Conference moira::naturism

    I have met a woman who had had a breast removed at Reef Beach, you
    notice it, but no more or less than body feature. Personalities
    are more important than bodies.
    
    Best wishes for a successful operation.
    
Prayfully,
    
    Peter.

    Judy, Judging from the bravery and positive thoughts you have expressed
    in the base note, I *KNOW* things will go well for you!
    
    All my good wishes are with you.  We look forward to your return
    from the successful operation!
    
    For what it's worth, I have seen nudist women who have had their
    breast(s) removed, and it in no way diminishes their inner beauty
    - with their positive attitudes, it only increases it.
    
    Love and Peace,
    
    Jack

    Both Pat and I wish you all the best. Pat has had problems with
    cysts as has a friend of hers there in the Springs. As a result
    we are constantly aware of any changes and watch for any warning
    signs.
    
    By the time you are back at work Pat and I will have relocated to
    the Springs (I'll be with the TBU and Pat with RDG). We'll see you
    then.
    
    Our thoughts are with you.
    
    		Dave.....

    My thoughts and prayers are with you Judy.  My mother had a radical
    mastectomy about 15 years ago and all was caught with surgery.
    She now works for the American Cancer Society with the Reach
    to Recovery group.  This is a group of women who have had mastectomies
    themselves and visit you in the hospital or at home at the request
    of your doctor.  They really offer excellent insights and advice
    from those that have been there.  They get good training and can
    offer lots of help.  Might give them or me a call if I can help.
    I'm at CXO3 at DTN 522-4127.
    
    Be strong and postive, I'm sure it will all work out.
    
    Bret

    Judy, I have no idea of what you look like physically. We have never
    met and most likly never will. But from reading your notes I know
    you are a beautiful person.
    
    Hang in there, Baby!
    Ben

    
    My prayers go with you...
    
    Fred

    
    Keep believin', Judy!

    Judy,
    
    You don't have to ask for our prayers and positive thoughts.  You
    have them always - from all of us.  You sound like a wonderfully
    strong and gentle person and I *know* you'll come through this
    fine.  You seem to be handling this so well and I admire you.  Please
    let us know where we can send cards and letters.  Hang in there,
    we love you.
    
    - Kathryn
    

I'd like to thank everyone for the encouraging words and well wishes.  Your
support has been tremendous for which I am very grateful.

Since several people have asked, here is my home address.

	Judy Kilgore
	354 Kenwood Circle
	Colorado Springs, CO  80910

Again, thanks for everything!

Judy

    My mother had a double radical mastectomy just under five years ago.
    Unfortunately either the surgery missed something or she developed a
    different cancer and had to have a second surgery about four months
    ago to remove more of the lymph nodes. 

    Even with the surgery and the treatments (radiation) she has managed to
    keep a good perspective and good humor about her condition. Hey, it was 
    a quick way to lose a few pounds. (according to Mom.)  She claims not to 
    feel disfigured and definitely does not let it slow her down. At 67 years
    old she insists on working part time at a nursing home. 

    Conclusions: your own healthy attitude, and support from friends and
    family,, and a prayer or two are the best medicine. to paraphrase an
    old saying, skin is only skin deep but beauty comes from within. 

    Sorry to hear your going in for surgery. Ellen and I both wish 
    you the best. I know you and Bob have talked this over quit a
    or you would be in the state of mind your in. You know Ellen
    went threw the same not to long ago. So we wish you the best 
    of luck.
    By the way we just had are hot tub installed two days ago so 
    when your ready so are we.
     
    Best of luck 
    Ellen & Philz

    best wishes from all.

    HI, JUDY! I want to send you best wishes for your recovery, and I will
    keep you in my prayers. You are one strong lady, and you have my
    respect and best wishes for the future.
    
    Hang in there, Judy
    
    Dave (the Mailman).
    

Good luck, you are in my thoughts and prayers.


Jim

    It is only when you have embraced the uncertainty of life that you
    have learned to truly love life. Make every day count, for none of us
    knows which day will be our last. Best regards for a speedy recovery!
    
