A note from Kristen:
Happy-ish New Year, y’all! I hesitate to say those words in the breast cancer arenas because many are facing a new year filled with the unknown, fear, pain, apprehension—you name it, we feel it.
I vividly remember going into the new year two years ago, less than two weeks after the call about the biopsy being malignant. I couldn’t really see the “happy” in the new year. How many more would I celebrate? 🤷🏻♀️ I sobbed and sobbed my way into 2021.
All that to say…I feel you. I really do. 💗
Fast forward to 2023—done with all the chemo, radiation, removing and rebuilding of my chest, 17,492 (or so) appointments, and all the other cancer bulls—. I’m sitting here at Snooze A.M. in La Jolla, eating my feelings away about the biopsy appointment 3 miles and 36 minutes away. F—ing really?!?
THIS was finally the year of no more surgery, only post-cancer maintenance and PT appointments with a Zometa infusion here and there. I’m optimistic it’s 4mm of scar tissue or fat necrosis backing up against my right implant close to a shady lymph node we are watching. There’s only a 3-10% chance it’s malignant.
Still, I’ve mentally done the work of planning visits to loved ones, living with treatments again, and doing another surgery to fix the ruptured implant after radiation complications that likely won’t happen. I cried in the shower not wanting to go today. All the worries came back. It’s been this way for a month too long waiting for this appointment.
If I haven’t lost you in all craziness, thank you for seeing me. Know I’m with you every step. I pretty much know your thoughts, feelings, fears, and triumphs throughout this shitty disease.
Huge hugs and love always,
Kristen
What’s happening 🗞️
🍈🍈 The final episode of Natasha’s story is out now. You don’t want to miss her final thoughts before she wraps up her season of storytelling. We’re planning for season 3 but need to hear from you first. Do you have a preference for what we create going forward?
🍈🍈 In case you missed it, Katie Couric Media released a helpful collection of articles they wrote based on information about cancer treatment pulled from the breast cancer community, medical professionals, business owners, and brands. From broad topics such as the different types of breast cancer to specific stories such as Katie Couric’s personal essay about fears she’s had throughout her experience, this may be a great resource for you or someone you know.
🍈🍈 CNN Health shared a study by JAMA Network Open revealing that despite the fact that breast density is associated with up to a four times higher risk of breast cancer, most women don’t view it as a significant risk factor. Experts aren’t sure why, but the denser breast tissue is, the greater the risk of breast cancer.
Our latest episode 🎧
Final Episode of Natasha’s Story
Natasha wraps up her story and shares that listening to episodes of the podcast has become an enjoyable pastime for her as it’s a reminder of how far she's come. She's starting to see the silver lining in her experience in that it has opened up her heart. Thank you to all who have listened to Natasha’s story. We hope her real-time audio journal has helped you in some way, whether that’s by educating you or simply leaving a mark on your heart.
Another podcast we ❤️
Learn From People Who Lived It
Going through breast cancer diagnosis and treatment isn’t easy. It might be encouraging to hear people who have gone through different, yet similarly scarring and unfortunate circumstances share their stories and how they got through it. Learn how to find your strength by hearing from others who have lived through tough times on Mathew Blades Media’s Learn From People Who Lived It.
Things We ❤️ Right Now
❤️ Epocrates - In the upcoming episode of Natasha’s story, she shares her appreciation for Epocrates, an app that provides clinical reference information related to side effects, medications, symptoms, and more. Throughout her hormone blocker infusions, Natasha has been experiencing some strange side effects and this app has been deemed “the bible for drugs and side effects and adverse reactions” to her.
❤️ Ultimate Cooking for One Cookbook - If you’re going through this alone and don’t have the energy to whip up a big extravagant meal for yourself each night, you need this in your life. In her final storytelling episode which you’ll hear in a couple of weeks, Natasha mentions this fabulous cookbook she found for people who need good recipes for eating alone. As someone who lives alone and hates cooking for herself, she describes this book full of 20-30 minute easy recipes as her “new thing.”
Thank You
🙏 We cannot thank you all enough for opening your ears and hearts to listen to Natasha’s breast cancer story. This season will be wrapping up soon, meaning we will have two full seasons of two incredible women’s stories. Don’t forget to share our show with friends if you think it’d help them feel a little less alone in their experiences.
🙏 Thank you to those of you who have donated to the show. Big or small, it is truly appreciated and increases our chances of carrying this show on to include the stories of many more women. Help us keep the show going and continue our mission to help women and the people who love them through the shock of diagnosis and treatment here: breastcancerstories.com/donate