As a teacher, Christa noticed that some children think they can't do something when it is new. She encourages others to give yourself time and then things may be easier.

Transcript

I was always able to handle it. I think that even sometimes when I’m teaching kids stuff and it’s new stuff they’re just like “I can’t do this I’m never going to get through this.” And it was, I felt the same thing with the cancer. I just I can’t do this, there’s no way and your body actually really can. I think that if they just know that, just give things a little bit of time. Sometimes the doctors could give a little bit less time in between when they tell you stuff. But patient giving themselves more time and the doctors maybe get stuff to them sooner and then it makes the process easier if that’s at all possible.

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• Reconstruction surgery – Christa
  Christa was satisfied with the results even though the tattoo faded over time.
• Messages to others – Christa
  As a teacher, Christa noticed that some children think they can't do something when it is new. She encourages others to give yourself time and then things may be easier.
• How it affects family and friends – Christa
  Christa learned that she had breast cancer on the same day that she discovered she was pregnant. She thinks she could have shared this in a better way with others.
• Challenging emotions – Christa
  Christa experienced postpartum depression right after her breast cancer treatment.
• Understanding the diagnosis – Christa
  Knowing that there is breast cancer in her family Christa wanted to have a baseline screening before getting pregnant.
• Testing and diagnosis – Christa
  Being diagnosed with breast cancer and finding out she was pregnant on the same day was difficult for Christa.
• First symptoms – Christa
  Despite her family history, Christa had to insist on being screened as a baseline when she was only 35.
• Sexuality, femininity and intimacy – Christa
  Christa and her partner were ultimately able to resolve these difficulties.
• Recurrent and metastatic (advanced) breast cancer – Christa
  Facing the possibility of more bad news was extremely difficult for Christa.
• Follow-up care and the risk of recurrence – Christa
  Christa's concerns led her to insist on additional follow-up after being told it was no longer necessary.