Trusting the Process, Embracing the Journey
Kristie Alsteen of Pulaski never expected her life to change during a routine mammogram. Diagnosed with DCIS Stage 0 breast cancer just days before her daughter’s birthday during her senior year milestone, the timing was heartbreaking. “It was a shock,” she says. “I didn’t feel anything. I had no symptoms.”
Kristie chose a double mastectomy with DIEP flap reconstruction, a decision that came with emotional weight. Around the same time, her beloved dog, also battling cancer, had to be put down. “It felt like my support system was gone,” she shares.
But unexpected strength came from her community. Friends, family, and even strangers donated to her GoFundMe. Ribbon of Hope provided support. And a man she had just met chose to stay by her side. “He knew I had cancer and still wanted to date me. We’re still together.”
Her diagnosis shifted her perspective. “I’m more carefree now. I take advantage of opportunities I might have passed up before. Life is too short not to.”
Kristie’s relationship with her body has changed. “Some days I feel disconnected. I can’t feel parts of my body, even when I touch them. It’s strange, but I’m working toward reconnecting with myself.”
Confidence is a work in progress. “I struggle with it,” she admits. “But I push myself out of my comfort zone. These portraits helped me feel more confident.”
She joined the boudoir-style portrait campaign to help others. “It was scary for me. I didn’t know anyone else with cancer. I worried about how I’d look. I want people to see that it’s not as scary as it seems, and that you’ll be okay.”
Her advice to those newly diagnosed is empowering: “Research your options. Do what’s best for you, not what others think is best. You’re the one who has to live with it.”
Kristie lives by a simple but powerful mantra: “Look for the positive. Being mad is a waste of life. Positivity helps with healing.”
She hopes her story inspires others to trust the process. “Waking up from a mastectomy isn’t pretty. But things get better. Scars heal. Life moves forward.”
And her final message is one of awareness: “Get your mammograms, even if you don’t feel a lump. Mine was invisible to the touch. Early detection saved me.”