What Defines an Athlete?

I’ve been thinking about this for a while now. What exactly is an athlete? Is the person who walks 3 miles everyday considered an athlete? What about the gym rat who consistently shows up six days a week at 6:00am ready to lift some heavy weights? How about the cancer patient who does a workout video every other day, because that’s all the energy they can give?

Merriam-Websters defines an athlete this way. “The meaning of ATHLETE is a person who is trained or skilled in exercises, sports, or games requiring physical strength, agility, or stamina.” Athletes can be both professional or amateur, male or female, young or old. Most athletes train everyday and require a self discipline and dedication to their sport.

Well…I’m here to say, I think a lot of us out there fill the above requirements! Let’s not underestimate our strengths and abilities, our hard work and determination. Getting up each day to walk for 30 minutes because that’s all the time you have, is something and should count. Showing up to your fitness classes 5 days a week after work counts! Working out at home on your treadmill and lifting some free weights 6 days a week counts!

I’m so proud of each and every one of you who are putting in the work, doing your best and staying consistent. If you move your body on a regular basis, you will get stronger and feel better. The benefits of regular exercise are endless. Now that you know, you too are also an athlete, go get it done!

Stressful Times and How go Cope

The past month has put a general damper on my daily life. World events have made enjoying life challenging. Should I even be enjoying life? How can I possibly not think about innocent children dying and go on with daily activities? What if you have been recently diagnosed with breast cancer or are currently in treatment, doesn’t that need to be your priority? We can’t save everyone if we don’t save ourselves first. Here’s just a few coping mechanisms I’ve learned that can be a big help.

Regular Exercise is key! I know you have heard it all before but even I am surprised at how many benefits exercise can produce and reducing your overall fatigue and depression is one of them. Gentle exercise, such as walking, can boost your energy, help make you feel less tired and improve your mood!

The American College of Sports Medicine (in 2010) reviewed available research and concluded that exercise is safe during and after all breast cancer treatments (as long as you take any needed precautions and keep the intensity low) and improves physical functioning, quality of life, and cancer-related fatigue. There also is evidence that exercise can help breast cancer survivors live longer and lead a more active life!

Take time to recharge! I know it’s not easy but my sweet and very knowledgeable cousin, told me it’s ok to take this time so that we are stronger when we return to our tasks. It’s ok to not go on social media or listen to the news for a day. If you feel you can’t do that, then limit the time you spend getting informed. Maybe it’s 30 minutes a day and you shut it down after that amount of time.

Pray or meditate. If you are feeling overwhelmed or extremely nervous, BREATHE! When I take in 5 slow deep breaths and then exhale, it will slow my heart rate down and I start to feel a general sense of calm. If you are so inclined, say a short prayer or mediate if you prefer on something that brings you joy. This technique is proven to help reduce stress and improve mental function.

Seek professional help or at least a friend. I know this is not easy for everyone but talking about your feelings can be a huge help. You may even need some anti-anxiety medication, and THAT’S OK! You don’t have to stay on it forever but it may help get you through this difficult or challenging time in your life.

I hope that was helpful and I’m here to say you are not alone and I understand.

Sending you lots of love,

Tammy

Long Term Side Effects: The Good and The Bad

How could I be approaching 6 years since I finished chemo?! It seems like such a long time ago but at the same time it seems like yesterday.

It was October of 2017 and I had completed my 12 weeks of Taxol. Finally, I was done putting that “poison” into my body. I remember being so afraid and wanting to avoid chemo at all costs. I repeatedly asked, “Why me?!” I cried knowing I had spent most of my life trying to be a health advocate. I always had an interest in diet and exercise. As a teen, I used to read health articles and magazines just for fun and loved finding out about the newest “super” food or latest exercise trend. So you can imagine just the thought of chemo scared me and I wasn’t sure how I would ever recover from it.

