Stacy's Hope Chest
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"I Need to Get Something Off My Chest"

A collection of thoughts throughout my path of breast cancer and a double mastectomy with reconstruction. 
So What's This Website All About?
Not Just Another Cancer Story...


My goal is to bring awareness to the things that they don’t talk to you about when you go through such traumatic experiences like cancer. How to handle questions from people at work, how to handle it when people think because you didn’t need chemo that you don’t REALLY have cancer. My hope is that people read it and feel inspired to ask more questions and have the tough conversations before treatment. So many people read my story and commented to me how they never really looked at a situation like mine through such a different light. The conversations in my head were spewed out on my posts for all to read. Only the things which most people would think are private “deep shower thoughts” were what I chose to write about. The unspeakable truths that we are all just expected to go through in silence and appear to be brave. Many people left Facebook comments to me saying how I really write like I talk, or that it sounded like I was inside their heads. That was what I was trying to convey! I didn’t want a story that was just a step-by-step journey through cancer, but a true reveal of the inner voice.
**This was once set up as a blog, but has been updated. Please start at Chapter 1**


Enjoy!
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Stacy's Hope Chest

Chapter 11 - October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month..So What?

2/1/2023

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October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month...so what does that really mean? We all know about breast cancer already; you probably know at least one person affected by it, and if you haven't yet, you will. It should be Breast Cancer Screening Day instead. It doesn't do any good to talk about something that sucks and then do nothing about it. How often have we done that in our lives? "I hate that I have so much debt," and then go out and spend more..."I hate the snow,"...but then choose to live in New England. You get the point. Some things in life, nobody can do FOR you; you just have to want to do it...you have to have a specific desired outcome. I was chatting about my experience with an acquaintance who was really moved by my experience. She had a scare of her own where a doctor said they were concerned about a particular area on her breast and wanted to do a biopsy. She tried to get a second opinion, and when she did, that doctor said, "No, I think you can wait six months, and we will see how it goes." Her response to me was shocking...she said, "yeah, I'm just going to wait, let sleeping dogs lie...why wake the sleeping bear?" I could only think to myself that if I had done the "wait and see" approach, I might have had a different outcome. They got all my cancer before it spread to other parts of my body. What if I waited?
Even though I chose the mastectomy route instead of radiation and meds, I still may have had to do that AND chemo because it would have spread. Nobody can help you but you. You have to look fear in the face and say, I won't let you take over...I will stay a step ahead and get an annual or bi-annual mammogram. I'm going to touch my own breasts in the shower, or anywhere you feel appropriate and see if everything feels ok; I'm going to look at them in the mirror and make sure I don't see anything odd, like a bright red swollen egg-like shape and call my doctor. The wait-and-see approach only gives things in a lifetime to get worse. Take care of it now, and stay ahead of what's bothering you. It only prolongs a life free of worry and prolongs your day-to-day happiness, knowing that you took care of it, you are on it, and you got this! Don't go through life quitting and wondering what MAY happen; go through life fighting for the best life you deserve! Only YOU can make that happen. P.S. If any woman out there is afraid to get a mammogram or an ultrasound, contact me at [email protected], and I will walk you through it! So...it is Breast Cancer Awareness month...make it your Breast Cancer Screening Awareness month...plan your screenings now and get them done before the end of the year; if you are embarrassed, ask your husband or partner to feel your breasts for you and see if they spot anything odd. I'm sure they will be happy to help you with that! :) It is your life; it is your body...be one step ahead...always one step ahead. Love you all!

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"I Need to Get Something Off My Chest"
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