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October 14, 2016 5 Comments

What Comes After Breast Cancer?

Published in: breast reconstruction, medical menopause, MonaLlisa Touch, nipple and aerola reconstruction, Picosure, Pink Perfect, Topical estrogen for vaginal dryness, what it means to be a breast cancer survivor, What to do about vaginal dryness

Life events can be a series of the simple and straightforward.

A situation happens; we deal with it. And then, we move on.

Except when they’re not simple and straightforward.

Consider breast cancer. Those two words are often wrought with a much more complicated and oftentimes knotty web to navigate.

Breast Cancer Awareness Ribbon. vector icons. pink. Outline. minimal.
istockphoto.com

What comes before breast cancer: A feeling of relative security; a going-about-my-life mentality without spending too much time thinking about the myriad health conditions, risks and diseases that are out there.

What comes during breast cancer: Anxiety, fear, shock, disbelief, sadness, strength, weakness, fight, surrender…a mixed bag of emotions; a with a total emphasis on getting the best treatment, getting through the treatment, and returning to “real life.”

What comes after breast cancer: Wondering what “real life” truly is. Adjusting to a new normal after various surgeries and treatments; a changed and altered body and mind; a drive to move forward and work toward living with the best and healthiest mind, body and spirit possible.

For so many survivors, post-treatment is when the real battle often begins. Our life is altered – but we are still trudging through unfamiliar territory, searching for a way to fit ourselves into its new shape and form. We may feel an ongoing sense of dread, fear a recurrence or suffer from survivor guilt.

These emotions take time to untangle and understand, and eventually cancer survivors settle back into life, albeit a different life – many times a better one, feeling stronger, more empowered and more aware than ever.

In the meantime, here are a few of the latest and most practical ways to begin to move on and  deal with some of the immediate physical ramifications of breast cancer treatment:

Looking to Eliminate Your Radiation Tattoo? If you’ve undergone radiation therapy, you may have received a radiation tattoo that helps guide the therapist accurately target the treatment area. Once your treatment ends, you may want to remove this tattoo, which can serve as an unpleasant reminder for some.

PicoSure is an FDA-cleared laser that uses a technology that effectively “shatters” the tattoo ink into tiny dust particles, which are naturally eliminated by your body with minimal discomfort.

Many physicians around the country are offering the treatment free of charge to breast cancer survivors during October, in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Considering Breast Reconstruction? Although many women opt for breast reconstruction immediately following their surgery to rebuild the shape and appearance of their breast(s), some wait until after their surgery to decide about reconstruction, or ultimately choose not to have it at all. One helpful way to access information on breast reconstruction is at the website Natrelle.com, which offers a surgical guide, implant options, safety and other additional information.

Traditionally, most surgeries for breast cancer remove the nipple and the areola (the dark skin around it), although nipple-sparing mastectomies may be possible in some cases. Areolas and nipples can be recreated a few months after reconstruction surgery by using your own skin and/or a tattoo. Pink Perfect is another option, developed by a breast cancer survivor. The company manufactures realistic, custom-made and ready-made adhesive silicone nipples in a variety of color variations.

Is Vaginal Dryness a Side Effect of Your Treatment? Many times, chemotherapy can induce a sudden and early menopause (known as “medical menopause), especially if you’re close to the age where it would naturally occur (in younger women, it can be temporary). With its rapid onset, symptoms are more intense and uncomfortable than they would be had menopause been natural and more gradual. One of the most common complaints of menopause is vaginal dryness that comes with the drop of estrogen (which helps keep the vaginal lining healthy and elastic). The result: pain, itching and burning. Lubricants, moisturizers and vaginal estrogen therapy may be an option for many women.

Another available option is MonaLisa Touch, an FDA-cleared laser therapy that delivers fractional CO2 laser energy to the vaginal wall tissue, which helps generates new collagen and increased blood flow to the area, restoring gynecological health. Three five-minute treatments are recommended, and many patients find that their symptoms are relieved and improved within just a few days of the first treatment.

More Reading:

Please, get tested! 

Some hard-won lessons 

Do this one easy thing to reduce your breast cancer risk

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Carol Cassara says

    October 15, 2016 at 3:31 pm

    Thank you for this excellent information today, Sheryl.

    Reply
    • SherylK says

      October 16, 2016 at 2:13 pm

      Thanks for writing, Carol, and for your feedback!

      Reply
  2. Cathy Chester says

    October 15, 2016 at 6:00 pm

    So glad you are “after the breast cancer” and now paying it forward by spreading around all the wonderful information you learned. I hope wellness follows you for a very long and happy life.

    Reply
  3. SherylK says

    October 16, 2016 at 2:14 pm

    Thanks, Cathy, for your message. I appreciate your kind and thoughtful sentiments!

    Reply
  4. Mikey says

    February 28, 2017 at 1:32 pm

    Great blog! Thanks for sharing this information.

    Reply

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A High School Student and Aspiring Writer from Australia Reaches Out…

I would love to hear a few things on the prospect from a first hand-perspective, and would be thrilled to learn more about it from you. Your advice is well valued and I’m very grateful to have such wise words from someone with such first hand experience.

I will be looking forward to reading more of your wonderful articles in the future!

Best wishes,

Mikayla

 
Sheryl Kraft
2017-01-17T13:37:55+00:00
I would love to hear a few things on the prospect from a first hand-perspective, and would be thrilled to learn more about it from you. Your advice is well valued and I’m very grateful to have such wise words from someone with such first hand experience. I will be looking forward to reading more of your wonderful articles in the future! Best wishes, Mikayla  
https://sherylkraft.com/testimonials/high-school-student-aspiring-writer-australia-reaches/

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Sheryl Kraft
2018-12-07T02:46:56+00:00
On behalf of our entire organization, we'd like to thank you so much for featuring our product in last week’s Parade Magazine. Due to your article, traffic and sales have been great this past week.! We are a small business that prides ourselves on excellent product quality and customer service. We work hard to make quality products and market them effectively but then sometimes you get a gift like your article which really takes us to the next level. We will be eternally grateful to you for choosing us as one of your eye product recommendations.  
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Thanks for taking the time to read this - I know you probably have much more exciting things to be doing, but just know that your work is inspiring me to continue down this writing path.

 
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I'm a young medical writer trying to get a foothold in the industry, so the portfolio you have on your website showcasing your accomplishments is something that I'm aiming to achieve. I don't want to take up too much of your time, but I am hoping you can share some advice, tips, or guidance as I work on this, my lateral career change! Thanks for taking the time to read this - I know you probably have much more exciting things to be doing, but just know that your work is inspiring me to continue down this writing path.  
https://sherylkraft.com/testimonials/im-writing-to-express-my-admiration-for-the-work-you-are-doing/
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