Recover I did! Yes, it was a slow process. Not much different than before, I took one day at a time. I was physically and emotionally exhausted. My body needed to rest. I still kept moving the best I could. Today, I am still dealing with toe nails barely hanging on and need to return to the doctor to deal with this once again. However, I only see my oncologist once a year and my energy is almost where it used to be. I have a much better outlook on life than I used to. I’m truly grateful for everyday and find joy in the little things. The most fun fact is that I can wear all those cute tops that require no bra now and my hair is back to normal!

The thoughts of the cancer returning is always in the back of my mind. It makes it much more difficult because I am in contact with so many cancer survivors around the world and it is devastating each time someone becomes metastatic and stage 4. We truly need to focus on more research specifically for stage 4 cancer so that there can be more options and treatments available to that population. You would be heartbroken if you knew how many young women have lost their lives when the cancer returned. If you ever consider donating, please make sure they focus on research.

Wishing you all my best always!!

Me working the red carpet in Laguna Beach, CA this past August 2023. Notice the hair and no bra 😉😜

Please check out my Interview with TWO Time Breast Cancer Survivor, Kelly Laviolette!

Can I get breast cancer AGAIN after my double mastectomy??!!? There is something for everyone to learn here. Even I learned something new and it’s too important to miss! Thank you Kelly, for sharing your story with me.

Living Life After Cancer

I know it’s not always easy but you have to try and enjoy something each day. Take pleasure in the little things. That’s something I did not do prior to a cancer diagnosis. I wasted so many days away complaining or feeling down about something trivial. Find the beauty in a sunny day, a good book or a smile on your child’s face. Helping someone always makes me feel better or a little walk outside can pick me right up. Even on the worst days, a good piece of dark chocolate is something I can enjoy for a few moments.

Life happens and that includes both good and bad things. It’s how we react to those things that really matter. When something is really starting to stress you out, take a step back for a moment. Think about whether or not this “thing” will still be a huge deal in a week, a month or a year. Heck, it could mean nothing much by tomorrow morning! Most things we deal with on a daily basis will resolve themselves or with a little help or work will get better in a short time.

Hope you are having a wonderful 2023 and enjoying a beautiful day! Remember, everyday is a gift. That’s why they call it the present! ;)

Even I Can Take an Embarrassing Fall!

Yep! I did it! I was on my usual walking route with my dog and I was thinking about how my back hurt a little bit and the next thing I knew I was FLAT ON THE GROUND! This was not a slow motion kind of fall. You know the one where you know you are falling but can’t do anything to stop it, kind of fall. This fall was quick and hard! My tennis shoe caught the slightest unevenness in the cement and down I went! My hands slapped hard on the ground along with my left knee! Ugh! I was hurt! I laid there for a minute shocked at what had just happened. I looked around to see if anyone had seen and there was no one around (phew, I was saved that embarrassment at least) and then I slowly made my way back to standing.

Why, you ask, am I even sharing this humiliating moment with you all? Well, it’s because today, just four days later I was running on the treadmill again! I was so happy that my body could recover so quickly! My knee still hurts to the touch but it’s healing so rapidly and I know why! Once again, my consistent workout routine has saved me. When you are repeatedly breaking down and rebuilding your muscle and putting pressure on your joints it teaches your body how to recover over and over again. Call me crazy but I think a combo of strength training and cardio workouts are the best thing anyone can do.

Moral of the story is, no one is safe from an unexpected fall but how you recover from said fall can make all the difference! Be careful out there!

XO,

Tammy

A Day To Celebrate!🥳

I’m so thankful to be celebrating 5 years since I had my mastectomy. It was not an easy day for me. I cried many tears leading up to that day. Little did I know, it would only be the start of a very long year I had ahead of me.

There I was thinking I just had to get through my surgeries and then I could return to life as I knew it. Unfortunately for me, it didn’t turn out that way, but thankfully, I did learned some very valuable lessons.

