Deidre's Breast Cancer Journey
October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. Per the National Breast Cancer Foundation, 1 in 8 women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime. On average every 2 minutes a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer in the US. Those are fairly sobering statistics. One of the reasons I am so passionate about coaching women to start living a healthier life is so that we can be strong and healthy, fueling our bodies well if we have to go through a difficult diagnosis like cancer.
Today I wanted to share Deidre Ferenc’s breast cancer journey. She is a FASTer Way Coach and she is incredible, strong and is an inspiration to us all! Here is a part of Deidre’s story!
Birthdays, anniversaries, holidays. These are dates ingrained in our brains never to be forgotten. Well, earlier this year, a new date made a mark for me, March 16, 2022, the day I heard the three words no one ever wants to hear … “You have cancer.” At 43 years old, in excellent physical condition, and someone who not only lives a healthy lifestyle herself but teaches others how to as well as a certified health coach, it came as quite a surprise. I didn’t understand how this was possible, especially considering that I’m usually the one helping others and coaching them on how to live their healthiest and happiest life.
A few weeks prior my doctor had felt two small lumps in my left breast on a routine exam, she told me not to worry, so I didn’t. Eight out of ten lumps turn out to be noncancerous so there was no reason to freak out yet. I went the following week for a mammogram and ultrasound. Ironically, the mammogram was read as clear, but the ultrasound confirmed that there were two suspicious masses. The following week I went in for a breast biopsy and the next day received that dreaded phone call.
The following day we were scheduled to head out on a family ski trip for the kids’ spring break and I was determined not to let this ruin that for them, or even for me. So my husband and I decided that we would still go but not tell the kids about my diagnosis just yet.
Every morning on that vacation I was up hours before anyone else and I would get on my computer and have a visit with “Dr. Google” while I cried! My husband, who is a real doctor, always reminds people that Google is not a doctor, but I couldn’t help it. But by the time everyone else woke up, I was all smiles and ready for the day! In all honesty, getting away that first week was a blessing. I was able to escape my reality (somewhat) and gather my thoughts while I enjoyed my family and skiing.
As soon as we got home though reality smacked me right in the face. It was doctor’s appointment after doctor’s appointment. In one week, I think I saw nine different doctors — oncologists, breast surgeons, plastic surgeons, genetic counselors, radiologists, etc. This was honestly the hardest part of it all … making the decisions on what my treatment plan was going to be and who was going to be my team for this journey.
After a few weeks of mental agony, I finally decided to move forward with a bilateral mastectomy and reconstruction and who my surgeons were going to be. Once I did that I felt as though a weight had been lifted! I had a plan and as a type A personality, I needed that.
April 19th was my surgery, and everything went well. My first post-op appointment was three days later and I actually walked to it! Luckily my reconstruction surgeon is just a few minutes from my house, and honestly walking was easier than getting in and out of a car. By day 10 post-op I was out taking walks every day.
Before my surgery it looked as though we had caught this in a very early stage, and doctors were optimistic that the mastectomy was hopefully all that I would need. But we would not know for sure until all of my breast tissue was sent out for further testing and final pathology was completed.
About a month later I was feeling great and recovering from my surgery well, and then I got more bad news. Final pathology showed that my chance of recurrence was a little too high and therefore chemotherapy was recommended. Once again the tears flowed because this was not what I expected. Being told that I had cancer was like getting punched in the face, and then being told I needed chemo was like getting punched in the gut right afterwards.
After numerous delays and setbacks, including a severe anaphylactic reaction at my first chemo treatment to one of the medications, I finally started chemo in early July. I had four treatments total, one every three weeks. And guess what?? I conquered chemo! It would knock me down for about 2-3 days after each treatment, but nothing I couldn’t handle, and by day five post treatment, I would pop right back up and get back to my regular routine.
I pretty much maintained my normal lifestyle during chemo, getting up to watch the sunrise each day (my free therapy), workouts, walks and my mom duties. I truly believe that going into this healthy and strong helped me get through it so much better. So, this is your reminder to ALWAYS make your health a priority and NEVER take it for granted! (shared from her article from The South Florida Hospital News).
Deidre shared the continuation of her story on her Instagram account. As of October 2022 she is done with chemo! Her head is almost bald on top, and her hair continues to fall out. Her lashes and brows are getting thinner, but in good spirits she wrote that she hasn’t had to shave any part of her body since July! She will be starting her hormone blocker very soon that will likely shift her into early menopause, but like the chemo, it will lessen the risk of the cancer coming back. She will have her breast reconstruction surgery in November and she hopes to close this chapter for good!
When I was talking with Deidre about sharing her story she told me she firmly believes that when you go into something healthy and strong, it’s only going to help you get through it and come out of it better! This is one of the reasons she is so grateful for the FASTer Way and all of the things it has taught her. She believes she recovered from her mastectomy quickly because food has healing powers, and she knew how to fuel her body with nutritious, real foods. She felt that following the fundamentals of the FASTer Way also helped her thrive through chemo! She would rest for a few days after treatments but then would pop right back up and live her life!
The National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc shared that “Although you cannot prevent cancer, some habits that can help reduce your risk are: 1. Maintain a healthy weight 2.Stay physically active 3.Eat fruits and vegetables 4.Do not smoke 5. Limit alcohol consumption”. These habits are all things that we have control over! Start today by making some adjustments if you need to. Fuel your body to help reduce these risks, move daily- a walk is amazing! We can all make small changes to improve our health!
Deidre is an amazing warrior, and I am so grateful to have been able to share her story with you!
