Love to you! Give yourself grace. I'm glad you feel like writing. Ok, I am going to try to share a brief (and hopefully funny-ish) story about expanders. I have experience with them, and yes, they are super weird. But I didn't have them on my chest. I had them under my scalp. I was hit by a car while running, and a large piece of my scalp was torn off. I had 4 total surgeries to reconstruct my scalp & restore my hair. Part of this required 2 expanders under my scalp for a couple of months so they could ultimately move hair-bearing scalp to the big bald spots I had after skin grafts. So, basically I HAD BOOBS ON MY HEAD. My plastic surgeon (who was amazing) did a lot of post-cancer breast reconstruction, so the nurses were always like, don't you need a gown? (Nope!) And would be kind of shocked when I pulled off my hat to display my scalp boobs for further saline inflation. At least yours are in the right place? :-)
I am a couple of months ahead of you on a similar journey. So similar that I was diagnosed a few weeks before I was supposed to run the Eugene marathon. I deferred to next year and had my double mastectomy a few days before the race. I also hate my expanders! Good to know they will set off metal detectors. I fly for the first time next week. I’ve been following your progress and appreciate your honesty and vulnerability. I have felt so many of the same things that you have described. Take care and hang in there! We will get through this!
Hi Ali! Thank you for your honest take on the process! (I hate the term 'cancer journey' so here I am sounding so... sanitized?) Anyways, I was diagnosed in 2021 at 29yo and I can so relate to the fact that breast cancer is the last thing you want to see so, naturally, it's all you see. I'm so sorry your boobs tried to kill you. I'm so sorry your story aligns in the worst way with so many amazing women before you. I'm sending only good juju as you wait those absolute shit days before you get your pathology report back. Thank you for your candid take on something that just plain sucks. We love you and only care that you keep taking care of yourself- no matter what that means. (From experience, even when you don't think you do) You've got this, Ali!
Ali, I met you last year at Akron. You left a great video message for my friend Amanda. You completely made her day! In fact she cried right there at work!!! Lol. You are so giving and such an inspiration, before this and now after.
I’m glad you felt like writing. I pray it was a genuine feeling. You deserve time off if you need, and you certainly deserve time to connect with people if that’s what makes YOU feel better.
We (your tribe) are ok and also not ok. We are here for you when you’re ready, unconditionally. Just heal.
So good to see your email in my inbox today. I truly think of you daily, hoping each day gets a little better for you. I'm sorry for all the uncertainty in your days right now, but you are doing an awesome job of rolling with it. I'm also happy that you are healing well and are taking good care of yourself and have such a great support system. Hang in there and keep all of our good thoughts with you on this ride.
Love from Akron, Ali! You will be here in September whether you are in Akron or not. In our hearts, you will be here.
I enjoyed meeting you and getting a photo at last year's Akron Marathon event. For me, with my old, slow legs and light race schedule, that was a really big deal. The early promise of this year has faded a bit but that's ok. Things happen. You do what you can. You appreciate the good days and on the bad days you look forward to the next good day. I'm so thankful you took the time to write because I care about you and welcome your news, no matter what it is. So here's to you being in Akron, whatever form that takes. Be good to yourself!
First and foremost well wishes and prayers for your recovery🙏. By no means do I know the pain and mental pain you are going through, it if I may share to you also about surgery and recovery. My story is current evolving as we speak after now 14 weeks and believe me I know the date my black exploded and surgery was performed. Like yourself, exercise and running are major factors of sanity in our lives. I completely would not except that the next six months would be hellish. I related to how you felt consumed by your pain and thoughts. There is a name for it and it was really strange happening in real time. Besides thanking you for sharing and wishing you a healthy recovery, listen to your body, recover as long and as much as you need and find a really good tv series you wanted to watch and stay comfortable.🙏🏃♀️💪😄🥰
First, I feel like you should (safely) jam out to Hurricane from the Hamilton Soundtrack, just saying. Second, the circulating nurse in the OR usually takes off any clothing not from the facility to ensure there is no metal in them and more importantly they don't get dirty! Surgery is kind of messy. Third of all, you are incredible!!! I often wonder if men had boobs, would there be a solution for expanders? Probably, right? Anyways, you are amazing! Thank you for sharing! Thinking about you often!
Thank you for sharing your raw thoughts. You are amazing, brave and I want to give you a hug. Even through all you’re going through, you are a ray of sunshine. Praying for you.
Love you Ali!! Thank you for sharing your journey, but I believe it is also part of the process for you and so good for you to let it all out all that you are feeling. You are blessed to have this audience to share with and support you. Keep the faith Ail and trust God will continue to take care of you. Will pray for you and the doctors and nurses taking care of you for their wisdom to give you the best care possible. God bless you!!
Love you Ali! It’s incredibly generous of you to share this journey with us. I think about you daily and send you every well wish, prayer and good vibe I can summons! Thanks for the email today!
