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Test Those Breasts ™️
This podcast by Jamie Vaughn is a deep-dive discussion on a myriad of breast cancer topics, such as early detection, the initial shock of diagnosis, testing/scans, treatment, loss of hair, caregiving, surgery, emotional support, and advocacy.
These episodes will include breast cancer survivors, thrivers, caregivers, surgeons, oncologists, therapists, and other specialists who can speak to many different topics.
Disclaimer: I am not a doctor and not all information in this podcast comes from qualified health care providers, therefore does not constitute medical advice. For personalized medical advice, you should reach out to one of the qualified healthcare providers interviewed on this podcast and/or seek medical advice from your own providers.
Test Those Breasts ™️
Episode 75: From Healing to Helping: Claudia De Pasquale’s Inspiring Story
Claudia De Pasquale's remarkable journey from a healthcare marketing professional and mother of 3 to a breast cancer survivor and advocate is both inspiring and transformative. Claudia joins us to share her story of founding My Cancer Diaries, a blog that provides crucial support to women newly diagnosed with breast cancer. Through heartfelt reflections, Claudia sheds light on the emotional, mental, and spiritual facets of healing, offering gratitude for her two-year anniversary since diagnosis and discussing the profound impact of balancing motherhood with cancer treatment.
The intricacies of breast cancer reconstruction are explored as Claudia candidly discusses her experiences and decisions. Our conversation centers around the necessity of informed decision-making and the advocacy required when faced with complex treatment options. Claudia's journey took her to Center for Restorative Breast Surgery, where she navigated through skepticism and challenges to consider advanced microsurgical options. Her story underscores the importance of specialized care and the empowerment that comes from thoroughly researching one's options.
As Claudia and I explore the path of survivorship, we emphasize the significance of community support and advocacy. From her blog to this very podcast, Claudia's efforts are dedicated to aiding others on similar journeys. We also discuss breast cancer risk factors, highlighting the need for awareness and routine self-examinations. By sharing personal experiences and resources, Claudia continues to inspire and empower, advocating for self-care and the strength found within a supportive community.
claudia@mycancerdiaries.com. My Cancer Diaries on Instagram My Cancer Diaries on Facebook My Cancer Diaries Resources
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I am not a doctor and not all information in this podcast comes from qualified healthcare providers, therefore may not constitute medical advice. For personalized medical advice, you should reach out to one of the qualified healthcare providers interviewed on this podcast and/or seek medical advice from your own providers .
Hello friends, welcome back to the Test those Breasts podcast. I am your host, jamie Vaughn. I'm a retired teacher of 20 years and a breast cancer thriver turned staunch, unapologetic, loud supporter and advocate for others, bringing education and awareness through a myriad of medical experts, therapists, caregivers and other survivors. A breast cancer diagnosis is incredibly overwhelming, with the mounds of information out there, and other survivors A breast cancer diagnosis is incredibly overwhelming, with the mounds of information out there, especially on Dr Google. I get it. I'm not a doctor and I know how important it is to uncover accurate information, which is my ongoing mission through my nonprofit. The podcast includes personal stories and opinions from breast cancer survivors and professional physicians, providing the most up-to-date information. At the time of recording Evidence, research and practices are always changing, so please check the date of the recording and always refer to your medical professionals for the most up-to-date information. I hope you find this podcast a source of inspiration and support from my guests. Their contact information is in the show notes, so please feel free to reach out to them. We have an enormous breast cancer community ready to support you in so many ways. Now let's listen to the next episode of Test those Breasts. Well, hey, friends, welcome back to this episode of Test those Breasts. I am your host, jamie Vaughn, and today I'm so excited to have my new breasty friend, claudia DePasquale, on my show.
Speaker 1:Claudia is the founder and voice behind my Cancer Diaries, a blog dedicated to supporting and empowering newly diagnosed women and their caregivers, particularly those who are often parents of young children, through the complexities of breast cancer. As a breast cancer survivor and mother of three, claudia combines her personal experience with a deep commitment to providing valuable resources and emotional support. In addition to her role as a blogger and advocate, claudia has a professional background in marketing and sales within the healthcare industry. Her career experience has honed her skills in communication, strategic planning and client relations, which she leverages to enhance the impact and reach of her blog. She has always had a particular interest in women's health, which has fueled her passion for addressing the unique challenges faced by women undergoing cancer treatment.
