A Boob Named Jabba

In the years since I bought my first Jabba at Nordstrom, the little guy has taken on a life of his own.

You will note that Jabba is male. I can’t explain why, it just feels right.

My cousin Karen, knowing that I had nicknamed my prosthesis Jabba, brought me a box to keep him in. She decorated the round container with stars, planets, and pictures of Jabba and other "Star Wars" characters. On the lid, she wrote "Jabba's Hut."

Except for the nights when he sleeps under my pillow, Jabba spends his nights in that box in the bathroom cupboard.

Our cats have destroyed at least two breast prostheses, and wounded one other. One, they pounced on and attacked for no apparent reason when I foolishly left it lying on a chair in my bedroom after I undressed for the night. When I picked it up in the morning, it was oozing silicone from a number of slashes and was clearly beyond repair.

Another one that fell to the cats was the victim of more subtle attacks over time.

As those of you who have cats know, when you cuddle a cat, more often than not it will knead you with its claws. I can feel this kneading on my skin, but I can’t feel it on the fake boob, so again I was left with a prosthesis that was oozing from a number of spots.

At the time, I didn’t have either the several hundred dollars a new one would cost or the energy to sort out the insurance and then shop for one, so I band-aided Jabba’s wounds as best I could and wore it that way for months.

Then, one of the seams split. In public, of course. I could feel the jell oozing down inside my bra. And that was the end of that boob.

I am now wearing Jabba IV. I have never bought another prosthesis at Nordstrom. The main reason is the cost—I can buy them cheaper online or from a catalogue. But also, it is extremely stressful to go into the store and announce that I am there to buy a prosthesis.

Don’t want to do it.

Photo credit: Jeanne Sather, with apologies to Salvador Dali.

@ Jeanne Sather 2007.

Comments

[Leslie]

The French regard the breast as masculine:
le sein

[Jeanne]

Leslie, thanks. I didn't know that. Jeanne

[Alison Irwin]

Named my prosthesis Betty Boo B.! Love your blog. I too am an assertive cancer patient w/a sense of humor.

Take care,
Alison

[Jeanne]

Alison--that is a great name! I'll be posting photos of Jabba soon. Also a piece about Jabba's accessories, which I forgot about when I wrote the first batch of posts.

Jeanne

[MaryAnn]

Jeanne,
What a wonderful and truly beautiful woman you are - God bless

MaryAnn

[jeanne]

Thank you! I'm touched. Jeanne