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Marisa 'eM' Louw

I do writing, marketing consulting, and workshop facilitation. I am also a #breastcancerwarrior

My breast cancer journey in pictures

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- September 19, 2020

#breastcancerawareness breastcancer cancer chemo chemotherapy

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(c) Marisa Louw 2020

Marisa Louw: Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa; Freelance business writer, creative writing course facilitator, retired marketing- and public relations strategist, musician, and bird whisperer.

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My breast cancer journey - a timeline of events

- July 08, 2022

What follows is a timeline of defining moments in my journey to date. Updated on 9 April 2024. 2019 8 July 2019: Routine mammogram 9 July 2019: Second opinion mammogram 11 July 2019: Fine needle aspiration 23 July 2019: The family doctor tells me that I have breast cancer 1-3 August 2019: Hospitalised for a surgical biopsy 30 Aug-1 Sep 2019: Hospitalised for bilateral mastectomy and direct-to-implant reconstruction 27-29 September 2019: Hospitalised for debridement of the wounds 25 October 2019: Start with chemotherapy ( Taxol once a week - 18 treatment cycles) 13-14 November 2019: Hospitalised to remove the right implant 22 November 2019: Start with Herceptin injections (once every three weeks - 15 treatment cycles) 2020 6 March 2020: Last chemotherapy session! 27 March 2020: COVID-19 lockdown 9 April 2020: Start Tamoxifen hormone-blocking therapy 6-8 May 2020: Hospitalised to insert a tissue expander in the right breast 20 November 2020: Last Herceptin injection! &

Cancer warrior, be gentle with yourself!

- July 03, 2021

For the past two years, people kept telling me: "Be gentle with yourself!" But, what does it mean? And, how does someone who is intrinsically motivated by self-drive, competition, and achievement unlearn a lifelong trait? Where does my self-drive come from? As a child, my parents and teachers urged me to perform - academically and in various extracurricular activities. I competed in multiple sport disciplines (athletics, tennis, horse riding, swimming, and ballet). I excelled in music (piano, guitar, recorder, voice, music theory), acting, modelling, and chess. My father instilled in me his business acumen and drive. I grew up watching him run a successful butchery. He taught me about good customer service, sales and marketing, merchandising, payrolls, and business finance. By the time I turned 16, I knew every aspect of his trade and how to run a business. I learned from him that providing for your family comes with immense responsibility. When he was sick, he couldn't

The role of the right medical team in a cancer patient's life

- February 10, 2021

When one gets diagnosed with a dread disease like cancer, your life changes. At first, there is disbelief. Then come chaos and fear. The latter remains with you for a very, very long time. Over the past 19 months, I learnt so much! Not only did I learn about lobular pleomorphic breast cancer and its treatment, but also about the importance of a solid support structure. One would think that a support structure involves only your family and friends. Yet, each medical professional involved in your diagnosis and treatment becomes a crucial part of your support structure. That is why I advocate the significance of selecting your medical team with the utmost caution and scrutiny. Today, I want to thank each of the doctors and their teams who are part of my breast cancer journey. Their unconditional care and support make everything more bearable. Dr Rudolph van Wyk is our family doctor and the one who broke the bad news to my husband and me. His compassion, knowledge, and detailed expl

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breastcancer cancer #breastcancerawareness chemotherapy mastectomy crowdfunding depression mammogram positive thinking

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