Speaker 1:Through her breast cancer journey, claudia realized the profound importance of the whole person healing, addressing not just the physical aspects of illness but also the emotional, mental and spiritual dimensions. Her blog reflects this holistic approach, offering practical advice on navigating treatment, managing side effects and maintaining emotional well-being. She also provides a tailored parenting resources designed specifically for women balancing their cancer journey with the demands of raising young children. Through her writing and professional expertise, claudia aims to demystify the cancer experience and create a supportive space where others can find hope, connection, resources and actionable insights. Her dedication to her family and her mission to support other women make the Cancer Diaries a valuable resource for those seeking understanding and community during their cancer journeys. Well hello, claudia. How are you doing today? Welcome to the show, hi Jamie.
Speaker 2:Thank you so much for having me today. I'm really excited to chat with you.
Speaker 1:Me too, and we've had a conversation in the past, so we've kind of gotten to know each other a little bit and we've talked about what we're going to talk about today. First, I want to point out that we are both wearing our t-shirts from Center for Restorative Breast Surgery. You have restored by Dr Sullivan and I have restored by Dr Cabling, and we will talk about our experiences a little bit later. But I would love for you to share with us, like before we go into your diagnosis and your treatments, who was Claudia before breast cancer?
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's a really good question, I mean you know, I was the typical overscarred mother of three young kids and managing everybody's activities and trying to meet everybody's needs. I didn't really prioritize myself that much, and I think that's pretty common as a mom of young kids. I would say something I found myself often like thinking back, like who I was before. I didn't really live much in the present moment. I was a lot of times like living in the future and worrying what's going to be next. During that time I was also taking a career break. I mean really just raising my three kids. However, I always thought of myself as being the picture of health. I was having a really good diet. I always prioritized actually eating healthy food and I was active. I was exercising all of that Prior to that and I'm barely drunk either. Honestly, prior to that, I was a marketing sales professional working in the healthcare industry. I always had a very big interest when it came to health and wellness and I would say in particular in women's health.
Speaker 1:And after the career break.
Speaker 2:I was thinking like my son was just three years old and he started part-time daycare and I thought you know what, this is a good moment, I should go back to work, and that was the plan, my two older kids were five and seven year old at the time, but then things came very differently. I was diagnosed with breast cancer and that really turned our lives upside down.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I hear that 100%. What year was?
Speaker 2:that that was in 2022. So I actually had my two-year anniversary coming up this Thursday.
Speaker 1:Okay, so I just had my two-year anniversary in June. Okay so you and I were diagnosed the same year. Okay, so how's that feel for you? How does that feel being two years out from your diagnosis? We're going to talk a little bit more about your survivorship, but what kind of emotions does that conjure up for your two year anniversary? I think like they're mixed a little bit.
Speaker 2:I would say that I am so grateful that and happy that this is all behind me, all the medical treatment. I actually just finished my second stage of the reconstruction journey. So you know, now I only have to go in for my six months clinical exam and I'm taking a pill. So it feels really good to have all the doctor's appointments and all of that behind me. But, as we all know, cancer isn't really over when treatment is over. So it's always in the back of my mind. But I feel like I've learned to live with that and how to manage that constant reminder that that is there. I know how to manage those feelings much better.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I definitely relate 100%. So with that, what was your diagnosis and what were your treatments like? Can you give us an idea of what your lived experience was? So I went in.
Speaker 2:It was in 2022, I went in for a regular checkup at my OBGYN and she was doing, as well, a breast exam and she had me lying down and then she was feeling my breasts and she asked, well, did you ever feel these two lumps? And I was like, no, I hadn't felt them. And I said, well, I was just in last year for my very first mammogram and I was only 40 at that time and it came out clean. I said, well, I think you should go get a mammogram and you know we should look at those. And I swear like once I was standing up and really feeling my breasts. I was like, wow, there are actually actually lungs there.
Speaker 2:I was not very diligent about doing self-exam and I didn't know anymore, like what my breast was supposed to feel like after breastfeeding three kids and I just started to have more time as my son started daycare. But then I went in for my first mammogram my mammogram again and they wanted to keep me there for a ultrasound. After the ultrasound was performed, they were like, okay, can you please stay here Because we should do a biopsy. That's when I started to get a little nervous about it.
Speaker 1:But the radiologist assured me like this is going to be fine 95%. This is going to turn out benign, you're still young.
Speaker 2:Then I got that phone call a couple of days later and I remember that, as it would have been yesterday, there was a radiologist saying like I'm sorry, mr Pasquale, to inform you, but you have invasive lobular carcinoma and I bursted out in tears and dropped my bags and I was just told that next week I was going to meet with a breast surgeon and I was crying pretty much like a week straight after I got that diagnosis. I was then told it was one of the favorable cancer. It was ERP or positive HER2 negative.
Speaker 1:Okay, so I had HER2 positive, ERP or negative.
