How to fly around the world with lymphedema
Kristen's back from India in one piece & Natasha's feeling bold after hormone replacement therapy ends
🕉️ Om Shānti, Y’all 🕊️☮️✨
“How was India?!” I have no idea why this is such a tough question. The lack of tangible words to describe being enveloped in unconditional love, grace, and accelerated soul work may be part of the issue. I’m baffled to describe a deeply personal and transformative experience where there’s no ego or comparison in saying I came back a profoundly better person with peace and a little more sparkle. This was unexpected after encountering the loud and swervy car rides on dirt roads where the only consistency are horns, poverty, and helmeted women in sarees.
Highly recommended for the heart and soul…not so much for the body. The ridiculous swelling from the 27 hours of travel, debilitating blisters from walking barefoot constantly, and constant joint pain from the hours of meditative stillness were treated daily with acupuncture, massaging, and energy healing. Seriously—my right leg was so swollen I almost delayed my return flight. I wore compression EVERYTHING on the way home.
A big part of this trip was proving to myself I could do it: travel further than I ever had and come back all on my own, with no help. I specifically scheduled my return home flight on a different day than others on the retreat so I could process and travel alone. Alone in countries that are out of my comfort zone and familiarity.
Pretty brave (or ignorant) considering the fall in my driveway that resulted in multiple rib fractures was just 4 months prior.
Kristen
What’s happening? 🗞️
🍈🍈 There is chatter that financial access to DIEP flap reconstruction surgeries may be at risk because of new medical billing codes. This breast reconstruction technique rebuilds breasts after mastectomies using blood vessels, fat, and skin from the lower stomach. Learn more about the billing code changes here.
🍈🍈 April Stearns of Wildfire fame is hitting the road to help us get real about breast cancer with her Wildfire Book Tour. Her next stop is in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, for a book reading event of the new Igniting the Fire Within: Stories of Healing, Hope & Humor. Writers from the book will be reading excerpts from their essays. How cool! You can stay up-to-date on upcoming Wildfire Book Tour events here.
🍈🍈 Natasha finished her year-long hormone replacement therapy and had her port removed. In our recent episode, she updates us on everything from how she’s feeling to a big trip she has planned. Listen to Natasha Update: Out, Dang Port! here.
🍈🍈 Searching for a way to heal? Energy healing may do wonders for you! Kristen is a student doing healings through Jyotishakti and Vidya. You can join healing meditations and enjoy live music virtually at 5:30pm PST/7:30pm CST on Sundays! See more info on booking.
🍈🍈 After Breast Cancer Diagnosis (ABCD) is a nonprofit organization and support group that gives people affected by breast cancer one-on-one emotional support. If you’d like to check out their resources, donate, look into their events, get one-one-one support, or become a mentor yourself, you can learn more about ABCD here!
Another podcast we ❤️
Real people, including those currently going through cancer, caregivers, and survivors, share their true stories to give some insight on how to navigate the healthcare system. Host Andrea Wilson Woods is the CEO and co-founder of Cancer University, an online platform for educating and empowering cancer patients and caregivers. She founded the nonprofit Blue Faery after losing her sister to stage IV liver cancer.
Kristen is featured on this podcast to reflect on her experience with stage 3 breast cancer, from navigating it alone during the pandemic to realizing the cancer lives with you forever and is never truly gone. Go give it a listen if you’ve been missing her!
Thank You
🙏 Thank you for being patient with us as we step away from the show for a bit to consider next steps. Life has been busy (yet exciting) for the BCS team lately, but we promise we’re working on getting updates out to you.
🙏 Even teeny tiny donations help us keep our mission rolling. Donate to Breast Cancer Stories through our PayPal link here or subscribe to this newsletter.