Category: Breast Cancer

Your Monday Motivation

Your Monday Motivation

by bridewitt ♥ 2 Comments

One of the things I hear the most from people when I tell them that I have cancer is “I’m sorry.” I’ve been reflecting on that statement a lot, and I had a really great conversation about this with my priest, Fr. Russell, a few weeks ago.

I get that cancer isn’t exactly the type of diagnosis that anyone wants in their whole lifetime, let alone just after they turned 30. While it is very scary news, and while many things about my diagnosis are uncertain, I’ve decided to take Fr. Russell’s (always excellent) advice and “struggle well.”

He told me that in Russia, instead of saying I’m sorry, people will tell someone with a new cancer diagnosis “thank you.” Thank you for struggling well. Thank you for fighting so that we can have more days with you. More experiences. More life.

Now, I’m not Russian, and I’ve never been to Russia, so I can’t verify that this is true, but I am certain that I don’t want anyone to feel sorry for me. Up to this point, I’ve had a really excellent life and still do! I can only see one way through this, and that’s to be alive & well at the end of it!

I plan to wake up each day and choose to be optimistic and proactive. I plan to learn as much as I can so that in the end, I’ll be a better wife, daughter, friend, and practitioner. I plan to let myself feel crappy when I feel crappy, but to go out and enjoy the sun or good food when I feel good. I plan to nurture my relationships with others and my relationship with myself.

My goal is to motivate anyone reading this post to take a moment to look at your life in perspective. To nourish those things that are truly important to you whether that be your relationships, your career, your spirituality, whatever.

I hope that you’ll prioritize your health above many things. If we don’t have our health, then all the rest suffers too. Be proactive, not reactive! Eat delicious, whole foods. Move your body daily – go for a walk, lift weights, dance! De-stress with journaling, meditating, going out in nature, getting a massage. Get some sun. Practice gratitude. There’s always, always something to be grateful for.

If you have concerns about your health, don’t be afraid to speak up! Talk to your doctors, nurses, physical therapists (we are great listeners!) and ask them about anything that may seem off or that makes you worry. You know your body best and shouldn’t wait around for answers to come to you!

I wanted to thank everyone for such kind words, cards, gifts, and love sent my way! I am truly honored to walk this Earth with all of you ❤

xo

How to do a Breast Self-Exam

How to do a Breast Self-Exam

by bridewitt ♥ 5 Comments

Since I have your attention, I want to let you know that doing a monthly breast self-exam is really important. This is how I found my cancer and how you might find yours too. Imagine if I hadn’t done my self-exam and just didn’t see my doctor until December again! I would not be in the same boat as I’m in now. Early detection is KEY!

To do your self-exam at home, follow these 5 steps:

  1. Look at your breasts in the mirror. Check for:
    1. Dimpling, puckering, or bulging of the skin
    2. Change or inversion of the nipple
    3. Redness, soreness, rash or swelling
  2. Raise your arms overhead and check for the same things.
  3. Look for any fluid leaking from the nipple.
  4. Lie down and feel for lumps. Apply gentle, but firm pressure from your collar bone to your abdomen and from your breastbone to your armpit. Try moving your hand in small circles or up and down.
  5. Now stand up and check for lumps in the same way as #4.1

If you’re not afraid of boobs – watch this video…

Ideally, you should do your self-exam at the same time during your menstrual cycle each month. If you’re not cycling you can pick a day each month that you do your check!

The better you know your body, the more you’ll be able to detect a change. It could save your life. Have the “breast” day, friends! ❤

xo

  1. https://www.breastcancer.org/symptoms/testing/types/self_exam

The Plan

The Plan

by bridewitt ♥ 6 Comments

It feels like maybe it’s been 5 years since I’ve been diagnosed, but really it’s only been 3 weeks. Today, I was finally able to meet with my oncologist, who I really appreciated. She was smart, answered all my questions before I could ask, and could write out my plan upside down and left-handed!

So after reviewing my history and doing an exam, we got down to the plan. The plan. The plan my brain’s been craving, and the reason I keep waking up at 5am (probably). Who wakes up at 5am without an alarm, anyway?

Although she does agree that my tumor is very likely stage I, we will do a CT scan to confirm that it has not spread anywhere else.

We’ll also get my genetic testing done. The genetic testing is done to determine if there are mutations in the BRCA1/BRCA2 gene/s. Normally, these genes help to suppress tumor growth, but if there is a mutation, then the risk of developing breast cancer is about 70% over someone’s lifetime. For someone without the gene, the risk is about 12%.1 It also increases the risk of developing cancer in the other breast later on.

I’ll also begin the process of freezing my eggs. I know I pretend I don’t, but I actually do want to make some cute hapa babies some day! Better to be safe than sorry.

After all of that, I’ll have a port inserted and will hopefully start chemo in about 4 weeks. My regimen will initially be 12 weeks of a nice little cocktail of taxol and carboplatin. Then, we plan to re-assess, and dependent on tumor size and genetic outcomes, I may need another 8 weeks of a different type of chemo, but could potentially go to surgery after that. We’ll cross that bridge when we get there.

In the meantime, some of the things I’ve been doing to boost my immunity and fight off these dang cancer cells naturally include:

  • Dietary changes – vegetarian, no meat / dairy / sugar / alcohol
  • Acupuncture – I loveeee my acupuncturist!
  • Visualization
  • EFT Tapping – get this app!
  • Resting ❤

Anyway, today I’m thankful for Facetime so Justin could come with me to my appointment *virtually.* Stupid, COVID.