Speaker 2:Okay, the contrary.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I remember that phone call that I got as well, and it's pretty freaking, devastating.
Speaker 1:Yes, it is To say the least. Yeah, to say the least, I cried quite a bit, I was incredibly fearful. But it's interesting because now I'm always told that yes, going into the OBGYN and having them do a breast exam. But we personally know our body better, because I did actually feel a lump before I was diagnosed, but I had lumpy breasts because I had dense breast tissue and, like most of us, do Right. But I felt that and I also felt zingers and burning sensations. Did you feel any of that?
Speaker 2:No, I didn't. I really like I was. I felt like I was in the best shape of my life. Honestly, I didn't feel any of it and I didn't really feel it Like I mean. You know, I didn't. I really like I was. I felt like I was in the best shape of my life. Honestly, I didn't feel any of it and I didn't really feel it Like I mean. You know, I was touching my breast a little bit, but I actually only felt the lumps once I was lying down, that's when I felt my lumps.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think I did too, because I remember taking my husband's hand and saying, do you feel this? And he said he did feel it. So, as we know now that we could be the healthiest of our whole entire life and still get breast cancer right. So I mean people were shocked that I got it. They're like my gosh. But you're so healthy and I'm like I know, and I am healthy, like I'm the healthiest out of my. I mean I had just lost like 33 pounds, I was in really good shape, I was physically and mentally and all of it. I just retired from the school district, so I was really healthy.
Speaker 1:We know now that you had made just a comment a little while ago about what your radiologist said. They said you know, it's 95% chance that it's benign. You're still young, and we know now that it doesn't matter if you're still young, right? And we know that women in their late twenties and early thirties, new moms and things like that, are getting breast cancer, and so the awareness that we have now surrounding our diagnosis and our treatments is just so much more abundant, right.
Speaker 2:That we know so much more. That's right.
Speaker 1:Absolutely. What kind of treatment did you go through and what was your surgery like? So, in the very beginning, when I met, the first encounter with my breast surgeon.
Speaker 2:She wanted to talk. I had 1000 questions and she wanted to talk only about the two tools she had in her toolbox, which she said Well, I have to offer you a lumpectomy or a mastectomy. And I had no idea about, honestly, about breast cancer in general. I felt like I was the youngest of the group that was touched by breast cancer, so I couldn't really reach out to anybody either. But that's what she wanted to talk about and I thought, well, you know, if I have these two options, why go the more invasive route? Why not just go the lumpectomy route if the overall survival is going to be the same?
Speaker 2:So in the meantime I went down the rabbit hole and researching and listening to podcasts and all of that, and I said, yeah, I would like to go the lumpectomy route. But then she said, because of the type of your breast cancer, which is a rare type of cancer lobular breast cancer they can also not form a distinctive lump. But she explained it to me that they sometimes can be more of a like they can form like a spider web kind of texture, and that I needed more imaging, that I should go get a breast MRI. So I did. And then this came back and it showed about nine suspicious enhancements and I thought, wow, I'm full of cancer, I don't just have two lungs. And then she was saying well, you know, lumpectomy, that's not really an option for you anymore, you need a mastectomy. In the meantime I had met also with my plastic surgeon and he talked about the different options just very quickly brushed at.
Speaker 2:He was just saying like well, there are reconstruction options with your own tissue, but he was mostly talking about implant based reconstruction, which in my case he already said well, you're kind of like on the thinner side. It's probably, you know, going to be challenging that you end up with.
Speaker 2:He said like a good looking breast because it's going to have most likely rippling. And I was like, well, great, Anyway, I was not even that interested in the reconstruction part yet and I went ahead and I said let's just take them both, because if this breast is full of cancer or what I thought, then let's just take them both. But then they kept saying like it would be better for me to have a single mastectomy because it could delay the treatment on the cancer side and we want to really go ahead and treat that side first. And I agreed to that. I had my mastectomy and had a breast tissue expander placed and then I had the good news afterwards were that it didn't spread beyond my lymph nodes.
Speaker 2:They did a sentinel lymph node biopsy. They biopsied two lymph nodes and they were not I didn't have any cancer in them. But they also performed a sophisticated genomic test, the oncotype DX, and it came back as a high chance of recurrence. So at that point I met with my oncologist and my oncologist said well, it's kind of like you're reducing your chance of recurrence by a lot and you do benefit from chemotherapy. So I ended up going in for four rounds of TC, which is Taxotere and Cytoxan, and after that, once I was done with my chemotherapy, I started first with Tamoxifen. Later on I switched to ovarian suppression, which is Lupron, so monthly shots, and I changed to an Astrozole and I explained later why I changed and all of that Even later in the process when I was really digging into reconstruction. Often once the cancer was out and I felt like, okay, I'm really gonna research now more in depth what my options really are and what that means. I chose to have a bilateral prophylactic other side mastectomy, a bilateral reconstruction with my own tissue.
