Good morning! Picking up where I left off last week with Breast Cancer Awareness month educational tiles from Metavivor: In 2017, I was 38 and had never had a mammogram because I did not yet meet the criteria for screening. I received my first mammogram in the process of my de novo diagnosis and if … Continue reading MBC BCAM awareness #2
Each October, Metavivor shares tiles of educational information and 2025 is no different. I'll be sharing information throughout the month as I have the time/bandwidth and today I'm catching up on the first week of tiles: Approximately 117 people in the United States die every day from Stage IV Metastatic Breast Cancer (MBC) -- that's … Continue reading Catching up on some MBC BCAM awareness!
While we don't see the fall seasons so much here in Florida from the trees, the rising incidences of pink smothered whatever always reminds me that October has arrived. Similar to other holidays, retailers get a start earlier and earlier in the year to capitalize on a larger timeline for sales. And while some of … Continue reading It’s October Again … 2025
For the past few months, I have been in at least weekly and sometimes daily contact with either my insurance company, various medical providers, Medicare or all of the above. While I’ve dealt with what I often call “paperwork hell” since my de novo Metastatic Breast Cancer (MBC) diagnosis since 2017, this fresh experience has … Continue reading Your Cheat Sheet for Medical Billing and Insurance Challenges
One of the silver linings of losing my career at 38 years young is that I have more time to volunteer and participate in my children's education -- certainly came in handy during the pandemic and we were doing some semblance of school from our homes. As my health has ebbed and flowed over the … Continue reading Active Shooter Drills
April 19, 2025 Hello friends and family! A quick update on things cancer-related, as you can expect from this blog! My hip is fantastic. No pain at … Cancer Drugs 💊 and Research 🔬
Before my Stage IV Metastatic Breast Cancer (MBC) diagnosis in 2017, most of the waiting I can remember was for good things -- waiting for holidays or special family events; waiting to get married, waiting on the arrival of the kiddos or for them to open up a gift. There were some not so great … Continue reading Waiting, waiting and more waiting
Over the weekend, we had a photoshoot. It’s not an abnormal experience, in fact I’ve prioritized photoshoots with my family for Christmas and Mother’s Day every year since my de novo Stage IV Metastatic Breast Cancer (MBC) in 2017. This past weekend was our annual Mother’s Day photoshoot and I can’t wait to see the … Continue reading Documenting Life: Photography and Metastatic Breast Cancer
Recently, I had my ninth (9th) procedure since my Stage IV Metastatic Breast Cancer (MBC) diagnosis in 2017; it was the third procedure involving a port and the sixth (6th) or maybe seventh (7th) location. Many details aren’t at my fingertips or at the top of my mind, but I’ve learned a lot since 2017 … Continue reading Navigating Patient Vulnerability During Medical Procedures
In 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act was signed into law. This 800+ page law covers a wide variety of topics and issues, including healthcare, which is my major concern right now. As with any significant legislation, there are often unintended consequences and questions swirling as the healthcare provisions affecting patients directly become effective in January … Continue reading Implications for Patients under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA)
No Half Measures 