Life's Curveballs: 8 ways to stay Strong Through Cancer

Life doesn’t always go as planned. Teresa knows this firsthand—after beating cancer once, she was blindsided by a second diagnosis. In this episode, she shares 8 powerful strategies for building resilience when life throws you a curveball. From trusting your instincts and taking action to valuing mental health and embracing the unpredictable, she reveals how to navigate even the toughest moments. Teresa also takes you inside her personal experience with breast cancer—symptoms, diagnosis, surgery, and treatment—while emphasizing the power of self-advocacy and a strong support system. Whether you’re facing a health crisis or another major challenge, this episode will leave you with practical tools to push forward. Tune in and join the conversation—how do you build resilience?

8 Strategies:

1. Trust Your Instincts – Your Gut Knows More Than You Think

2. Advocate for Yourself – No One Will Do It for You'

3. Build Your Support System – You Don’t Have to Do It Alone

4. Progress Isn’t Linear – And That’s Okay

5. Strength Isn’t Just Physical – It’s Mental, Emotional, and Spiritual

6. Your Mental Health Deserves Just as Much Attention as Your Physical Health

7. Control What You Can – Let Go of What You Can’t

8. Resilience Is a Skill – And You’re Stronger Than You Think

Thank you for tuning in! I truly appreciate every single listener—whether you’re here for the first time or have been with me from the start.

