October 14, 2015 Updated July 2, 2020

Three years ago, I went from being a scientist and stay-at-home mom to a breast cancer patient in what seemed like a heartbeat. Chemo and a double mastectomy with reconstruction have taught me a few things that doctors never could. If I could go back three years, this is what I’d tell newly diagnosed me:

1. You will get over your modesty very quickly. I’ve never been part of a flash mob, but I’ve definitely flashed enough people to constitute a mob! Best estimates are that I’ve flashed well over 100 people since I was diagnosed. (Yes, I counted.) During my treatment, my body went through so many changes for me to share with professionals and curious friends alike. There was the port (a weird alien-like device implanted under my skin to deliver my chemo meds), my mastectomy scars and drains, final implants and even my first tattoos—trompe-l’œil nipples!

read the article at https://www.scarymommy.com/10-lessons-learned-from-having-breast-cancer/