Alissa, Making Lemonade! 🍋
Alissa Rottenberg is a 3 time cancer survivor, twice from ocular cancer and once from Triple Negative Breast Cancer.
Alissa talks about the much dreaded cancer fear: SCANXIETY! This is a real thing, the anticipation and fear and dread leading up to a scan. In Alissa’s case, the fear of recurrence is a real emotion. Hearing the words you have cancer on three different occasions can make a person easily have PTSD. I recently had a scan and just laying there in the machine, brought back a whole flood of emotions. Did I have cancer again? Was I going to light up like a Christmas tree? Was the tech talking to me funny or not engaged? Did this mean anything? The mind can play such crazy cruel tricks when it comes to scanxiety. And then there is that lull, that waiting time that is so all consuming. You can’t think about it but it‘s The only thing you can think about.
Alissa also hosted a Pink Lemonade challenge with her niece and nephew, raising funds for breast cancer research. I talked about how I am starting a new tradition this October with my goddaughters and inviting them to walk in a breast cancer walk together. I want to teach them about purpose and communit, raising funds for a cause and what life after cancer means to me. Alissa is teaching her niece and nephew about breast cancer and it’s impact.
it was so interesting to hear Alissa’s story and how each cancer diagnosis made her more brave and transparent. Losing her eye was one of the most difficult challenges and very isolating, but getting breast cancer made her find a piece of herself and her tribe. Please tune in to this week’s full episode. Her story will amaze you!
