Essence and what not

suicideblonde: Angelina Jolie on why she had a double...

Wed, 22 May 2013 12:01:00 +1000

Angelina Jolie on why she had a double mastectomy, and how it can save lives

My mother fought cancer for almost a decade and died at 56. She held out long enough to meet the first of her grandchildren and to hold them in her arms. But my other children will never have the chance to know her and experience how loving and gracious she was.

We often speak of “Mommy’s mommy,” and I find myself trying to explain the illness that took her away from us. They have asked if the same could happen to me. I have always told them not to worry, but the truth is I carry a “faulty” gene, BRCA1, which sharply increases my risk of developing breast cancer and ovarian cancer.

My doctors estimated that I had an 87 percent risk of breast cancer and a 50 percent risk of ovarian cancer, although the risk is different in the case of each woman.

Only a fraction of breast cancers result from an inherited gene mutation. Those with a defect in BRCA1 have a 65 percent risk of getting it, on average.

Once I knew that this was my reality, I decided to be proactive and to minimize the risk as much I could. I made a decision to have a preventive double mastectomy. I started with the breasts, as my risk of breast cancer is higher than my risk of ovarian cancer, and the surgery is more complex.

On April 27, I finished the three months of medical procedures that the mastectomies involved. During that time I have been able to keep this private and to carry on with my work.

But I am writing about it now because I hope that other women can benefit from my experience. Cancer is still a word that strikes fear into people’s hearts, producing a deep sense of powerlessness. But today it is possible to find out through a blood test whether you are highly susceptible to breast and ovarian cancer, and then take action.

My own process began on Feb. 2 with a procedure known as a “nipple delay,” which rules out disease in the breast ducts behind the nipple and draws extra blood flow to the area. This causes some pain and a lot of bruising, but it increases the chance of saving the nipple.

Two weeks later I had the major surgery, where the breast tissue is removed and temporary fillers are put in place. The operation can take eight hours. You wake up with drain tubes and expanders in your breasts. It does feel like a scene out of a science-fiction film. But days after surgery you can be back to a normal life.

Nine weeks later, the final surgery is completed with the reconstruction of the breasts with an implant. There have been many advances in this procedure in the last few years, and the results can be beautiful.

I wanted to write this to tell other women that the decision to have a mastectomy was not easy. But it is one I am very happy that I made. My chances of developing breast cancer have dropped from 87 percent to under 5 percent. I can tell my children that they don’t need to fear they will lose me to breast cancer.

It is reassuring that they see nothing that makes them uncomfortable. They can see my small scars and that’s it. Everything else is just Mommy, the same as she always was. And they know that I love them and will do anything to be with them as long as I can. On a personal note, I do not feel any less of a woman. I feel empowered that I made a strong choice that in no way diminishes my femininity.

I am fortunate to have a partner, Brad Pitt, who is so loving and supportive. So to anyone who has a wife or girlfriend going through this, know that you are a very important part of the transition. Brad was at the Pink Lotus Breast Center, where I was treated, for every minute of the surgeries. We managed to find moments to laugh together. We knew this was the right thing to do for our family and that it would bring us closer. And it has.

For any woman reading this, I hope it helps you to know you have options. I want to encourage every woman, especially if you have a family history of breast or ovarian cancer, to seek out the information and medical experts who can help you through this aspect of your life, and to make your own informed choices.

I acknowledge that there are many wonderful holistic doctors working on alternatives to surgery. My own regimen will be posted in due course on the Web site of the Pink Lotus Breast Center. I hope that this will be helpful to other women.

Breast cancer alone kills some 458,000 people each year, according to the World Health Organization, mainly in low- and middle-income countries. It has got to be a priority to ensure that more women can access gene testing and lifesaving preventive treatment, whatever their means and background, wherever they live. The cost of testing for BRCA1 and BRCA2, at more than $3,000 in the United States, remains an obstacle for many women.

