Breast cancer
7 articles shown
The Days My Hair Fell Out During Chemo: Caring for a Wig and My Scalp
A first-person account of accepting hair loss that began in the second week of chemo, and softening the blow by shaving short early. The writer rotates a human-hair wig with beanies and scarves as the situation calls for, and cares for the scalp - which turned out to need the most attention - with gentle cleansing, moisturizing, and sun protection, through to the soft regrowth after treatment ends.
The Day She Hears Her Breast Cancer Results, and Wants to Go Alone
When a patient says she'll go to her final breast cancer results appointment alone, or with a friend, the family can feel hurt and left out. This piece looks at the feeling underneath that choice, and why "I'll be by your side no matter what the result is" matters more than arguing about who comes along. It also covers the prognosis of small early-stage breast cancer, why notes on consultation day help, and how waiting family members can manage their own emotions.
Robotic Total Mastectomy with Immediate Reconstruction: Is the Whole Bill Really Out of Pocket?
A first-hand account of wrestling with the cost of a robotic total mastectomy and immediate reconstruction. The hospital's quoted total and what you actually pay out of pocket are two different things. The takeaway: get an itemized estimate up front and check your indemnity insurance coverage before you commit.
Hormone-positive breast cancer: when you're weighing whether you can skip chemo
A caregiver's plain-spoken account of when chemotherapy might be skipped in hormone-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer. It walks calmly through how the tumor's subtype and genomic test results can open a path of hormone therapy alone.
Only Once the Surgery Date Was Set Could I Finally Breathe
From my wife's breast cancer (invasive ductal carcinoma) diagnosis to the day her total mastectomy with immediate reconstruction was finally scheduled, this is one caregiver's quiet account of the anxiety and sleepless nights he lived through, and how his mind finally settled once a date was on the calendar.
My Wife Faces a Total Mastectomy: What Should I Take Care Of by Her Side?
A calm, honest guide to the recovery journey of a patient facing a total mastectomy for carcinoma in situ, and to the things a caregiver should look after by her side, covering pain, the surgical drain, arm exercises, and emotional healing.
I Thought I Was Done With This. Here We Are Again
After beating Ewing's sarcoma years ago, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Caught early through routine checkups, I share how I'm preparing for that first appointment with a surprisingly calm heart.