Bone Density and Aromatase Inhibitors

Posted on May 21, 2015 by Terri

The Devil and the Details Today was a four month visit with my oncologist after my second diagnosis of breast cancer one year ago. One of the purposes of the visit was to discuss bone loss while on Arimidex, the Aromatase Inhibitor I will be taking for ten years, unless of course they come up with something new between now and then. I was diagnosed with both invasive and in situ lobular carcinoma (LCIS) in my left breast twelve years ago. After two lumpectomies to achieve clear margins, eighteen weeks of chemotherapy and six weeks of daily radiation I took Tamoxifen for five years. Last year I had a recurrence of LCIS in the left breast and a new and different cancer, ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), in the right breast. Because of the new cancer in the right breast and the fact I had a recurrence in the left Continue Reading →

A Letter to Secretary Sylvia Burwell

Posted on May 10, 2015 by Terri

Dear Secretary Burwell, I enjoyed reading your bio on the HHS.gov website because I found we have a few things in common and I value human connections. We are both passionate about ensuring that individuals lead healthy and productive lives. Your outreach is far greater than mine and I am grateful for your passion and mission. My outreach, smaller though no less important, is to breast cancer patients who have been faced with a mastectomy. We are both former Seattle residents. As former President of the Global Development Program for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation you focused your efforts again on health. I was an educator in Seattle at Sacred Heart School in Bellevue and had a brief opportunity to meet Melinda Gates when she visited our school and came into my classroom. I was struck by her unpretentious manner and was humbled to speak to her and meet Continue Reading →

Surgical Drains

Posted on May 9, 2015 by Terri

A Bit of Self-deprecating Humor Never Hurts Surgical Drains – A Necessary Evil I hope you get a Friday laugh out of this post! Surgical drains are a necessary evil for many surgeries and they certainly are for DIEP flap reconstruction. Drains are an important part of your healing but no patient I speak to likes them. But, hey, they are temporary. I even had one of my abdominal drains become infected the week I was out of the hospital after phase 1. But, it was taken care of within 12 hours when my doc upped my intake of anti-biotic. Things happens when you’re healing and the infection was short-lived, just as the drains are short-lived. You can read why they are so important to your healing at the PRMA website. This #FundayFriday, #FlashbackFriday post is to hopefully evoke a giggle, smile or laugh. Just remember to grab a pillow and Continue Reading →

The Days Before Breast Reconstruction Surgery

Posted on May 7, 2015 by Terri

The days before Phase 1 of DIEP flap or any breast reconstruction surgery puts many women I’ve spoken with through mental gymnastics , present company included. You have arranged for child-care if you have children at home. If you are traveling for your reconstruction surgery and your children will be traveling with you, chances are you’ve scoped out child-friendly venues in the area. This will help their care-taker keep them occupied while you recover in hospital. You have packed your bags. You probably thoroughly cleaned your home knowing it will not be done, at least by you, for a bit. All of the incidentals are what keeps you busy and occupied before you leave. These are all good things. Mental Clearance Sale ~ Everything Must Go! Whether traveling out of town for your surgery or having it done in the same town you live in I suggest getting those “ducks Continue Reading →

Breast Cancer Education Act

Posted on May 5, 2015 by Terri

A Time to Educate I have spoken to many women in the past six months since I became an advocate for breast reconstruction. I am frequently reminded by these women that the education, resources and information is simply not being discussed at the first stages of a cancer diagnosis. I was fortunate to have the information regarding my choices for breast reconstruction the day I was told I was going to have a double mastectomy due to a second recurrence of breast cancer. I want every woman to be able to have that conversation with their physician. The front line of education has to start in the health care community. We can add outreach through support of this bill. A Call for Support Let’s Close the Loop It is time we closed the loop in breast cancer education. Women have a right to live beyond diagnosis, treatment and survival. Women Continue Reading →

How Has Breast Cancer Changed You?