I choose not to keep my story private because there are many women who do not know that they might be living under the shadow of cancer. It is my hope that they, too, will be able to get gene tested, and that if they have a high risk they, too, will know that they have strong options.

Life comes with many challenges. The ones that should not scare us are the ones we can take on and take control of.

"I wanted to put a reference to masturbation in one of the scripts for the Sandman. It was..."

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:00:41 +1000

“I wanted to put a reference to masturbation in one of the scripts for the Sandman. It was immediately cut by the editor. She told me, “There’s no masturbation in the DC Universe.” To which my reaction was, “Well that explains a lot about the DC Universe.””

- Neil Gaiman (via worldwarlove)

(OH SNAP)

And how many lives have you saved?

Mon, 20 May 2013 12:00:53 +1000

And how many lives have you saved?

somekindofhelicoptervalentine: thefingerfuckingfemalefury: writ...

Sun, 19 May 2013 12:00:56 +1000

somekindofhelicoptervalentine:

thefingerfuckingfemalefury:

writeroffates:

thefingerfuckingfemalefury:

logicallunacy:

Steampunk Corsets from Corset-Story.com.

SO MUCH UNF

God but I need to own these fabulous corsets <3

I’m still trying to convince my parents that that forth corset would be a perfect birthday gift.

^ This would be the actual best birthday gift ever :D

I am totally going to be asking the Birthday Skeleton for one of these gorgeous corsets…

omg gimme.

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Sat, 18 May 2013 12:00:38 +1000

vegkid: This made me forget all of my problems for like 12...

Sat, 18 May 2013 11:22:39 +1000

vegkid:

This made me forget all of my problems for like 12 seconds.

the-absolute-funniest-posts: allielovestv: #the most feared...

Fri, 17 May 2013 12:00:53 +1000

the-absolute-funniest-posts:

allielovestv:

#the most feared being on the whole seven kingdoms

This post has been featured on a 1000notes.com blog.

sigfodr: What if the Starks didn’t make stupid...

Thu, 16 May 2013 17:45:52 +1000

sigfodr:

What if the Starks didn’t make stupid decisions? x

“Okay, I won’t trust you then”

IF ONLY THINGS WERE DIFFERENT

“I have a gift for you as well.” She slammed the chest shut....

Thu, 16 May 2013 12:00:57 +1000

“I have a gift for you as well.” She slammed the chest shut. “Three days. On the morning of the third day, send out your slaves. All of them. Every man, woman, and child shall be given a weapon, and as much food, clothing, coin, and goods as he or she can carry. These they shall be allowed to choose freely from among their masters’ possessions, as payment for their years of servitude. When all the slaves have departed, you will open your gates and allow my Unsullied to enter and search your city, to make certain none remain in bondage. If you do this, Yunkai will not be burned or plundered, and none of your people shall be molested. The Wise Masters will have the peace they desire, and will have proved themselves wise indeed. What say you?”

“I say, you are mad.”

“Am I?” Dany shrugged, and said, “Dracarys.”

The dragons answered. Rhaegal hissed and smoked, Viserion snapped, and Drogon spat swirling red-black flame. It touched the drape of Grazdan’s tokar, and the silk caught in half a heartbeat. Golden marks spilled across the carpets as the envoy stumbled over the chest, shouting curses and beating at his arm until Whitebeard flung a flagon of water over him to douse the flames.

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Wed, 15 May 2013 12:00:36 +1000

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Tue, 14 May 2013 12:00:44 +1000

xxadenthornxx: Cheers. To Flynn Rider. The closest Disney...

Mon, 13 May 2013 12:00:59 +1000

xxadenthornxx:

Cheers. To Flynn Rider. The closest Disney ever came

to a realistic male character.

All the awards.

and the only disney character to question why everyone is singing.

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Sun, 12 May 2013 12:00:46 +1000

saucyminxalenko: lightspeedsound: manybodies: lightspeedsound:...