Love to you! Give yourself grace. I'm glad you feel like writing. Ok, I am going to try to share a brief (and hopefully funny-ish) story about expanders. I have experience with them, and yes, they are super weird. But I didn't have them on my chest. I had them under my scalp. I was hit by a car while running, and a large piece of my scalp was torn off. I had 4 total surgeries to reconstruct my scalp & restore my hair. Part of this required 2 expanders under my scalp for a couple of months so they could ultimately move hair-bearing scalp to the big bald spots I had after skin grafts. So, basically I HAD BOOBS ON MY HEAD. My plastic surgeon (who was amazing) did a lot of post-cancer breast reconstruction, so the nurses were always like, don't you need a gown? (Nope!) And would be kind of shocked when I pulled off my hat to display my scalp boobs for further saline inflation. At least yours are in the right place? :-)
I am a couple of months ahead of you on a similar journey. So similar that I was diagnosed a few weeks before I was supposed to run the Eugene marathon. I deferred to next year and had my double mastectomy a few days before the race. I also hate my expanders! Good to know they will set off metal detectors. I fly for the first time next week. I’ve been following your progress and appreciate your honesty and vulnerability. I have felt so many of the same things that you have described. Take care and hang in there! We will get through this!
Hi Ali! Thank you for your honest take on the process! (I hate the term 'cancer journey' so here I am sounding so... sanitized?) Anyways, I was diagnosed in 2021 at 29yo and I can so relate to the fact that breast cancer is the last thing you want to see so, naturally, it's all you see. I'm so sorry your boobs tried to kill you. I'm so sorry your story aligns in the worst way with so many amazing women before you. I'm sending only good juju as you wait those absolute shit days before you get your pathology report back. Thank you for your candid take on something that just plain sucks. We love you and only care that you keep taking care of yourself- no matter what that means. (From experience, even when you don't think you do) You've got this, Ali!
Ali, I met you last year at Akron. You left a great video message for my friend Amanda. You completely made her day! In fact she cried right there at work!!! Lol. You are so giving and such an inspiration, before this and now after.
I’m glad you felt like writing. I pray it was a genuine feeling. You deserve time off if you need, and you certainly deserve time to connect with people if that’s what makes YOU feel better.
We (your tribe) are ok and also not ok. We are here for you when you’re ready, unconditionally. Just heal.
So good to see your email in my inbox today. I truly think of you daily, hoping each day gets a little better for you. I'm sorry for all the uncertainty in your days right now, but you are doing an awesome job of rolling with it. I'm also happy that you are healing well and are taking good care of yourself and have such a great support system. Hang in there and keep all of our good thoughts with you on this ride.
Love from Akron, Ali! You will be here in September whether you are in Akron or not. In our hearts, you will be here.
I enjoyed meeting you and getting a photo at last year's Akron Marathon event. For me, with my old, slow legs and light race schedule, that was a really big deal. The early promise of this year has faded a bit but that's ok. Things happen. You do what you can. You appreciate the good days and on the bad days you look forward to the next good day. I'm so thankful you took the time to write because I care about you and welcome your news, no matter what it is. So here's to you being in Akron, whatever form that takes. Be good to yourself!
First and foremost well wishes and prayers for your recovery🙏. By no means do I know the pain and mental pain you are going through, it if I may share to you also about surgery and recovery. My story is current evolving as we speak after now 14 weeks and believe me I know the date my black exploded and surgery was performed. Like yourself, exercise and running are major factors of sanity in our lives. I completely would not except that the next six months would be hellish. I related to how you felt consumed by your pain and thoughts. There is a name for it and it was really strange happening in real time. Besides thanking you for sharing and wishing you a healthy recovery, listen to your body, recover as long and as much as you need and find a really good tv series you wanted to watch and stay comfortable.🙏🏃♀️💪😄🥰
Sending positive vibes from Londonderry. You’ve got this! 💪
Ali we’re here for you, for all of it, good and bad. We love you. Thank you for writing and sharing.
Love to you! Every step is amazing. Thank you for sharing and being vulnerable. It’s the strongest thing in the world. Your smile is infectious.
First, I feel like you should (safely) jam out to Hurricane from the Hamilton Soundtrack, just saying. Second, the circulating nurse in the OR usually takes off any clothing not from the facility to ensure there is no metal in them and more importantly they don't get dirty! Surgery is kind of messy. Third of all, you are incredible!!! I often wonder if men had boobs, would there be a solution for expanders? Probably, right? Anyways, you are amazing! Thank you for sharing! Thinking about you often!
Thank you for sharing your raw thoughts. You are amazing, brave and I want to give you a hug. Even through all you’re going through, you are a ray of sunshine. Praying for you.
Love you Ali!! Thank you for sharing your journey, but I believe it is also part of the process for you and so good for you to let it all out all that you are feeling. You are blessed to have this audience to share with and support you. Keep the faith Ail and trust God will continue to take care of you. Will pray for you and the doctors and nurses taking care of you for their wisdom to give you the best care possible. God bless you!!
I love that you wanted to say hi!
Your podcast this morning with Laura & Julia was a fun one, it was like listening in on a sleepover party😂 Thank you for that!
Love you Ali! It’s incredibly generous of you to share this journey with us. I think about you daily and send you every well wish, prayer and good vibe I can summons! Thanks for the email today!
It was so nice to hear from you! Hi back! ❤️😀