What’s in a choice? I’ve had a lot of people asking me recently about my surgery choices. Specifically, why I underwent a lumpectomy two years ago to then have to go in for a bilateral mastectomy one year later. I’ve written about it here and here but wanted to provide the fresh scoop as I [...]
Where I stand
It’s hard to believe that two years have already passed since my diagnosis. Part of me feels like this all just happened yesterday yet it also feels like such a lifetime ago. I had been lying in bed one night when I had a sudden feeling to do a self exam, never thinking in a [...]
Every BODY is beautiful
Growing up, I struggled with body image issues, my mind constantly distorting the way I looked at myself and feeling the need to live up to an expectation that didn’t exist. When I was told I had breast cancer though and had to undergo a lumpectomy followed a year later by a bilateral mastectomy, I [...]
Living life after breast cancer: 6 tips on coping with the fear of recurrence
No one told me that life after cancer was the hard part. The abrupt change from being blanketed in active treatment and constant monitoring by my doctors, to suddenly being forced to take the wheel and navigate this new unknown world on my own. I thought I should’ve been celebrating the end of treatment, but [...]
The reconstruction saga continues: Part 2
It feels like this post has been a long time coming. Being able to share what will hopefully be the last chapter of my breast reconstruction journey for a long while. It was emotional putting these pictures together, remembering that innocent hope as I headed into my first surgery that I would be back to [...]
The reconstruction saga continues: Part 1
When is enough, enough? I kept asking myself that same question everyday. Breast reconstruction is never a perfect process and I’ve spoken openly about my surgeries in the past (here and here) because I know I’m not alone. I had high hopes going into my last surgery but found myself feeling deflated the moment I [...]
What to Pack for Day Surgery
Getting all packed up and ready to go for my fourth surgery first thing tomorrow morning. I’ll be undergoing breast revisions including fat grafting and removing excess skin with the hopes that this will be my last surgery. Although I am supposed to be in and out of the hospital within the same day, there [...]
Hormone Therapy
Chemo, radiation, surgery. Our bodies feel like they've been put through enough. But for the large number of women with hormone receptor positive breast cancer, it is often recommended to take hormone therapy for 5 to 10 years which comes with its own set of challenges, most notably early menopause. Now that I’ve been on [...]
365 new days, 365 new possibilities
365 new days. 365 new possibilities. As this year comes to an end, I reflect back on the struggles I've overcome, the friendships I've made, and the memories that will last a lifetime. Here’s a recap of some of my biggest moments from 2017 and what I'm looking forward to in the new year: Finding [...]
The good, the bad, and the ugly
It’s hard to believe that it’s already been 6 months since my bilateral mastectomy and immediate latissimus dorsi flap breast reconstruction. Prior to my surgery, I found a lot of the information online to be focused on mastectomies using a tissue expander or implant only and it was difficult to access any personal first-hand experience [...]