1. Don’t take your life for granted!

2. Find something “good” in everyday!

3. Enjoy the little moments and take the vacations!

4. You can get through bad times no matter how awful it seems at the moment.

5. Bad times don’t last forever and you will have many more good times to celebrate!

I hope you are all enjoying something today and always remember how blessed we all truly are!

♥️,

Tammy

Register TODAY!

I hope you saw my latest email update and will consider registering for the upcoming webinar called, Training Through Treatment: Fitness and Movement After a Breast Cancer Diagnosis. This webinar is presented by the Dr. Susan Love Foundation. They are dedicated to breast cancer research and have been one of my many supporters.

It’s FREE for all! Save the date, Thursday, April 14th at 10am! I hope to see you there!

My love, Tammy

How are YOU?

I wanted to check in with everyone since it’s been such a long time since I’ve posted a blog update. All is going well. I’m feeling good and I hope you all are too! I’ve been busy continuing to work on my YouTube channel and just finished another series called, “Advice From A Breast Cancer Patient.”

In EXCITING NEWS, I’ve been asked by Healthline.com to write breast cancer related articles for their website! I’m working with one of their editors now and my first article should be out soon. I was also asked recently to participate as a panelist for an upcoming webinar for the Dr. Susan Love Foundation! I’m honored and this is scheduled for April 14th at 10am (PST). The webinar will focus on exercise after breast cancer treatments and surgeries! I hope you will tune in!

I’d love to hear from you in the comments or email me privately and let me know how it’s going!

Sending you all my best,

Tammy

My YouTube Channel

It’s been a while since I posted an update. I’ve been so busy trying to keep up with life and I have been working on a series for my YouTube channel called, The Year I Wish I Could Erase. When I had finished all my treatments and surgeries I wrote down a timeline of what I had been through along with how I was feeling. This video series is going through that time and I hope it will help others going through the same or similar circumstances. I would love for you to check it out at: http://bit.ly/tammysalamone

Thank you so much for you love and support!

Wishing you all My Best Always!

The Positive Side of Getting Cancer

I’m sure you are thinking, how can I even use the words “positive” and “cancer” in the SAME sentence?! Well, the answer is, that took some time for me to get there. In the beginning, I could not find anything positive in my life except for the fact that I was still alive and my cancer was found early. Other than that, everything else was pretty much a negative.

There I was feeling healthy, but now I had this horrible disease to battle. I had only been in the hospital to deliver my girls and now I was facing this major surgery that was taking away something I considered very feminine and I didn’t want to do it. I was scared of such a big surgery, I feared how much pain I would be in and how long my recovery would last. Would I ever look or feel the same again? Once chemo became part of the plan, all I could see was sickness, a bald head and over a year of my life, GONE!

Today, only three years from when I finished all my treatments, I have a new outlook on life. I appreciate the little moments, I’m grateful for everyday I’m alive and I have made some of the best friendships with some of the kindest most supportive people on the planet! I don’t have time for petty drama or negativity. I focus on the beauty in each day and the positive people and things surrounding me in my daily life. I learned what true beauty is and the importance of having friends and family who love you unconditionally.

I recently heard this quote and it’s become one of my favorites, “Every day is a gift, that’s why they call it the present.” Have a wonderful day my friends! I’m always wishing the very best for you all!

The Year I Wish I Could Erase! Or is it??

I’m excited to start a new YouTube series called, The Year I Wish I Could Erase. This is what I called that year when I finished every cancer treatment and went back and logged the events of the past 18 months and what happened on those dates. Looking back today, I’m not sure I would still call it that, because I have a new appreciation for life and am grateful the person I have become.

The first video will be released on June 26, 2021 and each week I will continue the story in a new video. They are short glimpses into how I was feeling at the time and what was going on in my life. What it felt like to be told I had cancer, what my treatment options were and why I chose to do some and why I chose not to do others.

I hope this look back will be interesting and educational while also offering emotional support to those experiencing the same thing. We are all in this together, patients, caretakers, family and friends.