Me & the hubs…aka future hapa baby daddy…

xo

Sources:
1. https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/genetics/brca-fact-sheet

Angel Cards

Angel Cards

by bridewitt ♥ 1 Comment

Last week, I asked my sister-in-law, Marisa, to do an angel card reading for me. For those of you who don’t know, angel cards are like tarot cards & she pulls cards intuitively from a deck that are representative of my life at the moment. She interprets them in the way she feels it is relative to your current situations.

She ended up pulling four cards for me….

#1 – Eight of Fire
Events moving at a fast pace. Delays are over. Many things happening at once.

If this card doesn’t resonate with my current situation, I’m not sure what would. Marisa told me that she feels that although all parts of my life are shifting quickly, this period will be a breakthrough or catalyst to level up. Because I was attracted to the red color on the card, she related it to my root chakra. The root chakra is your center of safety and grounding which explains why I’ve been craving so much time outdoors walking or with my feet in the sand/water/grass. With everything up in the air, I need to stay balanced.

#2 – Renewal
Review and evaluate. A favorable assessment of the facts. Time to move in a new direction.

The angel pictured on this card is the angel of life review – someone to help you make appropriate changes for your life. Marisa felt that this time will be a time of major transition for me. A time to grow, learn, and take action. A time to recognize what works and what holds me back in my life.

#3 – Eight of Air
An illusion of being trapped. A lack of self-confidence. Afraid to take action.

Again, this is a time for inner work and letting go of old fears. She recommended that I journal and work with a therapist to break free of some of my old mentalities that are holding me back. She recommended I pray for guidance during this time, because my angels (who are all around me, by the way) will help guide me to what needs the most change.

#4 – Solutions
Success that comes from objective compromise. Self-control and patience. Forgiving and healing energy.

The angel pictured on this card is the angel of memory. I felt this card brought everything full circle and is another indicator for the need of a balance point of view during this time. I hope to dig deep on this journey and find self-forgiveness and forgive others for things that I’ve been holding onto for years and years.

I really felt that these cards were validating for me as I begin this cancer journey. I know that the diagnosis serves a greater purpose for myself, but also for those closest to me.

If you’d like to have an angel card reading for yourself, reach out to Marisa on instagram @shopmaninimoon or check out her website here.

xo

April 2020

April 2020

by bridewitt ♥ 10 Comments

In case COVID didn’t have us all freaked out already, I’d noticed a small lump in my left breast during a self-check sometime mid-March and so I made an appointment with my OB/GYN.

“You know, let’s just get a picture,” she said. So they scheduled me an ultrasound on April 8.

The ultrasound tech was so sweet. She said, “I’m just going to look at your armpit now.” Then, “I’m just going to take a look at the other side.”
OK. So I already know something’s suspicious. Then, my radiologist said, “I think we should do a mammogram, can you do it right now?”

Sure. From there, I was scheduled for a biopsy at the end of the day.

I was sitting on the couch on the following Sunday night (Easter for the rest of you, but Palm Sunday for us Orthodox Christians), and I asked Justin if I should open the results on MyChart. When I read the words “consistent with invasive ductal carcinoma,” all I could really think to say was “f*ck.”
Very eloquent, I know.

After that, April has been a bit of a whirlwind, but in all honesty, things may not have moved so quickly if it weren’t for COVID, so I’m thankful.

I met with my surgeon who was kind and straightforward, provided me with plenty of statistics, and educated me on the likely treatment options. She was also the one to let me know my pathology results…

I have triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). The mass in my left breast is about 1.8cm and I have no lymph node involvement so we’re calling it Stage I for now.
Unfortunately, unlike other breast cancers which may be estrogen, progesterone, or HER2 positive, TNBC does not respond to hormonal treatment. It does, however, respond very well to chemo.

More than anything, the waiting is the hardest part. I only recently was able to speak with a reproductive endocrinologist about options to preserve my fertility during chemo. I’ll start the process to freeze some eggs ASAP and hope it’s okay to delay chemo for a few more weeks until that’s done.

I’ll meet with my oncologist for the first time this Tuesday, and I can’t express enough how relieved I will be to finally have a treatment plan ready to go.

Back in December, on my last night as a twenty-something, I remember it being really important for me to catch the sunset. Which we did, from my sister-in-law’s lanai, and it was beautiful. I still remember thinking that there would be a lot in store for me this year, and now I know that this year will mean radical transformation for me, both physically and emotionally.

Although, no one ever wants to say the words “I have cancer,” I do know that this is part of my journey on this earth for a reason. I can’t help but think that every decision I’ve made in the last year (changing jobs and working in our women’s health department) has made me more prepared than ever to take this all in stride. I’m grateful for the knowledge, resources and support I have. Keep me in your prayers.

xo

Welcome

Welcome

by bridewitt ♥ 1 Comment

Today, I’m out on my lanai drinking my favorite Yogi tea, and sitting down to write out some of what’s been going on in my life over the past month.

To give you a little background, I grew up in Butte, Montana, attended college at University of Montana and achieved my Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Eastern Washington University. Since then, I moved with my husband to Honolulu, Hawaii. In the past 5 years, I’ve grown in my practice as a pelvic health physical therapist. I’ve also learned the true meaning of ALOHA which I hope to carry with me through all life’s adventures.

I wanted to start this blog for multiple reasons. Primarily, so my family and friends can stay updated on my medical journey, but also so I could share my knowledge with others.

As a pelvic health physical therapist, I’ve had the unique privilege of working with breast cancer patients to help them maintain independence and wellness during their treatments. I have more to give than to just tell my story and leave it at that, so this blog will contain updates on my personal journey as well as physical therapy tips for patients with breast cancer, pelvic floor concerns, and orthopedic conditions.

I hope that my perspective will be unique and helpful. Thanks for following along!