The Last Night Before The Last Surgery

On the eve of the final reconstructive surgery, which coincides with the 1-year anniversary of her mastectomy, Kristen reflects on how far she’s come and how many things are different from what she expected.
Finally relenting to the damage in her feet, she applies for a handicapped placard and shares her relief over no longer having to schlep across enormous parking lots while protecting her chemo toe and tolerating persistent pain in her feet.
While looking forward to the final surgery and excited about the aesthetic part of the surgery, there’s a lingering sadness over how far she still has left to go to return to “normal.” The process of letting those expectations go continues to be a challenge, mixed with joy and gratitude for the good that has come with so much bad.
Other Links
Support the Breast Cancer Stories podcast
https://www.breastcancerstoriespodcast.com/donate
Win your own Kyte bamboo pajamas when you SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER! Sign up here: http://eepurl.com/hX12YD
Meet Kristen’s doctors: surgical oncologist Dr. Louis Rivera (https://www.scripps.org/physicians/31924-louis-rivera?tab=overview), hematologist and oncologist Dr. Sonia Ali (https://www.scripps.org/physicians/8669-dr-sonia-ali?tab=overview), plastic surgeon Dr. Salvatore Pacella (https://www.drpacella.com/), and radiation oncologists Dr. Anuradha Koka (https://www.scripps.org/physicians/4516-anuradha-koka-md?tab=overview) and Dr. Kenneth T. Shimizu. (https://www.scripps.org/physicians/5313-kenneth-shimizu)
About Breast Cancer Stories
Breast Cancer Stories follows Kristen Vengler, a 56 year old single empty nester in San Diego, from her diagnosis of hormone positive breast cancer through chemotherapy, mastectomy & breast reconstruction, radiation, and whatever happens after that.
In 2020, Kristen moved from Austin to San Diego to be near family and start her life over after a life-shattering workplace trauma. A few months later she had that terrifying moment in the shower we all hope we never have.
From her breast cancer diagnosis, through chemotherapy, breast reconstruction, and radiation, we experience each new milestone as it happens. This podcast is about what happens when you have breast cancer, told in real time.
Host and Executive Producer: Eva Sheie
Co-Host: Kristen Vengler
Editor and Audio Engineer: Daniel Croeser
Theme Music: Them Highs and Lows, Bird of Figment (https://music.apple.com/us/artist/bird-of-figment/1434663902)
Production Assistant: Mary Ellen Clarkson
Cover Art Designer: Shawn Hiatt
Breast Cancer Stories is a production of The Axis. (http://www.theaxis.io/)
PROUDLY MADE IN AUSTIN, TEXAS

On the eve of the final reconstructive surgery, which coincides with the 1-year anniversary of her mastectomy, Kristen reflects on how far she’s come and how many things are different from what she expected.

Finally relenting to the damage in her feet, she applies for a handicapped placard and shares her relief over no longer having to schlep across enormous parking lots while protecting her chemo toe and tolerating persistent pain in her feet.

While looking forward to the final surgery and excited about the aesthetic part of the surgery, there’s a lingering sadness over how far she still has left to go to return to “normal.” The process of letting those expectations go continues to be a challenge, mixed with joy and gratitude for the good that has come with so much bad.

Other Links

Support the Breast Cancer Stories podcast

https://www.breastcancerstoriespodcast.com/donate

Win your own Kyte bamboo pajamas when you SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER! Sign up here: http://eepurl.com/hX12YD

Meet Kristen’s doctors: surgical oncologist Dr. Louis Rivera, hematologist and oncologist Dr. Sonia Ali, plastic surgeon Dr. Salvatore Pacella, and radiation oncologists Dr. Anuradha Koka and Dr. Kenneth T. Shimizu.

About Breast Cancer Stories

Breast Cancer Stories follows Kristen Vengler, a 56 year old single empty nester in San Diego, from her diagnosis of hormone positive breast cancer through chemotherapy, mastectomy & breast reconstruction, radiation, and whatever happens after that.

In 2020, Kristen moved from Austin to San Diego to be near family and start her life over after a life-shattering workplace trauma. A few months later she had that terrifying moment in the shower we all hope we never have.

From her breast cancer diagnosis, through chemotherapy, breast reconstruction, and radiation, we experience each new milestone as it happens. This podcast is about what happens when you have breast cancer, told in real time.

Host and Executive Producer: Eva Sheie

Co-Host: Kristen Vengler

Editor and Audio Engineer: Daniel Croeser

Theme Music: Them Highs and Lows, Bird of Figment

Production Assistant: Mary Ellen Clarkson

Cover Art Designer: Shawn Hiatt

Breast Cancer Stories is a production of The Axis.

PROUDLY MADE IN AUSTIN, TEXAS