How Exercise Helped Save My Life

The benefits of regular exercise are endless. The benefits I experienced before, during and after my cancer diagnosis were the most wonderful and unexpected!

Yes, I enjoyed a regular exercise routine for many years prior to my cancer, often working out for one or two hours a day, 5-6 days a week. I was in excellent health and then BOOM, out of nowhere, cancer! At the beginning, my exercise was a stress reliever, during my treatments it was a lifesaver, after it was all over, it still gave me purpose and personal goals to achieve again.

My regular workouts and walks were sometimes the only thing I accomplished besides my numerous doctor appointments each week. After my surgeries I would get up and walk as soon as possible. I continued to exercise and used very light weights. On my worse days after chemo, when the nausea set in and the steroids had me amped, I would still walk for an hour. My recovery from both chemo and surgery was on fast forward. My body healed quickly and I was grateful for that.

Once I was done with everything, 18 months had gone by. I had a lot of strength to regain, my lungs and heart were not in top shape, I had gained weight and was feeling weaker than ever. I set small goals for myself, like running a 5K and doing a push-up again. Still to this day, I believe moving my body was a huge help both mentally and physically. In my mind, exercise helped save me and get me through one of the most difficult times in my life!

No matter where you are at, set small goals for yourself and just start! It’s truly never too late to get moving and experience all the same benefits!

Faith & A Cancer Diagnosis

My faith in God has always been very important to me. Of course, like any relationship, I have felt closer at times and more distant during others, but ultimately, I never doubted my faith and the role God plays in who I am.

It makes sense that, when I was diagnosed with breast cancer I immediately prayed to God to help me get through this and help me make the right decisions. He did guide me many times and when we had the opportunity to look back, it was obvious He was right there guiding me all along the way. As things progressed and kept escalating, I became angry at God. How could He do this to me? I’d ask, “Why me, God?!” I was so upset and didn’t care if I lived or died, especially in those dark moments. I cried for days on end. I doubted if there really was a God and if there was, why was He making me go through this? (As if I was something special, right?) Life throws us unexpected challenges all the time. I had lessons to learn and we all know there is no rhyme or reason when it comes to a cancer diagnosis.

I felt terrible for not trusting God and in my deep depression I couldn’t see a way out. (Please remember, I was suffering from deep despair and my brain couldn’t imagine a way out of the darkness). The way I acted and doubted my faith helped NOTHING AND NO ONE!  Learn from me and lean on God. Ask Him to help you every step of the way. Stay positive and know something good will come of your experience. Now I am here to help others and each day I pray to do just that. I can offer hope on the other side and that life will return to a different kind of normal one day. It’s a good normal and you will be ok. It might take some time but you will get there.

I’m so thankful that I had many friends and family members praying for me when I couldn’t.

(MY) MASTECTOMY NECESSITIES!

This is a short list of (my) mastectomy necessities. If you are like me you have no idea what to expect or what you might need after you have your surgery, so here are my “must haves” and why:

1.     A drain belt- This was a lifesaver. You will come home with 2-4 drains (connected to the sides of your body) and you will need something to hold them. A drain belt helps prevent you from unnecessarily tugging on the drains and can help hide them under any outfit. The drains are not fun and can make getting around a little difficult until they are removed.

2.     Stool softeners- I wish someone had told me about this one! You will be given and will need pain medication. Along with the pain relief comes unwanted constipation and you certainly don’t need that! Start a day or two BEFORE your surgery and it will be a great help.

3.     Small squishy pillows- I tried a big wedge pillow in bed but ultimately the biggest help was being able to prop myself up in bed with regular pillows and smaller squishy pillows on my sides to prop up my arms. You can also use one of these pillows to cushion your chest against the seat belt when traveling to and from the doctors office.

4.     Comfortable loose clothes- I was able to get my shirts off and on over my head. Some people prefer to have only tops with buttons to make it even easier. My main problem was hiding the drains so I needed a robe or loose sweater to wear over my tops.

