or ugly. Or musty. Or stale. Or gross.

Certainly, it will not go down as the most glamorous phase of your life but (hopefully), this is temporary. A short time to focus on nothing other than your own health and wellbeing. You will be bald with flaky skin, weird swelling, and all kinds of bathroom issues. It will be an emotional rollercoaster. You will look in the mirror and not recognize yourself. But, there are ways to pamper this incredible body of yours using thoughtful routines and quality products that are created with materials and ingredients intended to make you feel radiant and healthy.

Here, we talk about products and habits that are not reminders of illness, but symbols of healing.

At 38 years old, after a year of debilitating exhaustion, two clear mammograms, negative test results, x-rays, and every other screening test that insurance would cover, I surrendered my exhaustion to what could only be explained as “long covid” (see post about the internist who told me I was “coming up on 40 and should adjust my diet and exercise”… not enough space in this box)! 6 months later, my OB found a swollen lymph node under my arm at my annual appointment. Turns out, not only did I *not* have long covid, I had stage 4 HER2+, ER/PR negative carcinoma of the breast. It could only be described as microscopic seeds scattered in a web-like pattern across my right breast… virtually undetectable.

At the direction of my local oncologist, I went to MDAnderson in Houston who went on to find more cancer across both sides and in lymphnodes under both arms, leading us to alter my treatment plan to include neoajuvant chemotherapy followed by surgery, radiation, immuotherapy, and more surgery.

Throughout this process, I experimented on myself. As my beautiful skincare routine was quickly replaced by oncology creams, scalp oil, radiation jellys, and hemorrhoid wipes, I vowed to reimagine certain elements of Cancer so that no one I know ever has to experience such dread.

Wanna chat? Contact me.

kate