Speaker 1:We use the upper buttock fat which is called the S-gap flap, which is not a very common flap, but that's what they do in New Orleans a lot, and Dr Sullivan specializes in that.
Speaker 2:That's right.
Speaker 1:Yeah, how did you fall upon the Center for Restorative Breast Surgery? How did that happen?
Speaker 2:It was a long shot till I actually did get there, According to my local surgeon in the very beginning, really it was not really on my radar, like I just wanted a cancer out.
Speaker 2:I didn't bother much about reconstruction at all. I said I'm going to go flat, I just want it out. I didn't really care. But then, once the treatment was over, I was really starting more to think about like, okay, I actually don't have to rush into this, my cancer is out, I can really explore option. And so I said, well, why don't I meet again with my plastic surgeon and I want to actually know about this flat reconstruction. And then he said, well, in the very beginning you just wanted a lumpectomy and now suddenly you want to do this huge seven hour surgery. I don't understand. So I had already there a pushback and I said well, but I'd like to explore that option.
Speaker 2:Can we talk about it? And I didn't realize at that time that you needed to be specialized to be doing a flat reconstruction. So my local plastic surgeon was not a microsurgeon. So he said the microsurgeons that we have and I was in an HMO at that time and he said they're really busy, they're really, really busy, but you can come in for a consult again and I can look at your tummy.
Speaker 1:And I said yeah, sure, I'd like to talk about it.
Speaker 2:At that point I was kind of determined because I had researched my options a little bit. I knew there were pros and cons with each one. I just wanted to know more. He referred me out at the end, even though he said you know, if you were my wife, I would suggest implants to you. If you were my ex-wife, then I would suggest implants to you. If you were my ex-wife, then I would suggest a flap surgery to you. And I was like great.
Speaker 1:Okay, At that point I was a little pissed. That is very strange.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's a very strange comment to make.
Speaker 1:Right, that's a big red flag.
Speaker 2:Exactly so I finally met with high hopes. I met that microsurgeon out in Oakland and I live in the Bay Area. He was looking at me and he said no way, I mean, there's just not enough. And I said, well, how about another flap? I know there are other options, Because in the meantime I talked to a microsurgeon no-transcript, and so I mentioned that to this doctor and he said well, there's not enough fat either. That's just not going to work, unless you want a scar that goes all the way down to your knees and it would pull up your vagina all the way.
Speaker 2:And I was like OK, so it was like a big turn off and I was kind of devastated and I was like, ok, then implants it's going to be. But then I was like, ok, okay, I'm just gonna schedule the surgery, because obviously there's no other choice for me. So I scheduled the surgery but I didn't in my gut, it didn't feel right somehow. I just knew I kept researching, I started being on Facebook groups and I knew that implants they were quicker and there would be a faster recovery, it would be easier with my kids, because always I was always thinking how am I going to do this?
Speaker 2:Like you know, being part of the workforce, I mean like helping in my family, helping with the kids and doing all the things If the recovery is going to be so long with a flap surgery. But in my gut, just I kept having a bunch of discussions and I thought, okay, I need to cancel, I need to cancel. I need to cancel this surgery that was coming up because I want to do more research. It just got to be a way. And then I made other appointments. I started to look outside of my HMO and I said if this microsurgeon in Switzerland said that they're doing it.
Speaker 2:Obviously I can't fly to Switzerland to get it done. I need my insurance to come for it. There were certain names that were dropped. It was, you know, prma, and I asked my plastic surgeon. The plastic surgeon in Oakland asked well, can you refer me? I want another referral. Can you refer me out to someone else in Northern California? So I started having all these discussions.
Speaker 2:So, and that was another surgeon who said no, I can't do it. And then I had the chat with Pierre May and Pierre May they were saying too, no, there's just no way. And then I asked him about the ASCAP flap and they would say like, oh yeah, we could do, but we could do like one side, one breast, and then the other breast later. And I asked him how many they would do of them. And you know not that many and you know not that many. And that just didn't sound right to me and I thought you know what? You know, it's just not going to work. Maybe I just have to let it be. And I asked all the women in the Facebook group, but it just can't be. Are there any women who have my similar physique? That I was 5'7 and 126 pounds at the time. I was like, are there any other women who successfully reconstructed with their own tissue? And there was one woman who said, well, you should go see New Orleans. I was like, okay, I almost gave up. I had a phone call scheduled with Dr Sullivan and I even told my husband you know what, maybe I should. Just can't, I'm just wasting my time here. But then I did not.