Posted on May 1, 2015 by Terri

Cancer: Connections & Catalyst Many articles and questions are posed: “How has breast cancer changed you?” Here is one example from the About Health website, just one from a myriad of articles published after doing a quick search on the topic. I think it’s fair to ask that question to anyone in any phase of life. How has the news of the day changed you? How has having children changed you? How has visiting a foreign country changed you? How has being married changed you? How has being divorced changed you? How has changing your hair color changed you? How has losing weight changed you? How has becoming a vegan changed you? Blah, blah, blah and on and on…… Individuals and Change Individuals are affected by events in life in either very positive ways or extremely negative ways. So OK!! We’re all individuals and I get it. My feeling Continue Reading →

National Dance Day

Video

The last Saturday in July is observed as National Dance Day . It has been set aside as the day honoring the benefits of dance to everyone.

Dancing is not only the performance of art but also the way to show people personalities as well as to help people raise their mood and improve their health.

Dancing is an integral part of my life. When I was growing up my parents would frequently put their favorite vinyl records on the turn table and along with my two sisters we would dance to favorite show tunes and legendary crooners like Dean Martin, Tony Bennett and others.

The Wedding Dances

When our oldest son was married, I was polite and enjoyed mingling and meeting all the guests at the wedding until…. The music started. Then I never left the dance floor and danced with anyone who was next to me. It wasn’t much different at the weddings for my godson and nieces. In fact, the song I chose in the YouTube video below is the song that my niece and I have long dubbed, “our song”, because when it comes on, I look at her and together we sing, “I love you, I love you, I love you!” She played it at her wedding and the two of us went out to the dance floor and rocked out together.

Carpe Diem and the Power of Music

Fun-day Friday Dance

It only seemed appropriate then to celebrate the final phase of my breast reconstruction with a dance. Here is what took place that Fun-day Friday just minutes before my breast reconstruction surgery. I don’t know who is lucky enough to have a micro-surgeon with such compassion and such a great sense of humor to embrace and honor my request to do this. It was not an easy task and I’m not suggesting anyone do the same thing. There is an element of safety that we had to work around. I truly thought I’d be up dancing with the team but due to safety concerns, understandably, I had to remain on the surgical bed. Just watch my feet as I can hardly stand it that I’m not on the floor with them doing the “sprinkler” or shaking my booty with them. Thanks to the great surgical team, too, for joining in. You are all the best! I do think it elevated all of our moods that morning and certainly brought out each individual personality. Enjoy, and if the music so moves you…. Get up and dance!

Happy National Dance Day!

Breast Reconstruction Fears After Mastectomy

Posted on April 28, 2015 by Terri

Breast reconstruction fears after a mastectomy and not knowing all of the steps involved prevent many women from making the decision to move forward with reconstruction. My breast reconstruction journey began when I had my annual mammogram on April 2, 2014. My radiologist informed me the mass she found in my right breast was highly suspicious of cancer. I had to return to her office the next day to confirm this with a core needle biopsy (CNB). The results were ready five days later. My radiologist asked me the day she took the CNB if I knew of any breast surgeons to review results of the biopsy with me. I had been to see one about five years previously to have a benign cyst removed. I was very impressed with the surgeon and asked to schedule the results of my CNB to confirm whether I had cancer or not with Continue Reading →

DIEP flap Surgery Phase 1, Returning Home

Posted on April 27, 2015 by Terri

There are several steps and preparations to be made for DIEP flap surgery, phase 1. We spend a lot of time preparing for the actual surgery but it is important to think about what it will be like when you return home. I will share my own personal experience and give you some helpful hints and preparations if this is the type of reconstruction you have chosen and what I did after DIEP flap surgery, phase 1, and returning home. Protect the Work of Art It does not matter if you travel to have your reconstruction, as I did, or if you will be having it done in the same town that you live in. You are going to need support from either friends or family when you return home from the hospital after your surgery. Remember, you are going to have an abdominal incision that runs from hip bone Continue Reading →

Healing Scars

Posted on April 20, 2015 by Terri

Healing Scars Healing scars after any surgery is a frequently discussed topic for those of us who have been through it. The word scar derives from the Greek eskhara, scab. In the present day English language it can be both a noun and a verb. Noun – a mark left on the skin or within body tissue where a wound, burn, or sore has not healed completely and fibrous connective tissue has developed. Verb – a lasting effect of grief, fear, or other emotion left on a person’s character by a traumatic experience Scar – Noun The first definition, a noun, describes fibrous, connective tissue developing. When you think about it in those terms it implies building and getting stronger, fibrous/connective. I still have very young scars from the three surgeries that I have had this past year. The mastectomy scars were the first of those three surgeries. The scars Continue Reading →