My diagnosis rocked my world, but I was determined for this journey to look different for me.

Diagnosed in October 2019 with stage II, invasive ductal carcinoma in my left breast, and subsequently in my lymph nodes…

I have breast cancer.

I wanted to scream and cry and lock myself away.

Two mammograms.
Three ultrasounds.
Five biopsies.
MRI.
CT scan.
Lumpectomy with sentinel node biopsy and breast lift (clear pathology results).
PET scan (clear).
mammogram (clear).
Four rounds of TC chemotherapy.
Voluntary Bi-lateral mastectomy with the insertion of tissue expanders.
CT scans.
More ultrasounds.
More tests.
More, more, more…

All of that, and I still have 25-30 rounds of radiation therapy to go, and reconstruction surgery sometime next year, God willing.

And none of that describes any complications and side effects since my diagnosis.

One thing I wanted to do was stay committed to myself.

I have a lot of “pink” sisters and I never thought it would be me. But I wanted this journey to look different than the stereotypes around breast cancer and what it could do to my body. Thankfully, I have a partner who was committed to my goals as well.

MOVE!

That’s right.

Keep moving or get moving if you haven’t.

One of the most pivotal things that have made recovering from surgeries and circumventing the side effects of chemotherapy is to MOVE. Being active has made a difference in my overall wellness since my diagnosis.

I had always been an on-again, off-again gym rat. At the beginning of 2019, I committed to my wellness and being consistent with making my body stronger and healthier. I was in the best shape since my teenage years and truly believe it is the reason why I found my lump and listened to my body.

After my first surgery, within two days, I was out walking around the track. I wanted to help my body heal and get back to feeling like myself. My recovery from my lumpectomy was great and with minimal pain. As soon as I was cleared to resume my regular workouts, I did just that. I returned to work one month after surgery.

As I geared up for chemotherapy, I wanted my body to be as strong as physically possible.

I knew the side effects of chemo could be debilitating if I allowed it. After each chemo, I moved. Not immediately after, or even the next day; but my goal was within two days to be back to working out.

Chemotherapy will drain everything out of you. Not to mention the bone pain from the Neulasta shot. The fatigue was real, and the bone pain was present. But I rested for a day or two, and then pushed myself to get moving. I did cardio and strength training 3-4 days a week. As I progressed through treatment, it got harder to run, as it became harder to catch my breath, but I kept pushing.

Undergoing chemotherapy is no easy feat.

You lose your hair, all over.

Your memory starts to suffer.

You just don’t feel like yourself.

It takes a toll on your mental health.

Having a bilateral mastectomy was my personal choice. All my scans, pathology, and mammogram were clear. But my anxiety was not!

So, I bit the bullet and my oncologist supported my decision and I had that surgery on July 10, 2020, and wow, I’m glad I made the decision. Because my pathology came back and showed that I had a 1mm spot of cancer left in my milk ducts.

I’m thankful.

This surgery was much different from my first. You wake up with no breast and tubes and drains coming out of you. I was in a lot more pain. I couldn’t care to look at my flat chest. But two days after surgery, I was out walking. I wanted to get that fluid off of me. It was important to me. I took it easy and stopped when I felt uncomfortable or dizzy. I am now 6 weeks post bi-lateral mastectomy and I’m back to my workouts after being cleared. I’ve had a few complications this time around but overall, I feel physically strong. I’m working on the mental. It’s been a little harder these days. But I feel like I’m as healthy as I can be.

This entire journey has tested my confidence and trust; in myself and others. It has me questioning so much about myself. I’ve been through a lot in life, but this has by far been the hardest thing I’ve had to endure. Exercising, although an effort at times, allows me to clear my mind and focus on the task at hand. Not only is my body remaining strong, but it also contributes to my mental health and well-being. I had little to no nausea during chemotherapy. Fatigue was present, but it wasn’t too much. I had no weight gain due to the steroids. There’s been zero impact on my sex life; no need for lubricants or loss of desire. I never felt like I was “down” after my surgeries. I was very mobile. And I believe it’s attributed to the physical fitness that I committed to.

I say all this to say, never stop choosing you. Never stop fighting for yourself. Never stop advocating for yourself. Unfortunately, breast cancer was unavoidable for me. But I haven’t let it completely take over my life,
Peace, love, and light to you!