Speaker 2:And we talked about the options and he said he could do it and he could give me a decent result. And I was like, wow, okay, this is the first one. And I said, well, can I talk to other women that have done that? And I want to see before and after pictures, and how many do you do of these? And he was like I do hundreds of these. And you know, I saw the before and after pictures of all these other patients that went to him that had a similar physique and I was like, wow, the women look all better after than before. I want this too.
Speaker 2:However, he was not in my network. I was with an HMO. So I was like, okay, since they can't do it, I was trying to get a referral from my HMO and kind of trying to them to cover for the expenses. And I was like, well, can I get clinical notes and send that over to the microsurgeon I was talking to and maybe he can refer me out and so I get it covered, since you don't have their expertise. And what happened next is he looked at the clinical notes and he was like I'm sorry, I do a lot of flap surgeries, but there's just no way that I could not get this much tissue and reconstruct to beds.
Speaker 2:He just he didn't think it was doable. So he said you know, let me do one more thing. I'm going to send this out to all of the plastic surgeons that are in our HMO in Northern California. I was with Kaiser at the time. They all looked at it in Northern California I was with Kaiser at the time, they all looked at it. There was one plastic surgeon that you know reached out and he said, well, I think I could do something, send her down here. So it's like, okay, why not? You know, now it was determined that they would refer me out to New Orleans. So I met with him and he also said well, I could do it, but I can't guarantee what the size is going to be. I was like I didn't have big breasts before. I didn't want a bigger breast, but I didn't want. I'm five seven. I didn't want two flat pancakes at the time either.
Speaker 2:I was like, if I'm going through this big surgery, I'm not looking for a breast augmentation, but I'm just looking to have a similar size that I have before. And I said, well, can you show me before and after pictures? And he said, no, I can't do that either.
Speaker 2:So there was no guarantee about the size or I could not see any before and after pictures. So I asked him also about the S-gap and he said we do those, but I only do a couple a year. I was like I knew at that time, after doing all this research, talking all to these women and seeing what all can go wrong, I said no, this is such a high stakes surgery, I need someone who does that like a lot. Yeah, so that's how I chose at the end, even though I had to switch insurance. It was financially more of a strain because you know it would have been covered when I would have done it, if I would have done it within the HMO. So it was more of a strain financially. It meant waiting. I waited about a year. So I was a year with my breast tissue expander, which was quite uncomfortable. But today I'm so happy that I waited. It was totally worth it.
Speaker 2:It was totally worth it and I couldn't be happier with my results and, above all, I also had lymphedema. My lymphedema improved, reconstructing with my own tissue and you know it's just been all for the better and I'm done. My own tissue, and you know it's just been all for the better and I'm done. I don't have to worry about the outkeep of implants or future infections and all of that.
Speaker 1:Well, I just want to say that I'm really happy that you had the wherewithal to ask the important questions, because I was so unaware of what even to ask. I was just lucky to find out about Center for Restorative Breast Surgery through three different separate friends of mine that knew somebody who had gone there. That's how I was led to New Orleans and I didn't know questions to ask. I mean, it's awesome that you understood that you should ask them. How many of these do you do? And Dr Sullivan was able to tell you that he does hundreds of these and those are, you know, on Test those Breasts website, mytestthosebreastsorg, I have a resource page and we have curated questions that you should ask people making sure that they are microsurgeons and fellowship trained. So I've been on a mission to uncover where all of the excellent skilled micro plastic surgeons who are microsurgeons and fellowship trained all around the United States and I know that all of them at Center for Restorative Breast Surgery are.
Speaker 1:Yes, tabling was my surgeon and I interviewed him early on of this podcast and he saved me. I was in kind of a similar situation where I didn't have enough tissue to reconstruct both of my breasts from my stomach, so what he ended up doing is floating me the idea of having hybrid implants and that freaked me out at first, but he helped. He sort of helped me understand why that probably would be a better route to go and he told me that it would be very secure. I wouldn't even know they were there, they weren't something that I would need to replace like normal implants. But he says if I didn't have those, the breasts would be kind of a pancake-y look and I'm like I don't want that. So in the end I ended up doing that and then I had my second phase last December.
Speaker 1:But I also uncovered a really awesome surgeon in New York NYBRA, new York Restoration I can't remember exactly what it's, but it's nybracom or org and it's Dr David Light. He's Dr David Light. I interviewed him a few months ago and he is yet another amazing, very, very, very skilled microsurgeon plastic surgeon. So because I, like I, want people to be able to go to a resource where, if they can, find the ones that are actually trained to do what you and I went through and do hundreds of them, so luckily that other surgeon was like.