5.     Someone to help- This is not always easy for us to ask but you don’t want to be alone for the first few days to a week. You will need someone to help you get around, give you your medication and help strip your drains. (This is when you have to empty the fluid in the bulb of the drain and measure it). It’s not the most pleasant job and can be difficult at first.

I hope my top 5 mastectomy necessities help you and please reach out to me with any more questions or concerns! I’m sure my fellow pink sisters will have their own “must haves” to add to this list.

Sending you my love and strength to get through this time!

Just one example of a drain belt.

Will I ever feel like myself again?

The simple answer is YES…and no. This is a difficult question to answer because it involves so much and our bodies have changed physically which affects us mentally as well. I can only speak about my experience and I do realize it can be different for every person depending on their initial treatment plan and continued treatment plans.

I do feel like my “old self” in many ways but definitely a new improved version! Let me explain more. Physically, it took a long time (about a year to 18 months) to feel like my body didn’t have some foreign objects stuck to the front of them. These new breasts are definitely not the same but they’re not all bad either! Let’s be honest, as we age our breasts start heading more and more South! I never planned on getting these fake boobs but I can’t complain now that they are not inching closer and closer to my waistline any longer!

What about the mental anguish and depression I had to deal with? Well, that’s gone too. I have a much better appreciation for life, don’t take the little things for granted and am very thankful for each day I have living as a healthy and happy person the best way I know how. When you hear about other women getting a recurrence and living with a stage 4 cancer diagnosis, it definitely puts things into perspective! By the way, I am in awe of these women and they inspire me every single day. They are a wonderful example to me and many others. They are the true fighters and thrivers who never give up!

So…YES, you will feel like yourself again, maybe it will take some time, but you will get there!

How Long Will It Take For My Hair to Grow Back After Chemo?

I remember searching this topic quite a bit! I was really upset about losing my hair and I don’t think you can ever truly comprehend what that means until you actually lose ALL of your hair. Not only do you lose the hair on your head, but you lose all of the hair on your body!

Everyone is different and your hair loss will depend on the type of chemo you receive. Some will lose it quicker than others, but ultimately, we all lose it if our type of chemo drug causes this side effect. There are many chemo drugs for other types of cancer that will not cause hair loss, unfortunately for breast cancer, they all do.

Here’s my experience. I was given Taxol, once a week for 12 weeks. I made it halfway through and my hair was still holding on pretty well. Yes, it was thinning but I still had a lot of hair on my head. After week 5, I started seeing more and more hair on my pillow in the morning and each time I washed my hair a small fur animal came out along with the shampoo. A week of this was about all I could handle. So that Saturday, August 19, 2017, I bravely asked my husband to shave my head. I cut it with scissors myself and then just let him get it over with. Looking back, I really didn’t understand what this meant. I loved having my long hair and new I would miss it but I really missed it for a long long time!

Friends and family, who mean well, will tell you, it’s only hair and that it will grow back. But you know what?! It’s devastating to lose your hair! A baby with no hair looks cute, an adult with no hair looks sick! I tried to embrace it but I hated every minute of it! I kept my head covered as long as possible until I had enough hair to style into some kind of cute hairdo. 

I lost the hair on my legs but that came back first of course! Ugh! I had lasered some hair on my body and had wondered what would happen, but those hair follicles were dead, so all good there. I lost my eyelashes and eyebrows 6 weeks AFTER chemo ended and went into a major depression. No breasts, no hair, no eyelashes, no eyebrows, equaled NO femininity in my eyes. (I lost my eyelashes two more times but by then was used to this cycle and handled it much better). Today, three years after chemo ended, my eyelashes are still suffering and very sparse, but the hair on my head is back to normal and I even have to cut it constantly!

It’s so hard to be patient but IT WILL GROW BACK! I promise you will get through this!

