Throughout this whole crazy process of having a prophylactic mastectomy/reconstruction while going to nursing school, there were things that made it all possible. The most important was my support network – family (especially my husband), friends, my medical team, and my online community. Another important thing was having all the right supplies at home. Reality tv and cheesy movies certainly helped my recovery (I’ll post more on that another time).

One of the most important things for me throughout this journey has been music. I listened to a lot of music to make me feel empowered and strong leading up to my mastectomy. I even went to the Beyonce/Jay-Z concert about a month before my surgery and felt like I could tackle anything afterwards. When I had scary moments during this process, I listened to music to lift me up. When I felt strong and met milestones, I listened to music to celebrate. Now, I am back in Zumba and Cardio Pop classes, able to karaoke again, and belting out tunes in the privacy of my car. Below are some of the songs that helped me during this process.