Speaker 1:Well, I do two of those a year and you're like nope.
Speaker 2:Exactly, I was like no way. And then I knew I just kept thinking I mean, there's just got to be a way. But, I also found out that a lot of times the plastic surgeons they are not trained to do microsurgery. It's kind of like an additional specialty. But that's all things that I learned along the way. I thought my original local plastic surgeon will be able to do that. I didn't know that I needed to go in the very beginning. I didn't know that I had to go to a microsurgeon.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I didn't either, and my husband actually, he and I really butted heads when I told him that I was considering going to New Orleans over doing surgery here. He's like, why do we have to go? Why can't we have somebody do that here in town? Is because we don't have anyone here. Maybe we have somebody now, I'm not sure, but we don't. At that time we did not have anyone who was skilled to do that kind of surgery, and so I was like what? I want to go to a place where they are incredibly skilled, and in the end my husband will tell you it was the best place that we could have gone and the care was amazing.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, and they do really go above and beyond for their patients. Yeah, they do.
Speaker 1:Good for you, I'm so glad and you look great. What are you doing in your survivorship? So usually when people have breast cancer a lot of times anyway we kind of pop out on the other end and think, god, how can I give back to the breast cancer community? You know, in the intro I explained a little bit about what you're doing, but can you go in to a little more detail about what you're doing in your survivorship to give back to the breast cancer community?
Speaker 2:Yeah, so oftentimes you're done with treatment and then I was at a point like now what it just didn't feel like cancer treatment was over, but it just kind of felt like it was not over In general, like I going through this process, like the reconstruction, but I had other hiccups where you know I had to get like second and third opinions and I feel like there's so many resources out there and I have learned so much and I've always been someone who I want to make an informed decision. I like to be, because you feel much better when you choose a decision that is right for you. And, having looked at all of your options, I thought I have to share my experiences with other patients that go through this and that's the whole idea about the blog was born going through this process and the other thing, like I always found there was an added complexity going to breast cancer treatment but then also being caregiver of three kids. I mean, we all know being a parent is hard, but then being a parent cancer awareness but also to share practical tips and resources for newly diagnosed and their caregivers who are going through a breast cancer diagnosis. And it has a focus on having more like a parent tailored resources, because when I was diagnosed I got a whole stack of paper where I could get help but I never really read that and I felt like they are not really tailored to my needs.
Speaker 2:So that's what I do in my blog. I have very detailed guides, like for each treatment phase, like surgery, chemo, what I went through, chemo, reconstruction, but then also survivorship. Like what can you expect, what are possible side effects and how can you cope with that, with the side effects, and also thinking always, like, of all the aspects of cancer not just. We all know that cancer is not just. It doesn't just have physical implications, right, I mean, there's also like mentally, emotionally, but it also has a financial impact as well.
Speaker 2:And I'm not a doctor, but I know where to find the resources and those resources. I list, like you know things like how do I tell my kids and you know how do I prepare them for each phase I'm going through. Like what did we do what does help? Like, what did we do, what does help? That's what I'm trying to inspire and empower other women to have it easier to go through a breast cancer journey.
Speaker 1:Right, and your story is so familiar because I remember getting those that big stack of papers from my oncologist and I never read through any of them Because, you know, a cancer diagnosis like that is incredibly overwhelming. I barely could even keep my shit together. You know what I mean. And my husband thank goodness for him because he was with me at all of these appointments. He was taking notes. I was taking his notes and going on to my private Facebook group and updating everyone using his notes, along with CaringBridge and all of this stuff, because I just couldn't hold it all in my head and I'm I'm a good student, I'm a good note taker. But when you have a breast cancer or any cancer for that matter diagnosis it is scary and you're just like, like you know, the big fog. Yes, so it's really, really nice that you have that resource and that is something when you know anyone who interviews on Test those Breasts. I always love to put the resource on my resource page on the testthosebreastsorg. I don't know, are you a nonprofit now or no?
Speaker 1:No, I'm not, I'm really just doing it.
Speaker 2:I'm doing that on the side, you know, but what keeps me going is like people that like my Facebook, like my blog and follow my blog and also my Instagram. That's kind of like. That's what keeps me alive, also in the future.
Speaker 1:But I just became a nonprofit and still in the baby stages. It's official that it's a nonprofit, but I always like to take the resources and put them on that page so that when people go to my website, they can go to the resource page and go to whatever category best fits what they're looking for whether it be just newly diagnosed people who have never been diagnosed, so that they have a lot more information about breast cancer before they ever even are diagnosed.
