Fears of Breast Cancer Recurrence

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Fears of Breast Cancer Recurrence Fears of breast cancer recurrence are palpable for anyone who has been diagnosed with this disease we have yet to find a cure for.  We each handle the fear differently. I had a recurrence.  I’d like to share my own experience, how I faced those fears, and how I dealt with them. As an educator for many years, I have seen the differences in personalities both in students and parents when it comes to handling what is seemingly the simplest of fears. What is catastrophic to one is barely a blip on the radar to another. There are those in life who are simply more fragile than others.  Differences in dealing with this fear of recurrence must not be judged or become fodder for accusations when we don’t always appreciate the circumstances behind. “How Do You Always Stay Positive?” Friends, relatives and family who have so Continue Reading →

Friendships through Breast Reconstruction

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Friendships through Breast Reconstruction The value of friendships through Breast Reconstruction is beyond measure. The women that I have met in person or on-line through social media skip straight to, “I feel like I’ve known you a lifetime” mode. Polite introductions are left out and the topics steer straight to the matter at hand: Tell me your story! Where are you at in your process? How are you doing? When is your surgery? How are you feeling? You look amazing! There are options and choices for breast reconstruction. That is part of the discussion among “breast friends”. The real thought provoking conversations start when these questions are raised: How did you find your plastic surgeon? Was it worth it to travel for your reconstruction? Did you have pain? What about the scars? I’m afraid of what I’ll look like. How long do you think it will be before I can Continue Reading →

Parallels between Fly Fishing and Breast Reconstruction

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Do fly fishing and breast reconstruction have anything in common? Are there parallels between fly fishing and breast reconstruction? Let’s explore some facts and then I’ll tell you about my own personal experience at the Casting for Recovery event I attended. First of all a bit of history about the program directly from their website: Casting for Recovery was founded in 1996 in Manchester, Vermont, by a breast cancer reconstructive surgeon and a professional fly fisher. Casting for Recovery’s innovative program focuses on breast cancer survivor-ship and improving quality of life, and has garnered endorsements from medical and psycho-social experts. Awarded 501(c)(3) non-profit status in 1998, Casting for Recovery has inspired international efforts in Canada, UK/Ireland and New Zealand.  To date, Casting for Recovery has conducted more than 500 retreats, serving nearly 7,000 women nationwide.  In 2014, we held 42 retreats in 36 states, serving 600 women. I am going to take the very Continue Reading →

Casting for Recovery

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Casting for Recovery Casting for Recovery, is a blog post written to share my experience and to tell you about the people I met the weekend that I attended.  I have shared information about this fine organization with other cancer survivors.  That is how strongly I feel about the benefits of this program.  I’m happy to report, I had some interested takers who signed up and they are waiting anxiously to see if they have been chosen.  It is a brief and yes, sometimes emotionally intense weekend.  But, it is mostly about learning the fly fishing technique and how to enjoy this peaceful and beautiful sport.  The weekend is about knowing that there are moments outside of breast cancer and recovery. I want to introduce you to Kristen Kile who wrote the guest blog featured below.  Kristen was our lead instructor at the event I attended.  We hit it off Continue Reading →

Traveling with Prosthesis

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Traveling with Prosthesis Traveling with prosthesis of any kind through TSA involves preparation and concerns. I promised a follow-up blog after my post entitled, My Boobs in a Box. There is both a light-hearted side to this story and one that still raises the hairs on my neck when I recall the details of a particular day at the airport. Let’s start with the funny stuff. Altitude and Silicone Inserts for Breast Prosthesis I was told when I picked up my breast prosthesis, the silicone implants I chose could potentially exhibit some odd behaviors when I was at altitude on a flight. I experienced those odd altitude behaviors in my prosthesis twice; once on a flight and the other time when I was visiting the Grand Canyon. The first time I flew with my prosthetic bra I felt the effects of the altitude after we began climbing. I could feel Continue Reading →

Heart Healthy Hump Day Meals

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Here are some heart Healthy Hump Day Meals worth sharing. Many who read this blog are also interested in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. I’ve decided to post a couple of quick, easy dishes that I’ve tried and enjoyed. I recently visited with a registered dietitian at the local Cancer Center. This is a service that is provided free to patients. She emphasized the importance of a healthy, balanced diet and we went over my current food choices and exercise routine. So today’s blog will be a fun share of a couple of those tasty dishes that are packed with nutrients but don’t take a lot of time to prepare. I think that time stops many of us from preparing fresh, whole foods. It’s easy to open a box and stir in some processed ingredients. Shopping, chopping and preparing fresh foods can take longer so I hope these recipes and the Continue Reading →

My Boobs in a Box

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My Boobs in a Box, also known as my breast prosthesis, were something that I wore for seven months after my double mastectomy. I’ll admit that I didn’t like them so perhaps that accounts for my snarky description. They were hot and heavy during the summer months I had to wear them. My breast surgeon wrote a prescription for the prosthesis and I was fitted for them within a few weeks after having my mastectomy. I’ll admit that was a strange day for me. I went to a prosthetic shop where they fit patients for a variety of prosthesis for a variety of reasons. There were amputees without arms or legs in the waiting area. Then there was me; the hidden amputee. No one could see the body parts I was missing or why I was there to be fitted for a prosthetic bra. I carefully camouflaged my then flat Continue Reading →

Breast Reconstruction Side Effects We Wish We Knew About

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All of the breast reconstruction side effects we wish we knew about are difficult to cover in the initial consult with your reconstructive surgeon. Why you might ask? It’s simply a matter of time. The key elements of the surgery itself, patient expected outcomes, individual health related issues, medications, recovery time and  other topics need to be covered in your surgical consult with your plastic surgeon. A List of Questions to Take to Your Consult That does not excuse your plastic surgeon, however, from providing you with further information regarding side effects, coping with them, how you will feel months after your reconstructive surgery and the possible emotional and physical impact. You just have to come to the consult prepared and ask.  I would encourage you to ask the following questions during your consult: I know there are going to be unexpected side effects from this surgery. I also know Continue Reading →

With Cool Weather Brings More Writing

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Cool weather brings more writing and so I’ve accepted a personal challenge.  November 2015 #NaBloPoMo is a writing experience sponsored by @BlogHer, women and men encouraging creative voices in blogging. I was inspired to join after reading a post from BC Becky, a fellow blogger and social media connection. We are both breast cancer survivors. I honestly don’t remember how my first connection with Becky began but it was instrumental in launching my blog in March of this year, 2015. I read her instructional information regarding blogging. It was very beneficial and really motivational as I started my blog about breast reconstruction after a mastectomy. I truly had no knowledge, no idea how to blog. I set a date to open the blog knowing that would push me to actually do it. I had no expectations on its success or outreach but I had high hopes. Seven months after launching Continue Reading →

Stand Up 2 Cancer at the World Series

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Stand up 2 Cancer at the World Series on October 30, 2015, united an entire stadium to support awareness of cancer. I was introduced to the organization a few years ago through my oldest son. He followed them on Social Media so I began doing the same. SU2C’s website has the following statement: For the first time in history, we can imagine stopping cancer in its tracks. Stand Up To Cancer’s (SU2C) mission is to raise funds to accelerate the pace of groundbreaking translational research that can get new therapies to patients quickly and save lives now. SU2C brings together the best and the brightest researchers and mandates collaboration among the cancer community. By galvanizing the entertainment industry, SU2C has set out to generate awareness, educate the public on cancer prevention and help more people diagnosed with cancer become long-term survivors. A Detour at the World Series I admittedly have Continue Reading →