I could resume any high-impact exercise. If you had told me two years ago I couldn’t work out for six weeks, my response would have been a shrug of the shoulders and a “So?” Now, it’s one of my biggest concerns. The nurse told me I could walk, but I’m not sure she realizes how I push my body on a regular basis. Walking just isn’t going to cut it. Still, I’ll do what I can.

I’ll be out of work from next Thursday through the end of the year. I’ll update you here about how I’m doing when I’m feeling up to it (don’t worry—no pictures!). I feel like this is a culmination of something I’ve wanted to do for so long. In fact, the nurse said my weight loss was the major selling point to my insurance company. At the same time, I’m a little scared. So I’ll appreciate all your good thoughts.

And when it’s all said and done? Maybe I’ll actually become a runner. OK, maybe not.