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Transcript

0:40

Welcome to the show. Whether you're here for the first time, or you've been tuning in for a while, I am so glad you're here. I truly appreciate you being a part of this conversation today. I'm sharing eight Go-to strategies that you'll need when life completely blindsides you, because at some point it will, when shit hits the fan, the shock can be. Overwhelming,. It can leave you stuck. Unable to move forward when you really need strength the most, but without a game plan, pushing through can feel impossible. Here's the thing, life doesn't wait for you to be ready. It throws curve balls unexpectedly, unwanted, and often devastating. These moments disrupt our lives in countless ways, from relationship breakdowns, financial struggles, health crisis, sudden loss, and everything in between. We all crave and wish for an easy path through these moments, but the reality is life demands that we learn to navigate the unexpected. And when it hits hard, it doesn't just shake us. It's a shockwave of emotions, numbness, deep sadness, anxiety, and sometimes even anger. But here's the truth, getting through it isn't about being invincible. Or ignoring it. It's about recognizing you have vulnerabilities and still find the strength to move forward. It can be tough because resilience isn't often one size fits all. We all process these moments in our own way. What rattles one person might barely phase another. I know this firsthand through my own personal experiences. With, guess what? My second cancer diagnosis a challenge that in many ways hit much harder than the first diagnosis. The shock of being told you have cancer does not get any easier. I kept going because I refused to let this break me. I learned quickly that it all comes down to our mindset. Every morning I had a choice to give in or to push through, and no matter how hard it got, and it got real hard, I chose to keep fighting. Often our bodies send us signals when something's wrong with it, and sometimes that signal may not even be related to what's happening with your body in that moment. I have certainly experienced that, but in this case, it was a little bit obvious because I had a lump that I discovered in my breast, which was a warning sign I initially ignored. I was too busy. And I hadn't gone in for what I call my annual peak under the hood at the Stirrup Spa in about three years. At that time, those visits were supposed to be annually, not every five years like they are now. So putting it off for three years was a big mistake. But I remember finding this lump and it was so hard. You know how hard the road is or a sidewalk. It was as solid as that, like a rock. I would have my friends feel it to make sure I wasn't imagining what I was feeling, and all of us were like, what the fuck is this? At first I thought maybe I was going through menopause. My left breast was significantly larger, more tender than the right one, but. I felt like my gut was telling me something was wrong I walked into my appointment and couldn't have been happier to see my doctor. He had delivered two of my three boys. He was always kind, personable, and had that signature warm smile. The kind of person that would take all the time in the world to sit and talk to you about what was going on. He said, where have you been these past three years? I laughed and said I was a little bit busy. Then I got to the real reason why I was there. He started the breast exam, but then his smile quickly faded. The warmth in his expression was replaced with something a lot more serious. My stomach dropped. I said, is this something we should be concerned about? He looked at me and said, yes it is, and that's when the real rollercoaster began. He told me Radiology is downstairs. They take walk-ins and I thought, perfect. This is gonna be so easy. I got there one minute too late. They were closing and not taking any more patients seriously. They told me another radiology department was about 10 minutes away and that they might be able to take me. So I raced over there only to be told that they couldn't take me without, I guess it would be like a prescription note from my doctor. At this point I was getting a little bit impatient and losing my shit. Because by then the doctor's office was closed the next morning I went to the radiology department closer to my house, and I figured it was a walk-in, so I. This'll be easy. Nope. They didn't take walk-ins and claimed they hadn't received anything from my doctor. I finally got ahold of my doctor. The paperwork was submitted, and I had to wait another day before I could get in I finally got in for that mammogram and it was painful because of the swelling I had in my left breasts. they squeeze your tits so hard I. They wanna flatten it out like a pancake. It was extremely uncomfortable. They finished the mammogram and asked me to hang out for a second, and when they came back in the room they said we're going to do an ultrasound. Okay, that's fine. After the ultrasound. Tech finished the scan. She walked outta the room, came back with a radiologist. These are the doctors who actually read your images. She looked at me and she said, we're gonna ask you to take a break. I'm like, take a break from what? She said, go grab some lunch because we're going to do a biopsy. And maybe you should have a glass of wine while you're at lunch. I thought, are you serious? That caused me to freak out I knew something serious was going on. Fortunately I had a friend with me. So she and I hopped in the car and headed off to one of our favorite restaurants, the entire time we were talking about, holy shit, I may have breast cancer. I've never been to an appointment that has turned into three separate tests. We sat at the bar. When we got to the