CNN has posted an Associated Press (AP) article about Christina Applegate’s public statements about her battle with breast cancer, her decision to have a double mastectomy (even though cancer was found in only one breast), her plans for reconstructive surgery, her love of life and her humor.

Some key quotes:

On the choice to have a double mastectomy: 
"I just wanted to kind of be rid of it… so this was the choice I made, and it was a tough one."

On her forthcoming breast reconstruction:
"I’m going to have cute boobs till I’m 90, so there’s that," she joked in the interview, "I’ll have the best boobs in the nursing home. I’ll be the envy of all the ladies around the bridge table."

And on the ups and downs on her experience:
"Sometimes, you know, I cry, and sometimes I scream, and I get really angry, and I get really like, you know, into wallowing in self-pity sometimes," she said. "And I think that’s — it’s all part of healing, and anyone who’s going through it out there, it’s OK to cry. It’s OK to fall on the ground and just scream if you want to."

and

"I’ve laughed so much in the last three weeks," she said. "I love living, and I really love my life, and I knew that from this moment on it was only going to be good that was going to be coming. Yeah, I’ll face challenges, but you can’t get any darker than where I’ve been. So knowing that in my soul gave me the strength to just say, ‘I have to get out there and make this a positive.’ "

Read the full article here.

[Image via this site.]

You can learn more about breast cancer from the National Cancer Institute, here on their web site.

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…it just came out in the journal Sexually Transmitted Infections. You can read the abstract here.

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This press release just found its way into my inbox:

For Immediate Release

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Much of what is discussed here on MSP and on other sex sites is relatively privileged sex - privileged in the sense that if one’s major concerns are finding the g spot, enhancing orgasm, or learning to initiate sex more comfortably, then one likely has a relatively decent sense of comfort (in life, if not in love) and room to breathe. When I travel other places, or even when I look more closely in communities here in the US, or among certain groups of people in the US (e.g., those who have been raped, trumatized, severely betrayed, etc) I am reminded just how good many of us have it.

This video includes a self-described "testimony" of one US veteran from the Iraq war. His experience may not reflect the majority of veterans, but it remains his experience and it is what it is. It is a compelling video and not overtly about sexuality, but it did remind me about how hatred, war, violence (of many sorts), and losses (of family members, spouses, partners, children) can affect a person’s sexuality and ability to be intimate with other people. Some of my sex therapist colleagues who work in VA clinics here in the US have been utterly astounded at the young men and women returning from war whose relationships are now severely challenged due to their mental or physical health issues following their military experience. Women and men, throughout the world (Iraq included), who have survived wars can likely identify. Two good resources for individuals dealing with sexuality and disabilty issues are sexualhealth.com and The Ultimate Guide to Sex and Disability.

Here is the video: (if it is unable to be viewed at the moment, you can find more here).

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This press release was just issued by the NYC Health Department regarding a substance called "Stone" that is apparently sold as an aphrodisiac and can be harmful or even fatal. You can read the release below or go to their web site for more information.

PRODUCT ALERT: ILLEGAL APHRODISIAC CALLED ‘STONE’ CAN CAUSE SERIOUS POISONING AND DEATH

Product Is Also Known as Love Stone, Black Stone, Rock Hard, Hard Rock, or Chinese Rock

NEW YORK CITY – May 23, 2008 – The Health Department today warned New York City residents about an illegal aphrodisiac known as “stone,” which can cause serious poisonings and death. The product is also known as Piedra, Jamaican Stone, Love Stone, Black Stone or Chinese Rock. Last week, an area hospital alerted the New York City Poison Control Center that a man had died after ingesting the aphrodisiac. Similar products were linked to poisonings and deaths during the 1990s.

These products are banned by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) but are imported illegally. Selling them in New York City is also a violation of the New York City Health Code.

Stone, a hard dark brown substance, is typically sold as a solid chunk less than a square inch in size. It may be packaged in a clear plastic bag with some labeling. The product is sold in some adult stores and can also be found in other neighborhood stores. Its active ingredients include several chemicals known as bufadienolides. They are derived from toad venom and some trees and can disrupt the normal rhythm of the heart.

Stone can cause serious heart problems or death when ingested, but can also be harmful when applied to the skin – its typical use. Symptoms of poisoning may include chest pain, abdominal pain and vomiting.

The Health Department advises people who may have obtained and used these products to:

• Immediately stop using them.
• Wrap and discard them as garbage (do not flush down the toilet).
• If you suspect poisoning, call the Poison Control Center at (212) POISONS. Spanish- speaking callers can call (212) VENENOS. Interpretation services are available.

The Health Department has sent an alert to health care providers in New York City, asking them to watch for potential poisonings and to call Poison Control if they suspect a case. The agency is also working with federal authorities to require distributors and store owners to stop selling these products and remove them from shelves and inventory stockrooms.

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