Speaker 1:As you mentioned, there's so many things that I didn't even know you didn't know what to look for and, as far as your breasts, what to feel for, what questions to ask, how to advocate for yourself. And that's exactly what you did with your surgeons. Is you advocated for yourself? It's like this is what I want, this is what I get, and you asked the tough questions, so we even have questions on the website about what needs to be asked when you're interviewing a surgeon.
Speaker 2:Oh, that's great.
Speaker 1:Yeah Well, I just think that what you're doing is so incredibly helpful. When I got diagnosed, my friend told me that I was about to meet the sisterhood of all sisterhoods and, as you have probably experienced, you've probably met a ton of amazing breast cancer survivors and people who are going through it. You've probably helped shepherd people through. Yes, Having this podcast is something that was born out of. I finished my treatments, I was in my first year of retirement and I didn't have all the doctor's appointments and I'm like now what?
Speaker 2:What am I going to do?
Speaker 1:And people wanted me to write. They kept saying, oh, you should write a book or whatever. And I didn't want to do that. But I did know how to podcast because I had a podcast before I retired about it for educators. So I'm like I can do that, I can talk to people, I can interview people and that's what I've done for over a year now. I started it on the one year anniversary of my diagnosis, june 11. And now you know I have 71 episodes. As of today, or as of tomorrow, actually September, what is it? 17th I'll have 71 episodes, so I release every single week. This has helped carry me through my survivorship Because, like you said, when you're done with your treatments and all of that stuff, it's not over. We always have it in the back of our minds and we all want to really help each other.
Speaker 1:So, having you out there as one of the breast cancer advocates and what you do in your survivorship is incredibly helpful and incredibly appreciated, and I definitely want to put that on my website.
Speaker 2:Well, thank you so much.
Speaker 1:You are so welcome. I have a weird question that I always ask. Sometimes people wonder why I ask it, but I always ask people what kind of advice would you give to someone who's never been diagnosed? Which is one of the reasons I asked the first question who were you before breast cancer? There are things that I know in hindsight. I wish I would have known that I know now and people are like you know what? Why are you asking that? You know you're targeting people who've never been diagnosed. It's not even on their radar. My response to that is that's the point.
Speaker 1:It's not on their radar and it needs to be on our radar, because one in eight women are diagnosed with breast cancer, and it doesn't matter the age. So do you have a specific piece of advice that you might be able to offer?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think one important thing is that you should try to make your health a priority. You know it's like we often get caught up in. You know managing especially as a young mom like you're like just trying to meet your kids needs and you're very busy just caregiving and raising your kids. Taking care of yourself is not really the first thing you do. So I would say, like make it really a priority, like taking care of yourself, as busy as you are, where your lifestyle does matter.
Speaker 2:I truly believe that what you eat and you know that you're exercising and you minimizing your risk in general of getting breast cancer, you know does help and there's evidence about that too. I think like that is one thing that I find is like very important People, of course.
Speaker 1:they come to me and they say, well, you were the picture of health.
Speaker 2:So you know, you did all these things and you still get a gall breast cancer. That is right, but I do feel like because I was so healthy, I was able to get through treatment much easier. And I call myself not just a survivor.
Speaker 2:I do feel that I'm a thriver. I think I've done so well Because of that, because I was already healthy going into this. Yeah, I think. So that's one really important thing. And then you should know your risks, like you should know, if you do have dense breasts, what that means. You should have that talk with your doctor. I didn't know about that. So with my first mammogram, for example, I knew that it was a little note and it said like you do have dense breasts, but I didn't know what to do with that information on neither that what it meant. I didn't know that that means that you're at a high risk of developing breast cancer, and you know it makes it harder for the radiologist to actually spot cancer. I didn't know, that Right.
Speaker 1:Years ago when I was told that I had dense breast tissue and I didn't really understand what that meant. It was probably 10 years before I got breast cancer. I really didn't honestly know what that meant. And we do know that now there is a law where doctors have to tell you. You know, when you go in for that mammogram they absolutely have to tell you whether you have dense breast tissue.
Speaker 2:So important, so important, yes, and you know, like to have that talk with your doctor, like if you might benefit from additional screening, I think due to a new FDA regulation now they have to give you more guidance to it. So that's one of it. But, in general, know your family history. You know like. So there's a lot of cancer. I don't I never had any genetic markers, but there's a lot of cancer on my dad's side. But know your history. I also had to chat with the genetic cancer. So my dad did have prostate cancer and there I never knew that, that there is a connection if your dad had prostate cancer, that there is a connection between the dad having prostate cancer and the daughter having breast cancer. I have no clue about that. I always looked out for other cancers, so know your risk. Looked out for other cancers, so know your risk. And then, most importantly, it doesn't matter if you're young, just always, like you know, trust your gut and keep advocating for yourself. If something feels off, don't wait.
