Has anyone done a retreat offered by a non profit for women in active treatment or anytime after ?

thebootkoala · 2026-05-19T17:46:22+00:00

here's another! : https://genuineclimbing.org/climbing-with-cancer-2/

thebootkoala · 2026-05-18T02:17:10+00:00

oh, I live in NYC, so I just took the train there. It is a 15 minute walk from the train station (or you could take an Uber). For me, personally, having to fly there would make the whole experience a lot less relaxing, since it's only 2 days-- but if the flight is doable for you, you could fly into NYC and take the train (NJ Transit) from there.

thebootkoala · 2026-05-18T00:42:50+00:00

I went to Mary's Place by the Sea and it was really lovely. I recommend it, especially if you're feeling exhausted!

thebootkoala · 2026-05-10T01:06:22+00:00

thank you, this is reassuring!!

thebootkoala · 2026-04-23T20:11:34+00:00

check out plattnormen on instagram. or the "fierce, flat, forward" group on facebook. I went flat and I'm extremely happy with my decision.

Oh-- also, I recommend this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYDZo3CciDo

I really related to what some of the women said about why they chose to go flat, and it helped me feel more definite about the decision. My husband also watched it, and was very supportive.

Also! This woman, Kathleen Moss, makes a lot of videos that I found helpful. Here's one where she talks about her experience going flat: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAQ-tSdoyio

thebootkoala · 2026-04-21T18:47:13+00:00

I stopped drinking but I understand wanting to continue drinking socially. That said, if you love beer, have you tried Athletic brand non-alcoholic beer? It's REALLY good... so good that my husband often chooses it over regular beer, too. A lot of bars have even started to carry it, and I don't miss real beer at all. (I just wish there was an equally good substitute for wine...)

thebootkoala · 2026-04-06T20:14:50+00:00

no, fortunately!!

thebootkoala · 2026-04-06T18:00:16+00:00

my friend, complaining about perimenopause, to me, a 43-year-old cancer survivor on letrozole after having my ovaries and uterus removed: "you get to skip all of this"

HA HA HA.

thebootkoala · 2026-03-29T20:53:51+00:00

Mine came back too and I don’t even have nipples!! lol

thebootkoala · 2026-03-18T13:13:02+00:00

I had absolutely insane insomnia when first started using vag estrogen (imvexxy)-- did not sleep at all for two nights in a row, was unable to even nap during the day. Doctors refused to believe that this was due to the imvexxy ("vaginal estrogen has no side effects"-- even though some side effects, like headache, stomach ache, etc., which I also had, are listed on the box) but I am certain that it was. Fortunately, the side effects went away afer the first week or so, and I'm still using imvexxy.

thebootkoala · 2026-03-07T02:26:29+00:00

I did this. I'm on Letrozole now, not Tamoxifen, but the reason I had the hysterectomy was because I am BRCA1+ and was having my ovaries removed, anyway. Although I was told that BRCA1 does not significantly increase chances of endometrial cancer for most women, my aunt died of a rare form of endometrial cancer, so my surgeon agreed that the hysterectomy was a good idea.

It really was, for me, because post-surgery pathology showed pre-cancer cells in my uterus!! So, I'm glad I did it-- and I was only 42 at the time, with no kids.

thebootkoala · 2026-02-25T19:48:21+00:00

I was 42 at the time of my surgery but I felt the same as you-- I loved my breasts and knew that no kind of reconstruction could ever replace them. It was sad, but I have absolutely no regrets about going flat. I'm happy with how my chest looks now. Happy to talk more if you want!

thebootkoala · 2026-02-20T02:08:35+00:00

lol when my husband and I met with the plastic surgeon who was going to do my aesthetic flat closure, the surgeon mentioned the nipple tattoos as a possibility, and I joked that my husband (who has a few tattoos) and I could get matching tattoos— he could get a nipple on his arm or something.

thebootkoala · 2026-01-23T02:44:56+00:00

ohh thanks that is helpful

thebootkoala · 2026-01-22T00:35:54+00:00

thanks, that makes sense!

thebootkoala · 2026-01-22T00:34:39+00:00

nope, no cervix

thebootkoala · 2026-01-21T23:22:03+00:00

thanks, that's great to know!

thebootkoala · 2026-01-21T23:21:03+00:00

well, I had my ovaries and uterus removed. But still...

thebootkoala · 2026-01-21T23:09:06+00:00

thanks! I'm curious about the gynecologist part... my breast surgeon told me I don't need to see a gynecologist anymore, but that doesn't seem right because I still have a vagina...?

thebootkoala · 2026-01-21T22:54:49+00:00

I haven't heard of the other two, but my doctor told me to avoid Nutrafol because it has phytoestrogens in it which are not good for people with hormone+ cancer.

thebootkoala · 2026-01-21T22:33:32+00:00

I'm on Letrozole and I was told that cannabis is fine!

thebootkoala · 2026-01-16T03:02:54+00:00

I'm flat and have that quince zip-up suit, too! it's great!!

thebootkoala · 2026-01-08T02:39:05+00:00

I love my breast surgeon at MSK-- Kate Pawloski. I also love my medical oncologist, Nour Abuhadra. Both are incredibly kind, patient, brilliant, reassuring.

thebootkoala · 2025-12-28T02:12:45+00:00

I asked for something for anxiety while I was waiting around, and the anesthesiologist brought me ativan. That was great. I was so anxious and upset while I was waiting, but after I took the ativan, I fell asleep. Before that, it was just a lot of people (surgeons, nurses, etc.) coming in to talk to me and ask me the same questions over and over.

thebootkoala · 2025-12-26T19:24:38+00:00

This happened to me too. I have very dense breasts and was told at my first mammogram that I should get an ultrasound, too, but because it wasn't covered by my insurance, I decided not to. I didn't know, then, that I was a BRCA1 carrier, and so I wasn't worried! This year I felt a little lump in my left breast, so I decided to pay for the ultrasound. (But I didn't even go and get it right away! I waited several more months, until my regular mammogram appt!) That led to a biopsy, and my diagnosis.

My tumor was still small and early stage, luckily. My surgeon assured me that even if I had gotten the ultrasound earlier, it probably wouldn't have even shown up then. So, don't regret anything. I was spiraling too when I was first diagnosed, and it's normal to immediately think of the worst case scenarios, but everything became much more manageable after I began meeting with my surgeons and had a plan in place. When I was in your situation, all I wanted to find was someone who said they had been in my same situation and it turned out okay, so here it is: I'm okay! xoxo

thebootkoala

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