Barbara Carlos

The first time I heard that term I didn't know what they were talking about. Even now my brain goes a little bit crazy when that term is applied to lingerie.

Although I was aware of lymphedema, it wasn't really something on my radar screen, until I heard those words.

A cancer survivor's visit to the dentist turns into a medical issue.

To most of the world, the day I had a mastectomy was just another day. But to me, it was the start of so many changes in my life.

During cancer treatment, patients lose a lot of things, but one thing that’s constantly noticed is hair loss.

When my oncologist asked me if I would consider being in a clinical trial, my answer was immediate.

Prosthesis is another word added to my cancer vocabulary.

Chemo brain is one of the many side effects of chemotherapy that can affect us. If you have it, you may not even notice that you have it at first.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, so be prepared to see pink everywhere you turn.

At one time, the word “cancer” was only whispered and never spoken out loud. Times change, but sometimes it’s hard to let those you work with know that you have/had cancer.

These are just some of the things that have changed in my life since my mastectomy. Maybe they are things that I have chosen to change.

For years, the news has been full of stories about opioid addiction. I am just glad that painkillers that actually killed the pain were available when I needed them.

For many who have been through the experience, whether you call it a return, recurrence or anything else, it’s something they lay awake at night thinking about, and worrying about.

Whenever I exercise, I seem not to know what I am doing. Is it lack of coordination or is it too much attention to movement?

No man is an island, but sometimes our interdependency isn’t clear.

Neuropathy is a side effect of some cancer drugs, but what does it mean to have neuropathy?

We are all so busy, busy, busy with our lives until cancer slows us down, at least temporarily.

Sometimes I’m referred to as a cancer "survivor," but I just don’t see myself as such.

Some patients experience fatigue as a side effect of cancer treatment. And for some of us, fatigue lingers on and on and on.

You readily see the physical changes caused by cancer, but what goes on in your mind is just as noteworthy.

After indulging a bit too much over the holidays, it's time to get back to the real world.

Sometimes I lose weight and sometimes I lose inches, but does it matter?