restaurant, we were chit-chatting with the bartender, telling her. Everything that was happening, all of our speculation. She was trying to calm us down, and she poured me two glasses of wine, which I had no problem drinking. We got back to the hospital and I was feeling much more relaxed. They first inserted a marker where the tumor was. This was gonna help guide them through the biopsy. They prepped me for the biopsy. I was wide awake I watched the entire procedure on a large TV screen. They inserted an extremely long needle into my breast that sunk into the tumor where they took a little bite of it so that they could test it. When the biopsy was finished, I asked when I would get the results and they said it would be a couple of days. Oh shit. More waiting. The waiting was really agonizing. Every hour felt like an eternity. I couldn't even sleep that night. The next morning I received a call at about seven 30. You have breast cancer. I. My world stopped. My mom had breast cancer, my grandmother had breast cancer. I convinced myself, that's why I have it. I did have a load of genetic tests run to determine if my breast cancer was genetic. I. All those tests came back negative. I guess we're just really susceptible of getting breast cancer. The next few weeks were really a blur of appointments. Was literally one appointment after the next. Lots of tests seeing. Different doctors having to make decisions on what my options were, and I finally decided I was going to have a double mastectomy. For those of you who don't know what a mastectomy is, let's just say I asked them to blow my tits off my chest and replace them with boltons, which most people call implants. I made that decision because it had a higher success rate of no recurrence. While it might seem drastic, my mother got a recurrence, it was in her ovaries, and I thought, if this lowers my chance I'm gonna get them blown off. The surgery was intense. They removed my breast, took out four lymph nodes and inserted tissue expanders. They first tested the lymph nodes to see if the cancer had spread. They inserted the tissue expanders, which helped stretch out the skin after they remove your breasts to make room for the implants. I woke up in my hospital room. With four grenades. They are the drains that are hooked into your chest for everything to drain into, and they were strapped to my stomach. I was so scared because I couldn't breathe right when I opened my eyes, the weight of all the drugs that they had pumped into my chest to numb it for the seven hour surgery felt like a. Cinder block sitting on my chest. Recovery was tough. Breathing was very difficult, like I was suffocating, and the drains were a constant reminder of what I had just been through. I couldn't see my chest because it was covered in bandages, but you know what? I was alive. So up next were the pathology reports. When you're first diagnosed with cancer, everyone wants to know what stage cancer you have? I wanted to know, but in most cases, they can't determine the stage until a series of tests have been performed. And lots of times it's not until after a surgical procedure. In my case, it was. We need to see your lymph nodes before we can stage your cancer because if they are in the lymph nodes, that means the cancer has spread. They tested both the tumor and the lymph nodes. Luckily, it hadn't spread into my lymph nodes, but the tumor was much larger than they expected. The pathology report had given a definitive answer to what stage cancer I had. It was stage three fucking terrifying. Then came the waiting, the agonizing suspense of finding out whether or not I was gonna need chemo, radiation, or both. Everyone's treatment plan. Is unique based on their medical team's assessment of what's gonna be the most effective. Some people undergo radiation or chemotherapy before their surgery, while others may find out after treatment, that surgery is no longer necessary. In my case, because of the size of the tumor, surgery was never off the table. It was a definite part of my treatment plan from the very beginning. And each tumor is different as well. There's advancements in testing now that allow doctors to tailor treatments much more precisely. In my case, my tumor qualified for a new test that predict how it would respond to chemotherapy. Kind of cool, right? Unfortunately, the results showed that my tumor didn't respond to chemo. My doctor said it was optional. After watching my mom go through chemo, I knew one thing for sure. I was not signing up for that shit if it wasn't gonna make a difference. So I told my doctor, I don't want to have chemotherapy. I asked if I was gonna need radiation, and he said no. I actually thought I was off the hook. I'm like, damn, I have stage three cancer and I don't have to have any of this treatment. The treatment plan for me was taking a pill called Tamoxifen blocks, estrogen receptors and breast cancer cells, preventing them from growing and spreading. It's used specifically for positive estrogen and progesterone breast cancers, which is what I had. I had looked into all the side effects of this drug, sat with my doctor and reviewed them, and here's just a few of them, strokes, uterine cancer, and I thought. The last thing I wanna do is start a cancer treatment to get cancer again. I was frightened to death, eventually my doctor convinced me that removing my breast was not gonna be enough given my stage. I started taking the tamoxifen and about three weeks in, I had signs of early liver failure. The doctor asked me to go off the Tamoxifen. They felt that since I was recovering from this major surgery, it might be why my body was reacting to the drug the way it was, and they wanted me to hold off until after I fully recovered from my breast reconstruction. That's what I did. And it wasn't too