Fighting Pretty

Trying to start a new group for young women faced with breast cancer.
Just started a new blog and facebook page and really hope someday it will get big enough to help people all over the world to share their stories and teach young women that this is real and should not be ignored.

But all the while, knowing you can still be young, beautiful and sexy - and go through breast cancer! The most important thing throughout your breast cancer journey is to stay strong, stay smart and remember you are still you!

Hair, no hair, eyelashes, no eyelashes, you are still beautiful inside & out!

Fighting Pretty - feeling beautiful every day!

http://www.facebook.com/#!/FightingPretty

Testing Testing

Guess what?

Last week, I was asked by the American Cancer Society to join Desiree Carton and speak - on the radio - about my journey through breast cancer and my experience at the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk that takes place every October. It was truly amazing!

We recorded at KTU first with morning show host, Cindy Vero. She was a ball of laughs! Plus, we were even wearing similar fabulous shoes!

The ACS ladies, me, and Cindy!

Mine & Cindy's shoes.



Next we headed over to Z100 to record with Loren Raye. It was a crazy experience for me, because I used to listen to Z100 when I commuted to my first job in New Jersey. She was great. She even talked about her cousin, who is about 42 years old who had just finished treatment. We were all crying like babies! But it was such a personal experience on such a public level. I feel so lucky to have been given this opportunity.

At Z100 with Loren Raye and the ACS ladies (Desiree & Beth)

Plus, I got to meet Greg T!

Sitting and talking about all of my knowledge on these two radio shows with the funny and outspoken hosts, plus Desiree from the American Cancer Society was beyond amazing. I truly felt like I was having a conversation over coffee and was reaching women all across the country to tell them my story, and teach them to do self-breast exams and just become more aware that this unfortunate disease can actually happen to young women.

Thank you to Clear Channel and the ACS for supporting me, my experience and really trying to make a difference!

So tune in on Sunday mornings between 6-8am on KTU and Z100!
And signup for the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk in October! I'll be out there walking, you should too!

http://makingstrides.acsevents.org/

Incredible

Just about 3 years ago Allison was getting married to the love of her life Rick.


Her bridal shower was set on Ricky's parents pontoon boat. To most people this sounded like a great time. To me, I was horrified.

I had to wear a wig. On a boat. In June. It was hot! And that hairy hat was not something that I wanted to have fly off my head in a big gust of wind!

But... It was my opportunity to look like a bathing... BLONDE... beauty. And so I did. I rocked that wig and even wore a big floppy hat to shade my creamy chemo smooth skin from the hot Maryland Chesapeake Bay sun.

I drank mimosas and hung out with my girls and celebrated all the love that Allison and Ricky shared.

Now, 3 years later we went back on that boat to celebrate Allison's 30th birthday. My how the times have changed. Kind of.

The girls were there, the sun was blazing, the drinks were flowing. But one thing was different. My long brown hair was glistening in the sun, tapping my face like a feather reminding me of how lucky I am.

Later that night I was getting ready for bed while spending the night in Baltimore talking with Allison about what a great day it was. Allison said "I think it's pretty incredible how far you've come since the last time you were on the boat. You were at the lowest point then and look at you now. It's like ...Kara's back!"

Ricky pops his head in and says, "Kara never left. That's what's incredible. You were always Kara."

Tears filled up in my eyes. Because they are both right. I'm feeling great, looking like my old self again but my spirit never changed.

Thanks to my friends for always keeping me smiling. Seriously - I was smiling so much my cheeks were hurting after this weekend. Love you all!

Goodnight Drew

Just sitting here reflecting on the past few weeks. Memorial Day weekend ... what a weekend. After spending 2 amazing days with my best friends in the world eating Maryland blue crabs, playing Buffalo-born Kan-Jam and drinking Natty Bo beers, the fun came to an end on Tuesday when Nate and I attended our friend Drew Putzel's service and funeral.


I didn't get to know Drew nearly as much as even Nate. Nate had spent much time with Drew at work and many a night after work having a beer. But I only knew Drew in the office and hung out with him outside the office just a handful of times.

Drew passed away just about one week ago and I still can't get over it. He was the cute guy at the office. The guy always smiling, a little shy, but witty at the same time. He was adorable and had so much more life to live.

After attending his funeral on Tuesday, I just can't believe this happened. His beautiful girlfriend Brooke was so graceful. She cried, she hugged and I just couldn't help but think how she must be feeling. I thought about Nate. And how I couldn't go on if anything ever happened to him. I thought about any of us passing away. It's going to happen at some point in our lives, but could it be around the corner for any of us?

I mean, I feel as though I beat death. I guess it just wasn't my time. But why Drew?

I have a heavy heart about losing Drew. About how his family, best friends and girlfriend are feeling now that he's gone. His big pearly white smile will always be remembered in my heart and if I've learned anything, it's to truly cherish every single moment you have on Earth. With strangers, with loved ones and most of all with yourself.

G'night Drew. Heaven is a brighter place knowing you are there.

Babies!

As an estrogen receptive, Her2+ breast cancer survivor, I once heard from my doctor "having babies naturally may not be an option for you." I was devastated. I knew it might someday come to that given my treatment of chemo and radiation. But I didn't think it would be because of the estrogen, I thought it might be because my ovaries may have been compromised due to the chemicals.


Today, I came across a newly released finding: that pregnancy is safe for estrogen receptive breast cancer patients! http://healthfinder.gov/news/newsstory.aspx?docid=662902

My heart skipped a beat. I started crying at my desk. Well I was fighting back tears since my desk is out in the open!

I'm back on the playing field! I know there was and is a chance that my ovaries may be damaged, and that like many normal women, I might have trouble getting pregnant anyway. But at least now I know that I'm really (almost) just like everyone else. And it's in God's hands as opposed to stupid cancers' hands.

So thank you God for answering my prayers to just make it safe for me to try. And if it doesn't work out, that's ok too. Here's to a life of healthy babies! White ones, black ones, yellow ones, purple ones! Caroline, some day you are going to have a little cuz cuz...so, here's to never giving up hope.

No wonder I'm so forgetful!

I've been forgetful since I was a little girl, so I really cannot attribute my lack of remembering to chemo-brain. But I do know what this felt like. It's the strangest thing when you literally can't think back to what happened only days before. And you really do have a kind of "fog" that drifts over your eyes, your mind and your overall self.

I have to be honest in that I'm not so sure it's an actual side effect from drugs, but a natural reaction to being slapped in the face with an ugly thing called cancer.

So for all of you out there that start to glaze over reading a book, watching TV or even talking with friends - it's called "chemo brain" - and it's not because they are boring, (well it could be - haha), it's completely normal. Let's just hope it doesn't last for 20 years like this article says!
http://health.msn.com/health-topics/breast-cancer/chemo-brain-may-linger-20-years-after-breast-cancer-treatment

Making Lemonade

I just came across an amazing article that is so closely to how I have been thinking about breast cancer and I love the energy that is put behind this effort. It plays on the idea that when life hands you lemons, make lemonade. And that's definitely how being diagnosed with breast cancer was for me.

There is a woman by the name of Corinne Ellsworth Beaumont, who had 2 grandmothers who both passed away from breast cancer. She tried to find out more information at the age of 21, and couldn't really get any good solid understanding of what could happen her. As a graphic artist, she used the above metaphor and created the below visual identity of breast cancer - to help teach women all over the world about breast cancer in all women.

Check it out: http://ihatebreastcancer.wordpress.com/2012/02/04/how-a-graphic-designer-created-an-awesome-global-breast-cancer-awareness-campaign/

Cudos to you Corinne!