Timeline:  From the day I shaved my head until I felt I had a good amount of hair again was 16 months. Two years from the day I shaved my head I felt even better! Photos below.

How To Start Exercising Again After Breast Cancer Treatment

You did everything right. You ate well, worked out consistently, never smoked, drank plenty of water and even slept 7-8 hours each night! There you are, facing a cancer diagnosis and now learning how to continue on during and after all the surgeries and treatments finish. Well, that was ME!

I remember searching the internet to find others who worked out during chemo. I was looking for some kind of guidance on how to start exercising again. Could I lift weights again? How long should I wait before I start up? Will I ever do a push-up again? Do I even want to do a push-up again?!!

I found very little information. I stumbled across someone who ran throughout her chemo so I thought, well, I can try and at least keep moving! And so I did. I kept running very slowly for most of my treatments and then when I became much too drained and tired, I walked an hour everyday! I started to lift weights again about 2-3 weeks after my double mastectomy, once I felt I was getting my range of motion back. I started way back at the beginning. Lifting only 2 or 3 lb weights and then slowly working my way back up. Every 4-8 weeks I would increase the weight and eventually I was close to using the same weights I had used prior to my cancer diagnosis.

Someone said, “you will never do a push-up again.” So you know what that meant?! I would do a push-up again! I started with doing them against the wall, then with my hands on a bench, on my knees and eventually on my toes. They are not as pretty as they used to be but I can still do a push-up and that’s all that matters! Woo Hoo!!

Don’t let anyone or anything stop you. Set a goal for yourself and accomplish that goal no matter how long it may take or how difficult it may seem at this moment. I believe in you! Now you must believe in you!

XO

Me in the middle of my chemo and year of Herceptin infusions.

How Can We Take Care of Others If We Don't Take Care of Ourselves First?

Spending time working out at home, meal prepping on the weekend, going for a walk after dinner, doing some deep breathing or yoga, saying morning prayers or reading a self help book, these are just a few ideas of how we could and should take care of ourselves. Do you remember what they say on a plane during a cabin loss of pressure? You are to put your mask on first and then your child’s mask. Why?!? Because if you pass out, I guarantee you are not going to be much help to anyone!

Working out for 30-60 minutes or taking a 20 minute walk after dinner is NOT BEING SELFISH! It’s actually quite the opposite. Taking care of yourself is showing your family that health is important, not just their health but your health as well. When we begin to neglect our health, we become tired, irritated and less likely to have the energy to play or even engage in meaningful conversation with our kids.

If it is a priority you will make it happen. Wake up a half hour earlier, spend nap time doing something for you instead of the laundry. Ask your partner to help you! I remember way back in the day, going to a workout class at 4:30pm every Monday. As soon as my husband walked in the door, I walked out and had the best two hours of my entire week! It’s not sad to say that! It made me feel good, stronger mentally and physically and I started my week out the best way possible.

Take some time for YOU and see how good that feels. I have a feeling it is going to make the time you do spend with your family a whole lot better and I bet they will feel the difference too!

Why Did I Choose the Word Survivor?

Why did I choose to be known as the (Pink) Survivor?

I could have been the Pink Thriver, the Pink Fighter, the Pink Sister, I had many words to choose from. Once I had completed all of my treatments, I immediately considered myself to be a survivor, the Pink Survivor. 

I considered myself mostly a survivor because I had so many moments when I wasn’t sure I would survive. At first when you hear the words, “You Have Cancer,” the possibility that you could die slaps you in the face. Eventually, you come back to your senses and accept the excruciating idea to have surgery to remove both of your breasts, and a year of pumping medication and poison into your veins. You begin to question if you will actually survive all of this, not only physically but emotionally!

My initial mammogram was in January of 2017 and I completed my last infusion in June of 2018.

I was finally done. I had two surgeries in that time as well and I was mentally exhausted from the past 18 months. I had very little hair and very little direction as to what my life would look like now, but

I had survived!!

I was then and am still now the Pink Survivor!!