    						John.

    I just want to add my good wishes to the rest... You are
    a very positive presence on the net, and I hope you recover
    soon.
    
    					Fran
    

	I have personally met Judy, and want to let everyone else know
that both Judy and her husband Bob (as you have sensed from Judy's notes)
are both very wonderful people, more wonderful when you meet them in person.
Both are, "natural" in every sense of the word.  Honest, sincere, caring,
loving individuals....no phoney put-ons, or phoney attitudes, what you
see is what you get and that's nice, cause I hope they never change.

	I've been away on holidays and returned to work just recently,
and was quite surprised and upset to hear Judy's news, but I know that 
her positive attitude and the support of her friends here in the conference,
will pull her through this with flying colours.

	My thoughts are with you Judy, and I wish you a speedy recovery.

						Darrell

    May you draw closer to the Lord through this experience and may
    you draw strength from Him as He carries you lovingly through this.
    
    You bet I'll be praying.
    
    Ken Enger                                       
    

    Well, I'm back!  Surgery went well and I'm back on the road to
    recovery!  The pathology report came back, the lymph nodes were
    clean, so I do NOT have to go thru chemo!  Yeh!
    
    I'm a little sore and my arm gets some really weird sensations
    in it.  I'm working on getting my arm more mobile again.  I have
    no trouble sleeping at night or late into the morning! ;-)  I'm
    able to take showers and change my dressings without getting
    grossed out. :-)  I will get my stitches out this coming Thursday.  
    Then I get to check out the fake boobs to fill out my shirts until
    reconstructive surgery, a few more months down the road.  I went 
    into the store that sells them and the `fitter' wasn't in so I was
    talking with a sales person.  She asked me if the person who this
    was for was going to be able to come in and get fitted.  I told her
    I hadn't had my surgery yet but would be back in later to do it.  She 
    just about fainted!  I don't think she is used to someone coming in to 
    check on these sorts of things prior to surgery!  I just wanted to be 
    prepared, that's all!
    
    Not much else to report.  My regular account is not available due to a 
    VMS upgrade and did want to let everyone know I am OK.  Thanks for all
    your support.  I know everything is OK now and I look forward to going
    back to Valley View and to Phil's new hot tub.  Will need to get the OK
    from the doc first.  Thanks for the offer Phil!
    
    Take care everyone! :-)
    
    Judy

    
    Glad you're back Judy, and very happy to hear that your surgery
    went well.
    
    Take advantage of those late morning rises while you can, I'm sure
    that at the speed you are recovering, DEC will want you back soon!
    
    Darrell  :-)
    
    

    Its nice to see your back Judy hope your your feeling well.
    
    
    Phil
    

    re:.20 (Judy)
    
    You're AMAZING!!!  Glad to know that everything went well and that
    there are no further problems but mostly, that you're safe.   There's
    a lot to be said for prayer and sending out positive vibes.
    
    - K
    

    Yea!! Glad to see your doing ok.

    ALL RIGHT !!!
    
    Ben

Healing is coming along just fine.  Gaining strength and mobility is slower
than I anticipated.  Got fitted with my prothesis yesterday afternoon.  Don't
look lopsided anymore! ;-)  I will be off longer from work than I first 
expected, so it looks like the day after Labor Day is when I'll return.  I'm
taking it easy and getting caught up with alot of things I've put off doing
until I had more time. :-)  

The weather has been cloudy and rainy lately.  Hopefully it will clear soon
and I can catch some rays while I'm off work.  

Take care everyone.  :-)

Judy

    Hi Judy:
    
    I heard your news just before traveling to the Gathering at the old Camp
    Akiba location in Readings, PA in the POCONOS.  I operated my Cancer
    Screening Center again, and dedicated it to you.  Many ladies wore the
    scars of less radical surgery and your message came pounding to the
    foreground each time I saw such scars.  
    