Speaker 1:I mean go to your doctor and if your doctor doesn't, listen to you.
Speaker 2:You have the wrong doctor. You should change your doctor and do dose and touch your breasts, I mean test your breasts, just as your podcast Touch your breasts. Yes, touch your breasts and test your breasts Exactly.
Speaker 1:Yes, I think sometimes people are a little afraid to speak up with their doctors. I know that I caught a little bit of flack here in Reno for speaking up to a couple of doctors, and it wasn't meant to be disrespectful. It's just that I was advocating for myself and I did not like the answers that I was getting and I wanted to find a different way, which I did. I was able to do that, but it definitely wasn't meant to be disrespectful in any way. But this is our body. We get to ask questions. We get to speak up on our own behalf If we feel that something's not right. And you're right with the genetics. I didn't know that my grandmother had colon cancer.
Speaker 1:I had no idea and I actually got a comprehensive genetics test and had nothing come up, but then after the fact I know that my uncle had I think it was prostate cancer and my grandmother had colon cancer had no idea. These things are so important but we also need to know that you know, because a lot of people are like, well, I don't even have it in my family, so I'm not at risk. Well, that's not really true. Yeah, it does put you at more risk if you do have it in your family, but most people, from what I understand, who get breast cancer don't have it in their family. They don't have a genetic marker.
Speaker 1:So we need to understand that too. And just because you're in your 20s or 30s does not mean that you can't get breast cancer. There are more and more younger women getting breast cancer. So, as you stated just a little bit ago, is that know your body. You need to be touching your breasts. You are the one that's going to know your body the best and if something seems off, do not ignore it. It's not saying that you're going to be a hypochondriac about anything, but if something seems off, you get to go to the doctor and you get to ask questions. You get to ask them to test whatever it is that needs to be tested. So such fantastic advice. Well, Claudia, this has been really enlightening and you and I have so much in common. You know we have different diagnoses, but our lived experiences seem to be, you know, really on the same page in many different respects, including going to Center for Restorative Breast Surgery. I'm so glad that you found that and you found Dr Sullivan, and we both have the amazing T-shirts that are bling, bling.
Speaker 2:And so we're very proud of it.
Speaker 1:Well, is there anything you would like to leave us with before we wrap up?
Speaker 2:Well, I mean just in general, like you know I thank you so much for having me on the podcast. I actually I feel like I learn something new every time that I listen to your podcast. For me, I say like I'm not a nonprofit, but it does help if I have sometimes like people like just sending me a personal message, like how helpful my blog is and everything. But you know, having that liking on my Instagram or following my blog it does help and I have a couple of affiliate links on my blog and it does help me to keep going in long term. I'm not sure in which direction I'm going to go, but you know I'm dedicated to want to keep advocating over my platform and to really as I said like, help and inspire other women to get through and navigating a breast cancer diagnosis.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's great. Well, I am always looking for people to partner with. As far as my nonprofit I'm just a single person putting that out there I do have three board members a single person putting that out there, I do have three board members but I'm always looking to partner with people to bring super valuable information and help to other people. So maybe we can talk about that In the meantime in the show notes. I do have how people can reach out to you on your social media and other resources that you have provided. We will have that in the show notes, and I just really appreciate your time, your energy and your story because I know that's going to help so many people.
Speaker 1:So, claudia, thank you again, and to my audience once again, thank you for joining me at Tesla's Breast Podcast. It's because of you that I have now more than 5,000 downloads, yay. And I wanted to remind people too that somehow someone nominated me on the Reno news and review, one of the top best local podcasts in Reno, and I just really appreciate that. I didn't even know. I found out when my husband was reading the paper and he's like babe, look at this Like I had no idea. I want to thank my audience and I just hope that you can go to whatever your favorite platform is and rate and review. It absolutely makes a difference and I just appreciate it. And until next time, we will see you on the next episode of Test those Breasts.
Speaker 1:Bye for now, friends. Thank you so much for listening to this episode of Test those Breasts. Bye for now, friends. Thank you so much for listening to this episode of Test those Breasts. I hope you got some great much needed information that will help you with your journey. As always, I am open to guests to add value to my show, and I'm also open to being a guest on other podcasts where I can add value, so please reach out if you'd like to collaborate. My contact information is in the show notes and, as a reminder, rating, reviewing and sharing this podcast will truly help build a bigger audience all over the world. I thank you for your efforts. I look forward to sharing my next episode of Test those Breasts. Thank you.
