I’ve always been more of a giver than a receiver. It’s been a huge part of my identity and one of the ways I feel most fulfilled and purposeful in this world. Cancer really flipped the script for me. Not only did I need to rely on my mom financially, since I had been volunteeringContinue reading “Accepting help can be difficult”
Category Archives: Breast Cancer
My beautiful henna crown made all the difference
While we made the hair loss and shave experience fun and memorable, I was still worried about actually going out into the real world while bald. I knew if I didn’t do it early on, I may never have the courage to do it, and I wanted to try to be comfortable in my ownContinue reading “My beautiful henna crown made all the difference”
How to make shaving your head more fun
I decided to embrace my hair loss as much as I could, instead of fighting it, so I shaved my head after my second chemo session. If you’re keeping track, that’s the day after my first date with Ilan and just after I started noticing hair loss. Taking intentional action definitely made me feel likeContinue reading “How to make shaving your head more fun”
When your hair falls out on a first date
It was just a week and a half after my first chemo treatment when my hair started falling out. I knew it would happen around then, but it’s hard to prepare for. It was Saturday, August 20, 2016, a date that I’ll never forget. I was relaxing with two friends by the pool and itContinue reading “When your hair falls out on a first date”
Finding a wig at 25 years old
The anticipation of losing my hair was one of the more challenging aspects for me. Part of it was the fear of how I would look bald, of course, but most of it was the fact that now just by looking at me, people would know (assume) that I was sick. It made the invisible…visible. Continue reading “Finding a wig at 25 years old”
When the ‘Red Devil’ makes you sick
Each chemo infusion took a few hours, but always began with a blood test to check that all my levels were where they needed to be. If something was off or my white blood count was too low, my chemo may have been rescheduled. In order to help my white blood cells regenerate though, IContinue reading “When the ‘Red Devil’ makes you sick”
When anticipation ends and treatment begins
It was a large hospital complex, with multiple tall white buildings all named after different people. My mom wasn’t feeling well that day, and I didn’t want her to accidentally get someone who is immunocompromised sick, so we decided she wouldn’t come to my first chemo appointment. Instead, my best friend and I walked throughContinue reading “When anticipation ends and treatment begins”
Finally, we have a treatment plan!
The week after my actual diagnosis I had an MRI, PET scan, pre-op blood work and an EKG done since I was going away for a week to Greece. My mom and I had this trip planned from when I was in Rwanda, but luckily we were still able to go with my doctor’s approval.Continue reading “Finally, we have a treatment plan!”
So it’s cancer, but what’s the actual diagnosis?
Thursday afternoon, just a couple hours after the biopsies, I took a greyhound bus for 3 hours to get to my friend’s house. This was the friend that had Leukemia many years prior. I planned to spend the weekend with her and her family, not expecting my biopsy results right away but also knowing itContinue reading “So it’s cancer, but what’s the actual diagnosis?”
Diagnostic process in the United States
Coming back to the United States, I knew my experience with the healthcare system would be different. I was fortunate that my mom had already made a consultation for me, so just a few days upon my return I was sitting in a breast specialist’s office with my mom. We both had no idea whatContinue reading “Diagnostic process in the United States”
Still Rising 