    You are a wonderful LADY, Judy.  I just read your return note and am
    sighing with relief, and I type with my fingers crossed (try THAT!).
    
    I am so glad that things seem to be progressing.  I am not ashamed to
    say that it's hard to see the screen as I type.  
    
    Please do what they say, Dear Judy Friend.
    
    It's nice to know you are mending.
    
    Bye,
    
    Stan/

Got the results from the last cancer test late yesterday and it was excellent
to hear.  I don't have to have any treatments at all!  The size of the cancer
was small, 11 mm, about the size of a pinky finger tip.  The tumor itself was
`normal' [whatever a normal cancer looks like! ;-) ] and it had a very low 
growth rate.  The lymph nodes were negative, (which I told you before), and 
the hormone receptors were positive which is unusual for a person that is 
pre-menopausal (if they would have been negative, I would have had a shorter
chemo treatment than lymph node treatment).  

All this added up to no pills and no chemo!  I'm ecstatic!  I'm also back to 
work.  Feels good to be back.  Now I can get some symbolism of normalcy back 
in my life. :-)

Judy

    I, and I'm sure everyone else in this conference is extremely happy for
    you Judy. You're a wonderful person to know.   Dan

    That *IS* great news, I'm glad for you and Bob. 
    
    All the best!!
    
Peter.    

    WONDERFUL!!!
    
    - Kathryn
    

Made our first trip to VV since my surgery.  Wasn't too bad.  In fact we had 
excellent weather.  Did lots of hiking, some swimming and soaking.  Over-all
it was one of the best times I ever had at VV!  

Another person from DEC who is not a Naturism noter was there, so we did most
things together on Sunday.  Met a few other new people and met up with one
person who I met in June when we took Darrell to VV.  Got my hair-part on my
head sunburned and the rest of me got just a little color.

It was interesting to watch people's reactions.  Most looked and smiled and
continued to have eye contact later.  The minority looked at my one-boobed
chest then looked away, never gaining eye contact.  It was quite the new
experience.

Like most everyone said, don't worry about going, just enjoy yourself, which
I did!  Thanks for all the encouraging words!  They worked!  :-)

Judy

    Judy-
    
    I'm relatively new to this file, but in the short time I have been
    reading these notes (and even threw a couple of my own in), I have
    noted a great deal of warmth emanating not only FROM you in your
    notes, but also TOO you from others.
    
    Everyone in this file seems to have the utmost admiration for you.
    It is very rare indeed, to find a person that so many think so well
    of openly. With this backing, you had no choice but to come out
    'smelling like a rose' from your operation.
                                    
    
    
    ed 'who_is_TRYING_to_convince_his_SO_to_'GIVE_IT_A_GO_LUV!!'

Thanks Ed!  

Of all the people that knew of my surgery, the folks from Naturism notes were 
the most supportive.  Even had several readers that are too shy to note openly
contact me via mail and offer their support.

You people are the greatest and I do appreciate the support and well wishes.
:-)!

In two weeks I will be having my first follow-up appointment with my cancer
doctor.  I'm feeling super so I expect excellent news and will report in here
how it goes.  Until then, hope everyone has nice nude days! ;-)

Judy

Hi Everyone!  It was pointed out to me today that I haven't given you an 
update.  It has been a zoo around here, like I imagine it has been for 
everyone else.  I'm doing great! :-)  The follow-up appt went well.  Both 
doctors I saw were pleased with my progress.  Another follow-up is scheduled
for the first part of February, which will include blood tests and x-rays.

I have since seen a plastic surgeon to discuss reconstuctive surgery.  We 
discussed what will be done and what the outcome should look like.  He says
next appt is Dec 11th and I should bring along any questions I may have and
ideas as to the size I would like to be. ;-)  So, I'm taking along the latest
issue of N_N to show him some boobs!  I think N_N would be better taste than
let's say Playboy....:-)!  Besides, lately, the women haven't had what I would 
consider workable diminsions.  With the size I would like to be, there will 
not be the need for skin grafting, the original surgeon left enough skin to 
use.  The surgery will take place around mid-February.

