CBD #2: An Apology Letter to my Left Leg

Dear Left Leg,

I'm sorry I'm going to have surgery on you.  I'm sorry for the pain I'm going to allow you to be in.  I'm sorry that you'll be broken and reset in order to make you longer.  I'm sorry that you'll have to be encased in a metal cage with thin rods sticking into your flesh down to the bone for six months. 

I'm sorry for the scares that you will have after the leg brace is gone.  I promise I will apply as much Neosporin and/or Mederma I can put on you.  And if that doesn't work to erase the scares or, at least, make them almost invisible I will wear pants, jeans, tights or panty-hose to hide your scares.  For that I am sorry too.  I'm sorry you won't feel the sun or the cool wind on your bare skin but through cotton, denim or nylon.  But you will always be beautiful to me and maybe one day neither of us will be self-conscious of our scares.   

I'm sorry that I wasn't happy with your length.  That I wished you to be as long as my right.  And I want you to know that even being shorter you've done an admirable job of taking me to the places I've needed to go and holding me up when I needed to stand. 

I'm sorry I've hated you at times.  I don't hate you now.  I wish I'd never hated you.  This operation isn't because I hate you it's because I love you and I want us to both be around for a long while.  You're hurting left foot and when I try to adjust my step to stop hurting left foot I end up hurting you.

We haven't been happy lately.  We've been moving like an old person in a haze of Vicodin.  It's not good for us.  I want us to stand, walk, and run.  I want us to do a Color Run.  We can only do that if I have this operation on you. 

Please forgive me and understand.  I'm doing this for both of us.  Even after the operation you will always be my shorter leg.  You will always be a part of me.  I love you left leg.

Love always and forever,

A+

Fashion for Plus-Sized Kids

 I saw this story in my Yahoo news feed this morning:  The Fashion Fairy Godmother Determined to Help Plus-Size Kids

This quote stuck out to me the most:  

"It’s not just about getting a bigger size, and it’s not about taking plus-size little girls into women’s stores just to find clothes to fit them,” she says. "I saw that all the time, and it struck me how they never got to look like little girls,” says Smith. “It wasn’t fair.”

I remember all too well having to go into sections of departments stores made for older women and wearing clothes that weren't age appropriate but fit my body.  I felt uncomfortable, self-conscious, and ugly.  I wanted to be hip and popular but instead I was funny looking and a loser.  While the other girls pranced round in well fitting jeans and cute tops, I wore baggy pants with an elastic waist band and a too large blouse in some flower pattern. 

I know some will say that these kids just need to be put on a diets and exercise programs and will blame their parents for not caring enough about their kids' health.  But the reality is, it's not that simple.  There are a lot of factors involved including socio-economics and genetics.  Speaking as a person who grew up poor and fat, my parents tried their best to feed us properly but sometimes it was just about feeding us.  As far as exercise, I ran around outside and played with my brother and our friends all the time.  We had triathlons--running, going across the monkey bars and riding bikes around the neighborhood as fast as we could.  I was just a fat kid and fat kids shouldn't be punished for not fitting into what the media and society says is correct. 

This woman understands this and is helping children the way children should be helped.  She not trying to force them into self-destructive behavior that will lead to low self-esteem and eating disorders.  So, fucking KUDOS to this woman for being caring, understanding, and loving!