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Bare-breasted Mama | May 2007

Somewhere in the Meld

By Gail Konop Baker

I remember the morning my first Literary Mama column went live. I woke early and before I even put the water on for coffee, I grabbed my computer and logged on to the site, excited, until BARE-BREASTED MAMA popped out from the screen like a Times Square Broadway Show marquee, and as I read the column it felt as if I were stripping naked, beyond naked, peeling back too many layers, exposing the scars on my skin and my psyche. What had I been thinking?

A little more than a year ago, a few weeks after surgery, I kissed and waved my children off to school and thought I should go to my desk and either revise my novel or send out some queries or start a new novel, but instead I sat by the window and stared at the split rail fence and counted knots.

My body was knitting itself back together and I was thankful my cancer was caught early, was non-invasive, that the surgeon got clean margins, that I was regaining my energy, doing all the mother things I always did, but inside, I felt numb, paralyzed, utterly confused about who I was. I didn’t recognize the skin that covered the flesh that harbored my tainted cells. I didn’t know how to be me.

I felt as if the diagnosis revealed the mortal flaw I had managed to hide all these years. As if I had no right to be a part of the healthy world that I had crossed over from, to the unlucky side. I had no means, no memory of how to throw my head back and laugh, really laugh again. I thought about the future, the one I’d imagined with me launching my children and myself, my world widening after years of driving the carpool, living a life that revolved around other people’s lives. Waiting for my turn. And I saw myself at the mercy of the medical world, me and my medication with all its worrisome side effects, me and my fear of recurrence, of letting my children down, of burdening those around me, of forever being The Woman Who Had Breast Cancer and the pity it inspired. I’d lost my voice. I had nothing left to say.

So I stared out the window while the kids were at school and watched the late winter wind rattle the trees and picked up my pen and snapped it on and off and on and scribbled in my journal, my hand shaking as the words poured out about my mammogram and core biopsy and lumpectomy and sitting topless in the oncologist’s office on Valentine’s Day and worrying that at best I’d live a terrified existence from doctor’s appointment to doctor’s appointment, in six-month increments, and at the worst I’d die and abandon my children when that was the one thing I had always been determined not to do, and I wept and curled into a fetal ball and fell asleep and dreamt about my old black lab and my old self and woke up startled that this cancer thing wasn’t just a nightmare.

Those words, culled from my journal, were what I was staring at that morning my first column went live, the words that made me blush and wonder what kind of crazed woman would lay bare her breast, her fears, her morbid obsessions, her regrets and her shortcomings, plaster a great big neon C on her chest for all the world to see . . .

But I got over it by the afternoon and sat down at my desk and wrote the next one and the one after that . . . and the thing is, the more I revealed, the more readers responded, and this in turn inspired me to dig deeper. Say more. Be more honest and open than I’d ever been, pulling me outside of myself and at the same time pushing me back into my life.

Ironically, now that I have so much to say, I must stop writing Bare-breasted Mama. The tremendous response to this column includes an offer from Da Capo Press to publish my memoir: a href=”http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/ 0738211621 /literarymama-20″> Cancer Is A Bitch: Reflections on Midlife, Mortality, Motherhood and Marriage . And while I am thrilled with that news, I never would have imagined that weeping into my journal would launch my writing career as The Woman Who Had Breast Cancer. But now instead of feeling pitiful about it, I feel lucky that somewhere in the meld between my call and your response I found my voice and my strength.

So I want to thank you. All of you: Marjorie Osterhout, my Literary Mama editor who took a chance on my raw, untamed words; my fellow Literary Mama columnists for their encouragement and support; my readers and my friends who made me feel braver than I am. All of you who cared enough to enter my world and who responded to my openness with your own. Sharing my words with you has healed me in so many ways, and for that I will always be profoundly grateful.

18 replies on “Somewhere in the Meld”

carolinesays:
May 21, 2007 at 7:25 am

Congratulations, Gail! I’ll miss you here, but am thrilled that your column found such a receptive audience. Your book will, too!

Reply
Cliff Garstangsays:
May 22, 2007 at 12:07 am

Beautiful, Gail. It’s going to be a great book!