February feels like it won't get here soon enough.  I'm really getting tired
of having to remember to stick the prothesis in my bra (or to have to wear a 
bra!).  During weekends, if we aren't going to have company that I would gross
out, I don't use my prothesis.  My husband didn't even notice that I didn't
have it on either!  Bob has been super thru this whole ordeal.  

That about all the health news from this end.  We've enjoyed Phil's hottub
on a couple occasions and hope to get to VV again before February.  Hope 
everyone else is doing fine too!  

Judy

RE  191.35 

It's just great to know you're doing well, Judy.  I guess anyone who can look
life straight in the eye with the grace and humour which you display has got
to be a pretty remarkable person.  Our thoughts are with you all the way. 

Just wanted everyone to know I'll be heading off into STD-land starting next 
Tuesday for my reconstructive surgery.  At the same time, another mastectomy 
will be performed and that side will be reconstructed at the same time.  

I had some minor/major hassles with JH, they said they weren't going to pay 
for the 2nd mastectomy and reconstruction but now admit the surgery is 
necessary and will be paid for.  I would have gone ahead with it anyway, 
whether they paid or not, since I'm tired of being so lopsided!  ;-)

The doctor said to expect to be in the hospital for maybe two nights, more 
than likely only one night.  Can you believe that?  Short time!  So you 
probably won't even miss me for those few days I won't be on the tube.  I 
still have a terminal at home, so I'll get on and give everyone an update 
when I can make it down the stairs.

I may be off work up to 6-weeks but it will probably be sooner than that.  I 
don't get to be near our dog for 8-weeks since he has a tendancy to jump up
and get a little rough.  He weighs 80 lbs and would be a little too much on 
my new boobs!

So just in case I don't get the time to say `bye' before next Tuesday, I 
thought I'd send this today.  I didn't want you to think I had dropped off 
the face of the earth.  :-)

Take care and I'll keep you posted.  BTW, I'm feeling great!  And I'm looking 
forward to feeling more `whole' after this is all done.

Judy

    Judy - All the Very Best!   I am SURE it will be a total success!
    With your positive attitude, and the good wishes of all the Naturism
    noters, how can you go wrong??
    
    Hope to see you (New Boobs and All!) if you get out this way.  (Or
    better yet, Vice Versa!  :-)
    
    Jack

    
    Judy-
    
    Boy! How many women do you know who would love nothing better than
    to be able to pick out the size and shape of thier boobs??!!
    
    "Hmmmm! Now let me see! 40 DD....nah!...40 D...yeah, that's great..
    ...look, built in water wings!!" Keep the peace! See you soon!
    
    
    ed

    Judy,
    
    Take care and have a speedy recovery.  I'll be thinking of you!
    (Hope I get to meet you someday.  You sound like quite a woman...)
    
    XXO,
    Kathryn

Thanks for all the well wishes.  I've been recouping at home since Thursday.
Don't know where the time has gone since then.  Besides sleeping....  

BTW, the new boobs don't look half bad.  I have less stitches than I had 
anticiptated.  The doctor slipped the implant for the left side under the
skin from the right side.  Neat trick!  Seems kinda weird to have something
on the left side with having gone 6 months without.  My arm actually gets
in the way...or is it the other way around!  ;-)

Nikki dog doesn't quite understand why mom hasn't been rowdy with him in the 
backyard this last week.  He is somewhat subdued when we greet each other at 
the gate.  He knows something isn't quite right.  Couldn't have anything to
do with all the stuffing in my shirt right now, hospital smells, my slow walk, 
etc.

So far I feel better than the last trip to the hospital, I'm more mobile and 
my arms are not as restricted.  I still wear out easily and I'm sore which is
to be expected.  All in all, I feel great!  And glad it is over with.  You all
take care too!

Judy

    Judy,
    
    Hi from across the field!  I just want you to know that this very
    shy read-only reader has got to reply to this note.
    
