How Breast Cancer Robs me of my Future
Breast Cancer Life
After having a history of breast cancer, it makes you think about future dates differently. It may be that before I had cancer I thought about the next year‘s Christmas or birthday and hoped that everything would be the same as it is now. Definitely after the breast cancer diagnosis, when a holiday or in my case, planning a trip for next summer, comes to mind, I think to myself, and sometimes out loud to my family, “ I hope everything’s OK and the cancer is never back at that tome.”. I also think about how I better just get things done that I really want to do because...
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58. Natalie Ditri Breast Cancer Survivor: Uncovering Fun in the Everyday Grind
Breast Cancer Life
Checking in after 2 years since I was diagnosed with invasive breast cancer to share that recovery from the trauma of a diagnosis is possible. In the last episode I talked about inner strength that I use in managing my mindset as a survivor. The outlook of knowing I will be ok and controlling the things I am allowed to control does not restrict me from looking back at my recovery. This podcast is about sharing my story and advocating. The milestones of recovery from what makes up a diagnosis are important to reflect on, in my opinion. Since it is summer, I am going to my pool...
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57. Natalie D'Itri Embracing Inner Strength Unveiled: Navigating Mindset and Hope After Breast Cancer
Breast Cancer Life
The title says it all in this episode. It is really necessary to navigate my mindset on a regularl basis. Most days are busy with what needs to be done in the now or present (work, exercise, the daily tasks that fill our time). There is still always an opportunity for doubt or fear or loss of hope to creep into the forefront of my thoughts. I share what is helpful to stay on the positive track in this episode. I also talk about my awareness of what is not helpful and how I steer clear of the unhelpful thoughts. At first, when the MRI showed non-mass enhancements, prior to...
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56. Natalie Ditri's Reflection on Limb Restrictions After Breast Cancer Surgery
Breast Cancer Life
There are new realizations all the time in this breast cancer life experience. I recently realized I need to preserve the veins in my arm not affected by breast cancer surgery. I have been mindful about not getting any injections, blood draws or bug bites on my left arm since I had my mastectomy and sentinel lymph node dissection 2 years ago. Recently I realized that preserving the veins in my right arm is something to be mindful about. I have had a few blood draws over the past year. These are generally drawn from the same place in my right arm, at the bend of the elbow. The...
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55. The Breast Cancer Battle: Two Years After Mastectomy with the Plastic Surgeon
Breast Cancer Life
It has been 2 years since my mastectomy and immediate reconstruction with an implant. I am about to go to my annual plastic surgery follow up appointment right after recording this episode. I always say that the plastic surgeon put me back together after the breast surgeon took me apart to remove the cancer (and the left breast in my case). So you will hear me say that the plastic surgery appointment is easy compared to the medical oncology or breast surgery follow up appointments. The plastic surgeon did her work and I recovered. It is essentially a “well-visit” and she does...
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54. A Day of Breast Cancer Life
Breast Cancer Life
Two things happened on the day I am recording this episode that make me think about how my life is different because of breast cancer. I was doing so well not thinking about breast cancer today that I forgot to implement the usual precautions for avoiding any bug bites on my left arm. I was bitten by an ant on my left hand at the end of my walk today. Tiny ants biting seems like no big deal, but the general strategy for lymphedema prevention is to avoid impairing the integrity of the skin on the side where a lymph node dissection has been done. This includes avoiding bug bites! I know...
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53. Natalie Ditri: No fear of a cancer in my other breast
Breast Cancer Life
Once I got my diagnosis of invasive ductal carcinoma, I was immensely scared of dying. I was shocked and sad about the diagnosis. I was sure I needed a double mastectomy, because I never wanted to get diagnosed with another breast cancer. My doctors did not recommend a double mastectomy. I only had the left mastectomy. I started tamoxifen a few weeks after surgery. Now, two years since the diagnosis, I am confident that I will not be diagnosed with a cancer in my remaining (right) breast. There are two strategies in place for me at this time that lower my fear of another breast cancer...
