The Longing Lab Breast Cancer Survivor Cassie Fulmer Brown on longing, living, and loving
Episode 10: Cassie Fulmer Brown discusses longing in relationship to her five-year battle with breast cancer and why it’s important to “Go small and go now!”
Five years ago, Cassie Fulmer Brown got her first mammogram at age 40 despite having no signs or symptoms of cancer. She was diagnosed with ERPR-positive and HER2-negative breast cancer. Following the diagnosis, Cassie and her husband David drastically changed their lifestyles (quitting their jobs and selling their house) to fight the cancer. Cassie left her high-stress market researcher position in the consumer-packaged goods industry. Now, she and her husband travel around the country and share their adventures on their YouTube channel Cissy and Bud. When Cassie isn’t dealing with cancer treatments or traveling, she’s boating, reading, doing yoga, or busy being a stepmom. She is a promoter of and speaker for Pink Ribbon Girls. Connect with Cassie on Instagram @cissyandbud
In this episode, (in order) we talked about…
*Cassie’s journey with cancer from the first diagnosis to the second diagnosis and the actions she’s taken (surgeries, drugs, chemo, radiation)
*How both she and her husband changed their lifestyles to decrease stress once diagnosed
*How cancer has strengthened her relationship with her husband and family
*Her approach to sharing her story on social media
*Advice she has for someone going through a cancer diagnosis
*The “Tara List” that grew into the “Cassie List”
*What you can do to support a friend going through breast cancer
*How her genetic testing results prompted her to do the double mastectomy
*The photo shoot she did before the mastectomy
*The importance of self-breast exams despite varying medical opinions
*The good and the bad in going through cancer treatment the second time around
*How she now makes small adventures out of everything
Quotes:
“When I think about the life before cancer, I wish I could fall asleep without worrying if the cancer is going to spread or come back....The biggest thing (I long for) would be my body pre-cancer, before the surgeries and chemo and other drugs I take. But I try not to stay there too long because I know I can’t get that back.”
“We both quit our jobs. He wanted to be able to go to every appointment with me. He likes to call it a sabbatical to fight cancer.”
“I’ve also had two people get mammograms because of my diagnosis who were then diagnosed as well. So, they were happy they went and got an early diagnosis. I like when people reach out to me like that because it helps me to have something positive come from such a negative experience.”
“If you know anyone going through cancer, or anything hard in life, say something. Say anything. The only caveat I would say would be try not to tell them a story of someone who died from cancer…. even if it’s a different kind of cancer. Just keep that one to yourself.”
“Don’t say anything to a breast cancer patient on getting a boob job. It’s not what it is. It’s a major surgery…It’s not like you’re going to have this new set that’s going to look fabulous. It’s definitely emotional.”
“Wear it now, do it now. I have this necklace that David gave to me on my wedding day I used to never wear. Now I barely even take it off. I don’t know what I was saving it for.”
“I’m constantly scanning my body. So I’m more aware of my body because I have to be.”
Resources mentioned in this episode:
Cassie’s favorite post-surgery pajama top: Soma Cool Nights
The book that made Cassie go vegan: How Not to Die by Michael Greger M.D.
Great caps for when you're bald: www.chemobeanies.com
Let's connect: www.amandajmccracken.