    I have never seen the courage, strength and open personality in any
    one person in my life.  This is an incredible note and I personally
    have much respect for you for sharing it with us.
    
    I pray that you will recover quickly and be done with hospitals for
    a very long, long time.   I am never in the plant any more but if I
    ever see you again I will give you a very big, *soft* HUG!
    
                                   Take care,
                                        - Sue

    Sorry, I have not been in this file for a long time, Just read this
    today.  
    
    You have my best wishes, and keep the courage up, Judy...
    
    Dave

Another update!  This is my second week back to work.  Last week was 1/2 time,
this week full days.  Then daylight-savings time kicked in and really threw me
for a loop.  As the week wears on, my body is adjusting like everyone else.

We finally got our pictures back of our trip to VV with Ben.  Bob got a photo
of me/my chest before my last surgery.  Kinda grossed me out since I was seeing 
myself for the first time with only one boob.  I had always visualized myself 
with two, so it was a shock....real different.  It doesn't bother to look at
the picture now, but the first few times....

Physically and mentally (no wise-cracks) I'm doing great!  The healing is 
coming along probably better than expected.  I feel good and can start doing
aerobics again.  I've gotten most arm movements back to full extension.  The
doctor had done a Z-plasty, which is creating a cut in the shape of a `Z'
that will stretch better than a straight cut, in my armpit where the lymph
nodes were removed during the first surgery.  That has healed incredibly
well.  Next check-up is 3 weeks away.  

Hope you all have a super nude Spring.  I'm really looking forward to Summer 
and plenty of sunshine!  :-)

Judy

    My prayers go with you....
    
    Bauke
    

One year has past and I feel great!  The cancer doctor has given me a clean 
bill of health.  Bone scans, blood work and chest x-rays all came out looking 
good and nothing abnormal.  So it will be another 6 months before I need to
give them any more blood to test or x-rays to check.  That's a heck of alot
better than the every 3 months routine I've been in.  Still need to see the
doctor in 3 months but no tests!  Yeah!

I've decided to help other women better cope with breast cancer.  I filled
out paperwork and was interviewed to become a Reach to Recovery volunteer.
I will be getting the necessary training and certification this Saturday.
They said it is too bad I work full-time because they could use me as a 
public speaker on a full-time basis.  Bad thing is they wouldn't be able 
to pay me for it.  So I'll be staying with DEC and volunteering about 4 hours
a week to the American Cancer Society program.

I've also been helping a woman who has had biopsy surgery and has cancer.  She
hasn't had her mastectomies yet, probably will be both sides since her mother 
and step-sister both had double mastectomies several years ago.  We have been 
doing alot of talking and I even visited her at her home.  She was real worried 
about what her breasts would look like after surgery.  A friend told her I was 
a nudist and would not be embarressed to show her mine.  She thought they 
looked great and quite normal (minus nipples) and now has no fear of what
her's will look like after her surgery.  :-)

I've taken on new responsibilities at work and my office has moved.  Life
certainly hasn't slowed down since my surgery.  Life is continuing on at a
hectic pace and I'm taking the time to smell the roses more often and NOT
getting caught up in the hecticness.  Wasting my life by getting stressed out
is not worth it.  Hope my boss continues to understand that!  ;-)

Everybody take care and happy nuding!  

Judy

    **************** NEW FLASH! ************************************************
    
    Attention, one and all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    
    The one and only, Judy Kilgore, is going to make a once-in-a-lifetime
    excursion out here to the east coast in May!  She'll be flying in
    on the 11th and flying out on the 16th.
    
    I would like to see if anyone would like to get together and meet
    Judy on the evening of the 12th (Mothers' Day) or try to get in a
    lunch during the week.  The 12th looks best for Judy since she is
    actually going to be in a class that week and time for lunch will be
    at a premium.
    
    Lunch could be at the Yangtze near LKG or the Hunan Garden near CTC
    (where her class is).  If we do a dinner on the 12th, it could be 
    where.
    
    Send me mail if you're interested in attending.
    
    B.

