66. Breast Surgeon Follow-Up: 3 Years After Breast Cancer and a Mastectomy

66. Breast Surgeon Follow-Up: 3 Years After Breast Cancer and a Mastectomy

It has been three years since my left skin-sparing, nipple-sparing mastectomy for the diagnosis of invasive ductal carcinoma (breast cancer). I just had my annual follow up with the breast surgeon. The breast surgeon is really focused on catching any new breast cancer. She does a breast exam on the side where there wasn't any cancer, in addition to checking the area around the implant and in the left arm pit (the side where I had the cancer). The breast surgeon also reviews my most recent breast imaging results. Leading up to this year's breast surgery appointment, I definitely was exhibiting a bit of an attitude towards my breast surgeon. I reference prior episodes where I recommend always getting a second opinion for the breast surgery and making sure you're the first or second surgical case of the day. Both of these episodes are based on my experience with the breast surgeon. At this appointment, the breast surgeon dove deep into discussion about approaches to screening and how to handle anything in the future that comes up as needing to be biopsied. I wasn't expecting this, but felt deeply reassured in her approach to my breast cancer screening. I was reminded that my breast surgeon is truly an expert (how could I ever forget this?) and although it is true I am always waiting more than an hour to see her (including on the day of my surgery), it doesn't take away from the value that she provides me in my breast cancer life. The content of this podcast is not intended to substitute professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a healthcare professional regarding your healthcare questions and concerns. This podcast contains opinions of the host. If you'd like to be the first to receive updates and exclusive content from the upcoming Breast Cancer Life newsletter, please email me at connect@breastcancerlife.org [connect@breastcancerlife.org]. I'd love to have you on the list! LET'S CONNECT: connect@breastcancerlife.org [connect@breastcancerlife.org] Follow us on Pinterest [https://www.pinterest.com/breastcancerlifepodcast/]

65. Breast Cancer Surgery: Why it's Important to be the Person Having Surgery in the Morning Rather Than at the End of the Breast Surgeon's Day

I've been thinking a lot lately about my surgery back in 2023, when I was diagnosed with invasive carcinoma in the left breast. At that time, I chose to have a left mastectomy. I'm sharing what I have come to realize recently about that surgery and how I have honed in on one of the reasons it may have been a disadvantage to be the last surgical case of the day for my breast surgeon. The recovery process could have been impacted by the approach the breast surgeon used. I was going to surgery at 4PM (although my original surgery time was 2 PM) and my surgeon, I'm quite certain, was operating all day long before she got to me. Immediately after the mastectomy, I went through a pretty rigorous recovery process to avoid losing the skin over my implant. I recently visited a plastic surgeon for consultation about a prophylactic right mastectomy. During this recent consultation, I learned more about what could have been the reason there was concern about the adequacy of blood flow and potential wound healing complications at the time I was in the operating room with that left mastectomy. What I learned added one more reason to my list of points as to why it's important to have your surgery in the morning and not be the very last person of the day. The content of this podcast is not intended to substitute professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a healthcare professional regarding your healthcare questions and concerns. This podcast contains opinions of the host. If you'd like to be the first to receive updates and exclusive content from the upcoming Breast Cancer Life newsletter, please email me at connect@breastcancerlife.org [connect@breastcancerlife.org]. I'd love to have you on the list! LET'S CONNECT: connect@breastcancerlife.org [connect@breastcancerlife.org] Follow us on Pinterest [https://www.pinterest.com/breastcancerlifepodcast/]

64. Breast Cancer Surgery: Personal Experience on why it is so Important to Have a Second Opinion for the Breast Surgeon and the Plastic Surgeon

This episode I share what I learned recently that would've helped me more when I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2023 and seeking the guidance of plastic surgeon and the breast surgeon. My care ultimately was good enough But I realize that getting a second opinion, and looking at more than one surgeon for each part of the surgery would've benefited as really work to make an informed decision On which doctors would be best for each part of my initial cancer care. The content of this podcast is not intended to substitute professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a healthcare professional regarding your healthcare questions and concerns. This podcast contains opinions of the host. If you'd like to be the first to receive updates and exclusive content from the upcoming Breast Cancer Life newsletter, please email me at connect@breastcancerlife.org [connect@breastcancerlife.org]. I'd love to have you on the list! LET'S CONNECT: connect@breastcancerlife.org [connect@breastcancerlife.org] Follow us on Pinterest [https://www.pinterest.com/breastcancerlifepodcast/]

63. My three year journey to get my life back after a breast cancer diagnosis

It's been almost 3 years since I was diagnosed with breast cancer. What has happened over the past few months is that I really took a pause from recording episodes. It really was not intentional that I put off making new episodes and sharing new content. It just worked out as I got busy with life and sort of put all this breast cancer stuff behind me. I talk about in this episode my radical acceptance the breast cancer experience and how I realized I can handle whatever happens in my future. I also share some thoughts about whether or not it would have been helpful to be working full-time when I was initially diagnosed, in 2023. I know now I'm coping better than ever with having a history of breast cancer, and I attribute a lot of that to being busy during my days with my career. As I cover a lot of different reflections that are from my recent experiences and deeply tied to when I was diagnosed, I hope you'll listen to the end to hear how I feel I am doing now at this point in survivorship. The content of this podcast is not intended to substitute professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a healthcare professional regarding your healthcare questions and concerns. This podcast contains opinions of the host. If you'd like to be the first to receive updates and exclusive content from the upcoming Breast Cancer Life newsletter, please email me at connect@breastcancerlife.org [connect@breastcancerlife.org]. I'd love to have you on the list! LET'S CONNECT: connect@breastcancerlife.org [connect@breastcancerlife.org] Follow us on Pinterest [https://www.pinterest.com/breastcancerlifepodcast/]

62. Breast Biopsy Results

I finally got the results of my breast biopsy and I talk about it in this episode. I waited almost 2 weeks, and at times it was very difficult. At some point before getting the results, I experienced a deep sense of acceptance, in terms of how I would cope with the results. At the moment when my stress dissipated, I felt a full acceptance of this entire breast cancer experience and I realized I can get through whatever it is that's going to be happening, just like I did when first diagnosed, 2 1/2 years ago. I also talk about the importance of me doing the work now to make a decision about a mastectomy on the right, because what I really want do is prevent a future invasive cancer and I know that I'm high risk for that happening again. The content of this podcast is not intended to substitute professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a healthcare professional regarding your healthcare questions and concerns. This podcast contains opinions of the host. If you'd like to be the first to receive updates and exclusive content from the upcoming Breast Cancer Life newsletter, please email me at connect@breastcancerlife.org [connect@breastcancerlife.org]. I'd love to have you on the list! LET'S CONNECT: connect@breastcancerlife.org [connect@breastcancerlife.org] Follow us on Pinterest [https://www.pinterest.com/breastcancerlifepodcast/]