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52. Tamoxifen vs aromatase inhibitor to prevent recurrence of my breast cancer
Breast Cancer Life
Because of breast cancer, fear of cancer recurrence is a permanent part of my life. I continue taking tamoxifen to reduce my risk of the cancer coming back. In this episode I share my thoughts on the good quality of life I have while taking tamoxifen. I value my strong body and theimited side-effects I have now. I also value a life with the lowest possible risk of breast cancer recurrence. I look forward to discussing what it might mean to switch to an aromatase inhibitor, in terms of further lowering the risk of recurrence and potentially experiencing more serious side-effects, with my...
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51. Healing After Mastectomy: Natalie Ditri’s Story of Breast Cancer and Recovery
Breast Cancer Life
Preparing for breast cancer surgery was all-consuming once I found out I had an invasive ductal carcinoma in my left breast. I never stopped to think about what might be part of recovery from the nipple-sparing and skin-sparing mastectomy until I was in the recovery room. Then I learned the skin on my left breast was potentially going to be at risk for impaired healing or tissue death. My plastic surgeon had a solution for mitigating this at-risk situation. In this episode, I am sharing how I spent the hours and days after the mastectomy, leading up to hyperbaric oxygen therapy. This is...
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50. Natalie Ditri Mastectomy vs Lumpectomy to Remove my Breast Cancer
Breast Cancer Life
I had a choice in terms of what would be the best option to remove the invasive ductal carcinoma that I had just learned was in my left breast. I had recently had a biopsy in a different part of my left breast. Given that there were 2 places that had the potential or were actually problematic, I opted for a mastectomy. I thought that if there were 2 problem areas, there were likely to be more problem areas in that breast. I did not want to take any chances on having more cancer. I also wanted to avoid needing radiation. By removing my left breast via a mastectomy, I was not likely to...
info_outlineI have talked often about living in the grey zone of survivorship. I know I am not alone in saying that this stage of breast cancer life is harder than the beginning when I was having additional testing and preparing for surgery. I had never discussed what it means to be a survivor with anyone when I was first diagnosed. No one sat down and talked about survivorship with me in the beginning, either. The focus was on getting all the information to formulate a treatment plan.
Then it hit me like a brick wall after I was at a point when all the surgical recovery was essentially complete. I remember the moment at about 3 months after surgery when I realized that is when it gets more difficult. I am facing my future, which is filled with uncertainty. That is nothing new but there is an added consideration to add to my “future life”: Breast cancer. I do not know when or if the breast cancer will return.
For my listeners, I want to share experiences that you might relate to. An episode of the Breast Cancer Conversations podcast that I listened to over the weekend really resonated with what I have been going through for the past 15 months. The Breast Cancer Conversations podcast has had a few episodes that made a huge impact on me in the earliest months of my survivorship. When I listened to the episode #192 (referenced below), with guest David P. Bullis PhD, I knew immediately I had to share it with my listeners.
In the episode, Dr Bullis talks about his work and experience, which comprises the content of his book, How to Get a Grip: Coping Strategies for Complicated Times. Dr Bullis says that the biggest enemy in cancer treatment is uncertainty. He really nailed it! Facing a future where the cancer might change my life goals or interfere with how I thought I would spend the rest of my life or my future years way down the road…… Cancer comes into my vision. I cannot put aside the “what ifs” of a breast cancer history (it is permanently part of my story/my life).
In the episode, Dr Bullis also touches on control and decision-making, pointing out that we are using the best of our abilities at the time when we are making decisions.
Once I read the book, I will share more. In the meantime, I encourage you to listen to the Breast Cancer Conversations episode and read Dr Bullis’s book.
How to Get a Grip: Coping Strategies for Complicated Times by David P. Bullis, PhD
https://www.breastcancerconversations.org/podcast Episode #192 (released March 26, 2023)
I listened on Apple Podcasts. This link is to the podcast website.
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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.
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