    Hope you are doing fine. How do you feel about your boobs now (about 4 
    years after the surgery) ?

I'll give everyone a full report after I get my "all's clear" message from my
cancer doctor on the 4th of August, which will be the 4 year mark.

I think my boobs look great!  They look a little strange without nipples.
This coming weekend I'll get Ben's opinion.  :-)  He and we went to VV just
before my reconstructive surgery so the last time we nuded together I was
missing a breast.  

We got together with another couple and did some nuding the other night.  It 
was the 1st time they had seen me nekkid since the surgery.  They were amazed
at how good they looked.

I still have pangs of pain occasionally.  Nothing serious, they are just 
letting me know they are still there.  ;-)  They aren't as sensitive as
they once were but what can you expect when all the nerves were cut during
surgery.  Most of the time touches feel good tho.  :-)

Judy

    I enter this reply with a great deal of trepidation as I feel that no
    further reply is ominous in itself. I hope that things turned out well
    but fear that they did not. Because I have followed this note from the
    beginning, I have more then casual curiosity. Does any noter have a
    follow up to this entry that he/she would care to share?

I'm still doing well!  :-)  Health wise, this year has been very good.  Other
things in my life haven't been so hot.  We've only been nuding at VV once
this year, when Ben Wong was in town in June.  Since then we have been busy
dealing with my mother-in-law who had to go to a care center (nursing home)
on our 22nd wedding anniversary in October.  We've been busy emptying her 
2nd home of all her personal affects so we could sell it and boy, did we find
out what packrats are in the family!  Luckily, we have a very good contract
on the home now and will close on it January 6th.  And my sister's husband died
suddenly from a heart attack a little over 2 weeks ago.  Things have been very
busy at work so I have no complaints there.  I go see the cancer doctor again
for the usual every 4 months routine exam this Friday and expect to hear more
great news.  So, keep your fingers crossed for me.  ;-)

Judy

    Great. It had been so long since your last entry that I thought perhaps
    you were no longer at Digital or...  Bob

Yesterday I hit another milestone.....4 years, 8 months cancer-free.  Check
up came out real good and my blood pressure was down slightly too.  :-)

We tried to go nuding a couple weeks ago in Utah but it is just a wee bit
too early in the season to nude in the desert....at least the days we were
there.  Our friends told us about the super nice weather they had just the
week before that would have been perfect sunning weather.  :-(  We had
afternoon showers, snow and wind.  We did get tans on our face and the
backs of our hands from hiking.  At least it is a start!  ;-)

Judy

    Congratulations Judy...
    
    
    Simon

Yesterday I hit another milestone.....5 years cancer-free!  Plus my blood
pressure was down even more and my weight too!  

I called several people yesterday that were such inspirations in my life at 
the time of the surgery.  One of those people is the wife of a business 
associate.  She works in a lab at a major hospital in Yuma, checking the 
slides of `sick' people.  She told me what she knew about breast cancer and 
what the survival rates were for the different types of cancers.  She was so 
positive about what I was going thru at that time.

Well, I found out 2 weeks ago that she went thru the same surgery as I did
just 4 months ago.  She said she remembers so vividly our conversation 5 years
ago and how positive I was.  She looked at how I handled myself and considered
me to be a role model for her during her surgery.  :-)  She is doing fine also.
We had major conversations last night that lasted about an hour and a half.
I'm going to hate to see the phone bill for the coming month.  ;-)

Judy

Just an update, which is somewhat late.  

6+ years cancer-free!  :-)  What else can I say besides I haven't seen much
sun this year since we have been busy having a new home built.  We hope to 
have a `nuding' deck off the sunny side of the house.  Need to get a short 
wall built.  ;-)  We may need to post a `caution - nudists on other side of
wall' sign.  

Judy

Judy,

Congratulations, is it really 6+ years.

Doesn't time fly.


Simon

    GREAT news!!!
    
    Sue

Don't post that sign Judy!  It will be like pouring syrup near an anthill.  :-)

/Mike