Bianca's Pandemic Doctor Visit
- Two-time cancer survivor, singer-songwriter Bianca Muniz, detailed for followers in a recent blog post an upsetting experience she had at the gynecologist; she booked an appointment after changes in her period.
- Muniz was first diagnosed with ovarian cancer at 11 years-old, and then at 22, she was diagnosed with breast cancer.
- Throughout her cancer journey, Muniz has tried to focus on the good, which can improve outcomes, some experts say.
And Muniz is sharing it with her fans in a new post detailing what happened.
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Muniz continues, “I started making a video about it to post in my stories but it was too long… then I started writing an Instagram post and that was also too long… so I made it into a blog post. It's a little TMI for me to post here, so if you want TMI about doctor's appointments and bodies and whatnot – head over to my blog.”
Bianca’s Cancer Journey
Muniz was first diagnosed with cancer at just 11 years old. In her recent blog post, she writes, “I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer when I was 11 years old. I had my right ovary removed (along with a whole bunch of other stuff but I won't go into detail) I went through a year of chemo and other surgeries and was considered "NED" (no evidence of disease) for about 11 years.”
Related: Ovarian Cancer: The Cancer That Whispers
“Back in 2016, when I was 22 years old and fresh out of college, I was then diagnosed with breast cancer,” says Muniz. “I had genetic testing done, was diagnosed with a mutation called "TP53" (also known as Li Fraumeni Syndrome + basically means I can get any type of cancer not just related to the reproductive system.)”
Related: When Should You Consider a Mastectomy?
“I had a double mastectomy, froze some eggs, went through a year of cancer treatment, had reconstruction surgery, and I am now yet again considered "NED."
Muniz details how she experienced abnormal menstrual bleeding, and that due to the pandemic, it took her over a year to book an appointment with the gynecologist. And when she went in for the recent appointment and had a pap smear, booking the follow-up appointment was difficult and frustrating.
Related: New Cervical Cancer Screening Guidelines Recommend HPV & Pap Testing Now Start at Age 25
“All of that was fine,” writes Muniz, “it was after when I tried to book an appointment with my gyno where it all went wrong. I was sent to my doctor's secretary and I requested an appointment for a week from today.” Muniz says her doctor was unavailable to see her. “I contemplated switching hospitals because I am so angry. Right now, I still don't have an appointment with a gyno. I am extremely angry and frustrated and agitated and all of the terms.”
"It's Only Temporary": Dealing With the Side Effects of Cancer Treatment
Keeping a Positive Attitude Through Cancer
Muniz tells SurivorNet in an earlier interview that cancer taught her to appreciate what she can, and disregard the rest. Having an upbeat attitude while battling cancer can have a positive impact, our experts say.
Related: Stay Positive, It Matters
"I've learned to not take life so seriously and to just do what I love," Bianca says in a previous interview. "If something isn't making you happy, and it's not necessary, then it doesn't need to be there."
Dr. Zuri Murrell, a colorectal surgeon at Cedars-Sinai, affirms in an earlier interview the importance of a positive attitude. He says, “My patients who thrive, even with stage 4 cancer, from the time that they, about a month after they’re diagnosed, I kind of am pretty good at seeing who is going to be OK. Now doesn’t that mean I’m good at saying that the cancer won’t grow.”
Related: A Major Step in the Cancer Journey: Learning to Deal With Vulnerability
“But I’m pretty good at telling what kind of patient are going to still have this attitude and probably going to live the longest, even with bad, bad disease. And those are patients who, they have gratitude in life,” says Dr. Murrell.
How Two-Time Survivor Bianca Muniz Learned to Not Take Life So Seriously
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