Breast Cancer Life

Since being diagnosed, having surgery, and learning to thrive in survivorship, I have come to realize that the healthcare team does not really know what it is like to be the patient. In this episode, I share 3 realities of how my providers view me, the patient. These observations are contrasted with my past work as a nurse and the experience I had as a chemotherapy infusion nurse. This experience...

The first few weeks after surgery went rather quickly. This episode was recorded 16 days after surgery. I share the full story of what happened at the plastic surgeon's office. I also talk about how I feel and what is happening at this point in my recovery. This is my story of recovery from a nipple-sparing mastectomy and immediate reconstruction (which was the placement of an implant at the same...

In this episode, I share my realization of what I was afraid of now that I had a breast cancer diagnosis. It was 4 weeks from the time of the biopsy results until I went to surgery. At that time, there still were a lot of unknowns that made coping essential. In this episode, I reveal my experience of figuring out what I was afraid of.   Breast Cancer Life is a podcast about my breast cancer experi...

Yesterday marked six months since my breast cancer surgery, which included a mastectomy and immediate reconstruction. In the initial two months post-surgery, I had frequent follow-ups to monitor the healing progress of the skin on my left breast and the implant. During the surgery, I opted for a nerve grafting procedure, an additional cost not covered by my insurance. Despite anticipating the insu...

This point in time is a major milestone for me. It has been 6 months since I had a left mastectomy. A year ago I never knew this was how I would tell my life's story now. I recently went through a lengthy process of multiple screenings and biopsies before getting the cancer diagnosis and finally, having surgery to remove the cancer - the mastectomy.  Throughout this entire journey, there have been...

This episode features my day in the life after a mastectomy, recorded on post-op day 12. This is a time in the immediate recovery period when I had a lot of health care appointments, including the wound care to heal the skin on the side where I had a mastectomy. This was also a time when my treatment planning was still in process, as some test results were still pending. Follow, rate, and review t...

Facing uncertainty is a certainty in life. Sometimes this is anticipated uncertainty, but often it is not and it may happen without any warning. Breast cancer life is filled with a great deal of uncertainty. Uncertainty during the screening and diagnosis journey is only part of the experience. There is more uncertainty that comes with survivorship. In this episode, I share my thoughts on uncertain...

It has been 5 months since I had a mastectomy. The physical recovery from surgery is now pretty much complete. The emotional recovery is still in progress. I am navigating the gray zone of breast cancer survivorship. I share what I encountered in the past few months that was mostly not anticipated.  Follow, rate, and review the Breast Cancer Life podcast. Share this podcast with others! Breast Can...

Week 1 Post Mastectomy - Pathology Results and Healing Activities There was a lot to share in the first week following surgery. I recorded short pieces of content to share what I was feeling and what activities were part of my immediate recovery period.   This episode is made up of 2 short episodes, from post-op day 2 (not even 48 hours after getting out of surgery) and post-op day 7, the day I re...

It was just over 12 hours after leaving the OR when I recorded this episode. I had a mastectomy the day before. I had a very short night of sleep and I was still wobbly when I got up in the morning. I had a pretty good memory of getting ready to be wheeled to the OR, being in recovery, and being awakened by the plastic surgeon before 7am on post op day 1.  It was a completely novel experience, as...

It is the day of surgery. This episode describes my pre-operative experience. I arrived 3 hours before I was scheduled to go to surgery. There were several things I needed to do to be ready for the operating room. I refer to some of what I know from work as a nurse and describe much of the unfamiliarity that comes with being a patient and undergoing surgery for the very first time.   Breast Cancer...

I did not put breast cancer screening (aside from a routine mammogram) on my 2023 to-do list. I did suddenly become well aware of what the process is over several months this year. The experience of screening and diagnosis continues in this episode. Learn about the activities leading up to surgery.   Breast Cancer Life is a podcast where I share my breast cancer experience in the hope that you can...

I did not put breast cancer screening (aside from a routine mammogram) on my 2023 to-do list. I did suddenly become well aware of what the process is over several months this year. The experience of screening and diagnosis continues in this episode.   Breast Cancer Life is a podcast where I share my breast cancer experience in the hope that you can use this information to help you, as the patient...

I did not put breast cancer screening (aside from a routine mammogram) on my 2023 to-do list. I did suddenly become well aware of what the process is over several months this year. The experience of screening and diagnosis continues in this episode.   Breast Cancer Life is a podcast where I share my breast cancer experience in the hope that you can use this information to help you, as the patient...

I did not put breast cancer screening (aside from a routine mammogram) on my 2023 to-do list. I found out what happens when your mammogram is abnormal. In this episode, I share my experience as a patient. This journey started in February and continued into May. I saw mostly techs and providers, but not many nurses, in the process. There were several calls with schedulers and those who obtained ins...

Recently, I became a breast cancer survivor! Survivorship is part of my identity for life. My story of diagnosis unfolded over several months. This left me a lot of time to dwell on my thoughts - fears, uncertainties, and also moments of optimism (because the cancer was very small). Dealing with this personal emergency forced me to test my coping skills. As part of my recovery, I am compelled to s...