Reply
Lissasays:
May 22, 2007 at 2:09 am

I’m so happy for you, Gail! Happy that your book will be launched, and happy that your story can be shared with so many more people! Congrats!

Reply
Patrysays:
May 22, 2007 at 3:36 am

Truly wonderful news–for you and for all the readers you will surely inspire. The novels will be next…You are an amazing writer, Gail.

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Regina Harveysays:
May 22, 2007 at 3:41 am

Yey Gail! It will be so great to read the book when De Capo puts it out! Keep us posted!

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Rebeccasays:
May 22, 2007 at 6:53 am

How I’m going to miss the excitement of receiving an email saying, “My column is up…” But, oh the thrill we’ll all feel when the email says, “The book is out!”
Thanks for including me on the ride. Can’t wait to see you in September.
Rebecca

Reply
Jack Getzesays:
May 22, 2007 at 10:39 am

Congratulations, Gail. What wonderful news! Life is full of these strange twists, isn’t it? A scary diagnosis leads to a book contract. Best of luck and thanks for Bare Breasted Mama.

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Hannah Rovetosays:
May 22, 2007 at 1:34 pm

That we will miss your column is a serious understatement. So exciting, though,that it has led to bigger, better, much-deserved success! We will be on the lookout for your Boston-area book tour!

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Lauren Baratz-Logstedsays:
May 22, 2007 at 2:22 pm

I know the book will do well, Gail, and you’ll help a lot of people – yea, you!

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shannon espositosays:
May 22, 2007 at 3:16 pm

So, we lost a columnist and gain a novelist? he he, not a bad deal. I just know your novel is going to be held in millions of woman’s hands and touch their lives as you have touched ours already…congratulations!!!!

Shannon

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Judith Gail Brownsays:
May 22, 2007 at 4:01 pm

Gail, You are the most profound writer of our time. Cannot wait to read your reflections on mortality, marriage, and anything else you deem worthy to reflect on. My academic background is in philosophy and you stand right up there with the best Existential writers; Heidegger, Sartre,
Camus. You will go down on literary history as a brilliant writer, which we need culturally and literary-wise. You remind me of George Eliot and then Brontes, with a very modern, elegant twist and very psychologically acute. This column is the best of all, You are a great writer and human being. I wish you could keep sharing but God Bless You in your next endeavor as novelist par ezcellence. Love you, Gail
From Judi Gail
existential writers

Reply
Jessica Keenersays:
May 22, 2007 at 5:14 pm

Gail,

I can’t wait to read your book. Your wonderful title says it all. I have no doubt your words will resonate with many thousands of women, husbands and families. Jessica

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Myfanwy Collinssays:
May 23, 2007 at 8:43 pm

Such wonderful, happy news! Congratulations, Gail!

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Judi Gailsays:
May 23, 2007 at 9:59 pm

You go, Girl. ! You are the best. AUTHOR! AUTHOR! I can’t wait to read your book and keep your fans up on your literary plans. Your words already have touched so many. Keep writing. JGB

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Sherriesays:
May 25, 2007 at 3:59 am

I’m so thrilled for you Gail. With your talent, determination, feng shuied writing space, perserverance, moxy, and rich life experiences, you’ve succeeded to publish a book. Thank you for opening yourself up and laying yourself bare for others to read. So many will be touched by your writing. I’ve been.
Sherrie

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Jon Clinchsays:
May 29, 2007 at 1:28 pm

Well done, Gail. You deserve this next step, big time.

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Jim Robertsonsays:
May 31, 2007 at 6:50 pm

Gail, my dear,

Never did I doubt that the literary world would open up to envelop you when the time was right, because you’re too good a writer, with too much to share, to be denied.

Your fans will not leave you alone, I am sure, but remember that some of us were your fans from the very beginning, for all the right reasons.

Keep living and loving life!

Jim

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Rachel Sarahsays:
June 4, 2007 at 11:38 pm

Gail,
It’s so wonderful to watch you blossom. I feel blessed to have met you in person when you were out West. Thanks for keeping all of us real.
Yes, your fans are eagerly awaiting The Book.
xoxo,
Rachel

Reply

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