long after we made that decision that I had my first post-op appointment. Since I had my breasts removed, they removed two of the four drains, which was a small victory'cause it felt so good to get the tubes out my chest wall, but the emotional toll of facing what my new body was gonna look like. Without breasts for a little while was stressing me out. My plastic surgeon gave me one piece of solid advice. She said, when you change your bandages, I. I want you to look in the mirror and take a good look at yourself. Don't ignore it because it will only make things harder for you. Seeing myself without breasts for the first time was brutal. Imagine that I. That moment hit so hard for me. My cousin was with me. We stood in front of a mirror. It was time to change the bandages, which she helped me with, and as soon as those bandages came off, I completely fell apart. I was a basket case, and this was just the beginning of a very long road to reconstruction. During the seven hour surgery, they had placed tissue expanders into my chest, which I mentioned. They're essentially deflated airbags underneath my skin. This was the first step in rebuilding my breasts. The expanders are designed to gradually stretch the skin to make room for the implants I remember during that first. Appointment. I was so fascinated by the process of. The expander getting filled. We started calling it the filling station. They would insert that needle into the tissue expander to pump in the saline, and that's what helps stretch the skin. I gotta watch my chest slowly take shape again. As the weeks passed, the fills became a lot more intense, the skin. Was stretching and the pain became a bit unbearable because every time they added more saline, my skin stretched even more and got really taut. This took place over a period of 14 weeks. By week 14, I was in bed for three days After the last filling, I was completely wrecked physically and emotionally. Some days I could push through, and other days it was complete trauma, and that's what it felt like. After this last fill, the entire process of diagnosis to nipple reconstruction and 3D tattoos took. About a year. My nipples couldn't be preserved because the tumor was too close to my skin, so they had to remove them. I chose to have nipple reconstruction, as they were stretching out the skin before they did the. Implant exchange. They used some of that extra skin to create the nipples, and after that healed, I had 3D tattoos to create an ola. I have to tell you, they look really natural. I was quite surprised. There's a lot of people who get these OLA tattoos. The artist had me bring in a picture of my breasts before I had the surgery. And yes, I did take a picture before surgery because I knew I was getting them blown off and I wanted a photo of mine just to preserve my. Original breasts anyway, three surgeries later, countless highs and lows. I really had no idea how long this whole process was gonna take. Doctors don't come forward and say this entire. Process is gonna take close to a year. And in some ways I think that was okay because I was able to keep relatively positive. I had these appointments, I. That's really what kept my mind focused is, okay, we've got another appointment at the filling station. On this state, we're getting the implants put in on this state. We're getting, nipple reconstruction, et cetera. But as I've talked about before, having my friends around made a huge difference. When you're surrounded by family and friends over that period of time and people are trying to lift you up and make you laugh, how can you not keep a positive attitude? We all need that human interaction, no matter what life throws you, you have to believe that you're going to get through what. Ever it is. I believed I was doing all the right things to battle this out and that I would make it to the other side. I had three boys counting on me, and that was part of the fight as well. There were some really tough days. I did feel depressed. I had days where I cried, but nonetheless, there were also days where I was laughing on the couch with friends, believing you will overcome the turbulence is really what saves you when you're going through this heavy shit. Truly, if you convince yourself you're defeated. The universe listens and it meets you there. But if you hold on to hope, if you stay as optimistic as possible, even in those tough moments, and you give yourself permission to break down, you can create space for more joy. I am a huge believer in the law of attraction and the power of manifesting. No matter what challenges come your way, keep your energy focused on getting through. Whatever it is, we're all capable of facing life's toughest moments. I have been thrown more curve balls than I can count. Here are just a few. Five years after beating lip cancer. I was diagnosed with breast cancer, the story I just shared, and five years after that breast cancer again, and I had already blown my tits off. Remember what the fuck? It did not prevent a recurrence. Then came three months of radiation six times a week. To treat the second breast cancer that had spread all over my chest wall. It came back with a vengeance and just months after that breast cancer diagnosis, they discovered I had melanoma. The shit just kept coming, and in between all of that, I had two brain aneurysms and had brain surgery. Brain aneurysms are like a bomb waiting to explode in your head, and mixed in with all of that. I had a couple of strokes people, the house was on fire. I survived all of that, which clearly I did because I'm here talking to you and we know one thing for sure. Resilience is something that you build. The more shit you go through, the more resilient you are. That doesn't mean that when something shocking comes your way, it's gonna be a walk in