Sat, 11 May 2013 12:00:42 +1000

saucyminxalenko:

lightspeedsound:

manybodies:

lightspeedsound:

lunapics:

theshells:

I can’t stop laughing at Harry running the fuck away, the boy who lived ladies and gentlemen.

….You realize, of course, that Hermione Granger lit a teacher on fire when she was eleven, and kept a person alive in a jar for a year when she was fourteen, and studies dark and forbidden magics for kicks, and is one of the brightest and strongest witches of her era. If she came at me, even wandless, I would aparate to Neptune to get away from her.

Hermione Granger also:

punched Draco Malfoy in the nose for being an idiot

purposefully performed a confundus charm on whatshsface WHILE HE WAS FLYING just so Ron would win (omfg that is so fucking dangerous)

literally pulled a fucking Bourne Identity on her parents and managed to set them up in fucking Australia (jesus christ she literally made it so that she NEVER EXISTED wtf that’s so fucking 007)

Convinced the Ministry of Magic to give her an incredibly dangerous and volatile device that allowed her to ALTER TIMELINES COMPLETELY (just because she was so smart, literally, that is the reason, her “potential”)

Has enough basic survival skills and badass magic to literally disappear to the middle of nowhere and flourish AND figure out Voldemort’s plot with Harry

Hermione also figures out not only what Voldemort’s plan is, but generally how to beat it, WAY BEFORE VOLDEMORT EVER DOES. Why? because she is just that much smarter and better at magic than everybody else

in conclusion: Voldemort wishes he could be as awesome as Hermione, that’s why he wants to kill her so bad.

Can we rehave this series with hermione as the protagonist.

Hermione Granger and “That Time I Used the Power of Research and Deductive Reasoning to Make Sure Harry Didn’t Die”

Hermione Granger and “That time I figured shit out and literally ended up petrified for the cause and it took my friends weeks to figure out that I had the research on me”

Hermione Granger and “That Time I Was a Time Lord”

Hermione Granger and “That Time I Realized I was Hot and Smart and Saved Harry’s Ass with Research. Again. All the Time. Really, He Would Have Died Without Me.”

Hermione Granger and “That time Harry was too emo to actually do shit so I did shit in his name because I am the power behind the throne clearly also PS fought evil deatheaters and won”

Hermione Granger and “That Time I told Harry about the Dangers of Copying off Somebody’s else’s work that wasn’t mine and OH LOOK I WAS RIGHT”

Hermione Granger and “That Time I let Harry Decide Where to Go and What To do and we ended up wandering the forests of dean for like 5 months before saving his ass at Hogwarts”

I love Hermione. but I don’t think the character would be served her proper purpose as the lead - she has so much awesomeness that she already is a tour de force. All the characters are perfect as they are

Reblogging for the notes :’D

boobs-birds-botany: dirtyberd: The clitoris: nature’s tiny...

Fri, 10 May 2013 12:00:33 +1000

boobs-birds-botany:

dirtyberd:

The clitoris: nature’s tiny dick

DON’T IGNORE THE CLITORIS

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Thu, 09 May 2013 12:00:41 +1000

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Wed, 08 May 2013 12:00:44 +1000

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Tue, 07 May 2013 12:00:53 +1000

sketchythoughtsart: Finally finished with the 3 dragon...

Mon, 06 May 2013 12:00:48 +1000

sketchythoughtsart:

Finally finished with the 3 dragon feathers, next I’ll likely be moving onto animals.

Green dragon on juvenile herring gull feather (24cm x 4cm).

When you try to make a joke, but nobody thinks it's funny.

Sun, 05 May 2013 21:12:28 +1000

lolsofunny:

laugh-addict:

(lol here!)

Yep, that’s me here in Weipa. Nerdy, pop culture enthusiast 26 yr old chick amongst older outdoorsy, hard yakka, pure Aussie men.
They’re awesome, it’s just, I feel so socially awkward right now! Maybe it’s the moon phase…. English can be hard.