October 2021 Confronting Fears Through Courage
Positive Living is about taking charge of your life by making choices that are beneficial to your body, mind, and spirit. The weekday posts for October 2021 honor Breast Cancer Awareness through themes of courage. While family and friends can shower compassion, and medical personnel offer expert care, it takes courage to face a diagnosis of breast cancer.
A Handbook for Positive Living A Through Z Lora Kosten, Ph.D.
My blog for February 2021 was titled Follow Your Heart and it explained that heart disease is the leading cause of death among women in the United States. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women; lung cancer kills more women each year. On this blog, I also shared some personal experiences with breast cancer and have been encouraged by others to repeat that portion of the blog in honor of this special month.
Excerpt from: www.lorakosten.com February 2021
I am so happy that I followed my heart in 2012.
After many years of dealing with fibroids in both breasts, I was diagnosed with stage one cancer: left breast at eleven o’clock. There is a strong history of cancer in my family; my mother having breast cancer that eventually took her life along with my sister’s passing from ovarian cancer. I had been monitored closely over the years but always believed because of my holistic practices and healthy lifestyle I would not be affected.
One aspect of careful monitoring was having a physical exam in January, a breast mammography each May, and an MRI in September. In 2011, I had forgotten to have the MRI and a reminder from my doctor’s office at the end of the year prompted me to have this procedure.
Yes, a tumor was found, biopsied and tested positive for cancer. My surgeon recommended a lumpectomy and 30 radiation treatments. There are many success stories based on this treatment. However, I was worried about having radiation near my thyroid and concerned with wound healing issues if recurrence demanded a more invasive surgery. My heart told me to seek another opinion and after a visit to Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa Florida where all options were presented, I decided to schedule surgery at Moffitt for a double mastectomy and, in time a total hysterectomy.
The breast surgery took place on February 29th and as I researched the significance of this day, I found it is a day to bring awareness to something you wish to carry out (leap forward) and a time for healing.
I wanted to leap forward with successful breast surgery and recuperate, then follow-up with a total hysterectomy to remove ovaries and help eliminate estrogen from my body. I wanted to heal, be well and be able to share my experiences with others as I am now doing through this Positive Living initiative.
When I returned home after breast surgery, I could not lift my arms above kitchen counter height. I knew that I had to take time for myself, be grateful for the superb medical treatment, pray, walk each day, continue a healthy lifestyle, and do my arm exercises. Being an avid golfer was a true motivator for these exercises, but I found them to be boring. Consequently, I performed this therapy during my walks. As I strolled down the beach, I would do airplanes with both arms extended, a cheerleader to raise my arms and spider crawls to move the fingers and lean the arms at an upward angle. I took 12 weeks instead of 8 to get back playing golf so that I’d be better able to swing a club and was blessed with the fact that the medical review team at the hospital felt no further treatment was needed…as in no chemotherapy, radiation, or medication
Again, I followed my heart when the hysterectomy was scheduled for June of that year and my body did not feel ready. Upon consultation, it was rescheduled for December 2012. In December I completed my health plan with a hysterectomy, was able to get my life back in order, continue teaching at the university and be fitted for comfortable breast forms. Eventually Angela Jolie’s public sharing of her choices for prophylactic surgery on breasts and ovaries helped validate some of my decisions and bring awareness to others facing similar situations.
Several years after surgery, while at the register in a local department store, the clerk offered me a coupon for an upcoming bra sale that included a fitting. I politely declined and she cheerfully tried to explain the benefit of the fitting and the awesome sale price of bras. I informed her that I like to shop sales but had to wear a special bra due to having a bilateral mastectomy. She profusely apologized for promoting the bra sale to me. I conveyed that I was not offended but rather complimented. I replied: “Your offer of the coupon helps confirm that my appearance and breast forms make me look natural and complete.”
Remember: Choices for thoughts and actions are yours to make; you are in control. Therefore, follow up with any necessary exams, imaging, and diagnostics for early detection and treatment of breast cancer. Choose faith over fear, have courage, and know that you are not alone on this journey.
With sincere blessings,
Lora