the park. It won't be, it will be hard. It will test you. That's when you have to dig deep and be resilient. Life is not a bowl of cherries the longer that you live. More stuff is gonna happen, and if we all get comfortable with that, it helps make these blows just a teeny bit less impactful, just a teeny bit less. But listen, every challenge strengthened my resilience. It pushed my perseverance to the limit, and it forced me to keep. Moving forward. You know when you're out on a run or maybe you're at the gym and you just feel like you don't have anything left but there's this other side of you that's five more reps, or, if I could just run to that stop sign, I'll take a break. That's what this is about. You have to push through even when you wanna curl up in a ball. I'm here to share these eight strategies it's not just what we go through that defines us, it's how we face it. Don't we all wanna be recognized for those moments when we give our best? Yes we do. We want that pat on the back. We want someone to verbally tell us that we did an outstanding job, but what is more rewarding than proving to yourself that you can overcome a truly difficult, shitty situation? You can give yourself a pat on the back and say, I fucking did it. So let's get into the eight strategies that will help guide you through these tough moments. Number one, trust your instincts. Your gut knows more than you think. Whether it's a health situation, a relationship, a major life decision. Listen to that inner voice. I ignored that warning sign once, and it could have cost me my life. Imagine if I blew that doctor's appointment off, if something feels off, don't brush it aside. Number two, take action. Do something about it. Advocate for yourself. No one is going to save you. No one is going to do it for you. I'm telling you in life, you are your own representative of advocacy, you will face roadblocks. People will doubt you. Systems will slow you down, speak up, push back, and fight for what you need. I've only shared a snapshot of what I experienced through this. Breast cancer journey. I wouldn't have gotten on the surgical schedule if I hadn't advocated for myself. I've got a book in the making. The details will be in there, but let's stay on track. Number three, build your support system. You don't have to do anything alone. I don't care what that tough thing is. Ask for help. Life isn't meant to be tackled solo. Don't be tough or stubborn. God knows I was once upon a time. Find your people, the ones who lift you up, whether it's family, friends, mentors, a therapist, or even an online community. When the hard days hit, lean in. Number four, progress isn't linear, and that's okay. Healing success, personal growth, it's never a straight line. Some days you will feel absolutely unstoppable and that you can conquer anything. Other days you're gonna feel like you're back at square one and that you just can't do it anymore. Give yourself some grace. Keep moving forward, even if it's one teeny tiny step at a time. Number five, strength isn't just physical. It is mental, emotional, and spiritual. For years, I tied my identity to physical strength, but real strength isn't just about muscles. It's about perseverance. Grit and getting back up when life knocks you down. That's an incredible reward for yourself. Number six, your mental health deserves just as much attention as your physical being. Stress, anxiety, burnout, whatever it is, will impact your mind in the way that you're dealing with anything. They take a toll on you and on your body, go to therapy, start journaling. I journaled for years. During my breast cancer diagnosis, I was blogging on a regular basis. It was so cleansing. Meditation is another one. It took me a long time to really figure out what that is. You don't have to be in a yoga class to meditate. You've gotta figure out what works for you. And while it might sound a little weird, I've got a mat in my office, a yoga mat, when I start to feel stress or an anxiety, or maybe I'm just burnt out and I can't do it anymore, and it's the middle of the day. I listen to this calm meditation music. It's this woman that I found on Spotify. I dunno if I'm pronouncing her name right. Chara. Seba. She calms everything in me, so I lay on my mat. I close my eyes. I take a lot of deep breaths. I'm not even sure how long I do it for, but I wait until I feel like my heart has stopped racing or that I've reenergized myself. It's usually not more than five minutes. My mind has reset and I can jump back into whatever it was that I was doing before. So whatever helps you process, make it a priority you would be shocked how much meditation can impact you, and you can do it anywhere. Number seven, control what you can, and more importantly, let go of what you can't. So much in life is out of our control. Others, pe, other people's actions, unexpected setbacks, the timing of things, the way people respond or they don't respond, that's outta your control. Focus on small wins, celebrate the progress, and stop carrying the guilt over things that you just can't change. And finally, number eight, resilience is a skill every challenge helps us build more resilience. It's like a muscle. It gets better, you will look back someday and you are going to say to yourself, holy shit, I made it through something that I thought was impossible. That's how I got through the breast cancer diagnosis was an entire year long battle. That's a long time. When you think of the daily things that occur when you are fighting cancer, be good to yourself. And for those of you who've been through some heavy shit lately, I would love to hear from you. DM me on Instagram at In Shock Radio, or leave a comment on this podcast. Let me know how you're feeling. Let's continue this conversation together. Until next time.