Survivor Diary: Kara Skaflestad

I was diagnosed on...
"December 12, 2008. My grandmother had just passed away after a long battle with breast cancer, and my friend recently thought she had felt a lump. So, one day in the shower, I decided to do a self-breast exam. But, instead of gently pressing my breasts, I pushed hard and found a lump under my left armpit. My gynecologist told me not to worry about it, but an ultrasound and biopsy proved otherwise."

My immediate reaction was...
"Total disbelief. How could I be a cancer patient? My second thought was that I felt so bad for my mom. She had just lost her mother, and now she was going to have to deal with this. It was a nightmare."

Now, breast cancer means to me...
"That I’m a cancer survivor, and that’s something more impressive than anything you can put on your resume. I was hit with an unlucky stick and had a few really hard years. But now I get to join the ranks of the many amazing women who know how to fight, all the while making the best out of a crappy situation."

I'd tell someone recently diagnosed with breast cancer...
"To stay positive and know that there is light at the end of the long, hard tunnel. You will get through this, and come out on the other end feeling like a better, smarter, stronger person."

I'm inspired by...
"The future, my family and friends, and my boyfriend, Nate, who stuck with me during my mastectomy and reconstructive surgery."

I'm pretty fantastic at...
"Handling really hard situations. I took this cancer diagnosis by storm. I wasn't in control of what was happening to my body, so I took control of how to handle it. I rocked a bald head and tried to have fun every moment that I wasn't feeling sick."

The people that keep me strong are...
"My boyfriend. Every time I feel sad, scared, or have "why me?" moments, he calms me down and gets me back on my feet or, at the very least, laughing again. My sister and mom have also been there through everything, including when I had emotional moments about my breasts."

I get stressed out by...
"Being pressed for time or knowing that I have too much on my plate. After going through this experience, I get overwhelmed quite easily, so I try to conquer each task as it comes. This was a process I learned during treatment: Try to not think about the next week's chemo session, just focus on this one. Then, don't think about radiation until you have to start going. Thinking too far ahead can be overwhelming. And you can't control it anyway!"

I unwind by...
"Reaching out to others. During my treatment, I started to blog. I could talk freely about how I was feeling, while also letting my family and friends know that I was okay. I also wanted other people who were enduring similar experiences to know that I was going through it, too."

If I were to stand in the middle of the street and scream something, it would be...
"I'm a survivor! I beat cancer and feel amazing!"

I felt most comfortable in my own skin...
"Ironically, now. I am 29 years old. I have scarred breasts and a little more flab than I did in my early 20s, but I feel smarter, stronger, and more beautiful than I ever have before. I am proud of my scars. I'm proud of my new hair. And, the best part is that my boyfriend loves all of it."

I'm happiest when...
"I'm surrounded by the people I love the most and who love me right back. With that by your side, why wouldn't you believe in hope?"