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
Documenting Life: Photography and Metastatic Breast Cancer
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
Navigating Patient Vulnerability During Medical Procedures
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
The Fragility of Hope
One of my favorite medical shows is Grey's Anatomy and in a series of episodes, there is a surgeon who has a brain tumor. Dr. Nicole Herman isn't on the show for very long, but she had several poignant comments about hope; that when one is living with terminal inoperable cancer, hope is most devastating … Continue reading The Fragility of Hope
Sexualizing Breast Cancer = Everyone Loses
The author critiques Super Bowl commercials by Novartis and Pfizer for their insensitivity towards patients suffering from breast cancer. She argues these ads sexualize a serious illness, neglect male patients, and misrepresent risks associated with early detection. Emphasizing the need for authentic dialogue, she calls for corporate responsibility in addressing breast cancer.
Gatekeeping
January is always a month of changes in the context of health care. A new year and a new month comes with a reset of deductibles and out of pocket maximums and often copays as well. With the implementation of some healthcare provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act, people who have Medicare Part D are … Continue reading Gatekeeping
First Medical Appointment of 2025
After an ER visit over the holidays, I found myself referred to yet another new specialist and the first available appointment was the second of January. So I began 2025 with an eventful visit to a new clinic: Urology Oncology. Sounds super fun, right?! While new doctors, new symptoms, new cancery things isn't a newsflash … Continue reading First Medical Appointment of 2025
Happy New Year, 2025
Each year, I spend some time looking back, not to castigate myself for failures, but to consider what has happened and to look forward. As LM Montgomery wrote in Anne of Green Gables (I'm paraphrasing): each hour, each day, each year starts fresh, with no mistakes in it. This annual exercise helps me focus on the year … Continue reading Happy New Year, 2025
Port procedure/surgery
After seven (7) years of mostly behaving itself, my original port has been removed and I am the proud owner of a new power port! This may seem like a little thing, but it has been a challenge for years dealing with my first non-power port and having a port that can handle contrast without … Continue reading Port procedure/surgery
When Others Share First
I've been pondering this phenomenon for quite a while and certainly for the same amount of time that social media has been present in our lives. Yes, I remember a time when social media wasn't a thing (I realize I'm dating myself here). I remember when I first learned about Facebook (shocker) and when the … Continue reading When Others Share First
No Half Measures 