Daily Inspiration: Meet Katherine Van Grinsven

Today we’d like to introduce you to Katherine Van Grinsven.

Hi Katherine, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Up until February 5th of 2021, I was living a pretty “normal” life. Not a life without struggle or pain, but a life, a good life.

In December of 2020, something snapped in my brain and I decided that an area on my left breast just did not feel right. I scheduled a doctor appointment, just to be told it was probably nothing – but “we will schedule a mammogram anyway to be safe.” Mind you, I am 35 at this time.

In late January 2021, I had my first mammogram. Followed immediately by an ultrasound where I was told that the area in question looked suspicious. That week was a whirlwind. February 3rd, 2021, I had a biopsy on the area and by the 5th I was called in for my results.

You have breast cancer. That is what he told me. My husband and I sat there. I burst into tears, begging this poor doctor to tell me that this would not kill me. Once I calmed down, I immediately dove into problem-solving mode. We were going to deal with this and move on. Next on the agenda was an MRI to confirm size and location. Then, I was able to be squeezed in for a double mastectomy with reconstruction on February 19th, 2021.

Within less than 15 days, I had been told I had cancer, was told it was pretty big but seemed localized, was informed it was ER+ and HER- which all I knew at that time was “positive news” and had about zero time to get my life prepared for major surgery. The universe decided to spice the week leading up to the surgery with a fun ice and snow storm for Nashville. I was panicked that my surgery would be canceled. If it wasn’t postponed due to Covid first.

Thankfully, I was able to get my surgery and started the healing process. We were told my lymph nodes were clear and the surgeons felt like they got it all with room to spare! These are also known as “wide and clear” margins. I was also able to take something called an Oncotype test. It helps determine if cancer situations like mine would even benefit from chemotherapy. My score was actually fairly good and the decision was made to move forward with preventative treatment for 10 years and keep an eye on things. I was told I was essentially – Cancer Free.

That was the best 7 days of my life. The fear lifted, I had a renewed sense of self and being. It was amazing. On the 7th day, I received a call from my oncologist. You see, they had run what would be considered standard bloodwork the day I was told I was cancer-free. My results came back… questionable.

My oncologist plainly told me that either my cancer antigen score (CA153) was high because of surgery, or that cancer had potentially already spread. Spread? What? You said you got it all. The next month was pure torture. Multiple doctor appointments, scans, etc. Many needle pokes later and the results were in. I was reclassed as having Stage IV Breast cancer and considered De Novo. This means that cancer had already metastasized (spread) to somewhere else in my body by the time we detected it. It decided my skeleton seemed like a fun home. I am treatable, but not curable.

My cancer is slow-growing, so after this was all exposed, it is very likely it had set up shop in my body months if not years prior. Hindsight is 2020. The weird back pain I had been feeling for a few months? Oh, that was actually cancer eating away my bones and fracturing my spine. Oh, your mom and aunt had breast cancer? Thanks to genetic testing, we figured out I, like my family, am BRCA2 positive.

I cannot look back with regret or concern myself with what I should have done. I could have had a prophylactic mastectomy, I could have worked out more to lower my weight, I could have gotten genetic testing sooner. So many could or should-haves. I cannot live in the past. And now – I cannot really live in the future either.

I can only live in today. I am a planner. I mean – PLANNER. Everything I did in my life was for tomorrow. This diagnosis has changed everything. I live for today now, more than I ever had. I can focus on my health day by day and make it through. I do not put off things that I know will bring me joy.

At first, the darkness really set in. It is very hard to mourn a future that you may not have. It is hard to see other people’s lives pass you by while you feel you are stuck in a series of medical appointments and tests – going nowhere but one day closer to the grave. After some months and therapy, and a few medications – I am happy to say the darkness is not so dark anymore.

The days are lighter, the realization I cannot change what has happened does not weigh as heavy on me. I am LIVING. Not to say there are not bad days, I live my life day by day, hour by hour and minute by minute. I can say though, that as time passes the good days outnumber the bad.

Since I have become much more comfortable with my diagnosis, It has really made me feel like I have another sense of purpose. I am not here just to work and live, I want to educate others. I have found many other women in my boat across the globe. I aim to join forces with them whether by supporting the same initiatives or sharing their causes to help spread awareness on this sometimes invisible disease.

More and more young women are being diagnosed regularly. I want to get the word out and encourage everyone to check their boobies!

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has not been smooth in the slightest. It has been the strangest roller coaster I never wanted to ride. Being whisked from appointment to appointment, will insurance cover this, how will work react. Oh, you have cancer! Oh, you are cancer-free! Oops, nope – you actually have incurable cancer.

By the way, that back pain we thought was unrelated is actually due to cancer degrading your spine so bad your L1 vertebrae decided to crumble. Wear this back brace for a while, let’s see how it goes. We may need to do spinal surgery. Let’s throw in some radiation to tackle those “problem” areas.

The past year has been nothing short of exhausting – and that is putting it mildly. This type of diagnosis is also hard on everyone around you. Your partner, your family, your friends, your work. Everyone has to grieve in their own way. Some handle it better than others. You have to give everyone some grace.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I have worked in Logistics for over 10 years now. I love it. It is so tangible. People underestimate what it takes to get that grain in the field to a loaf of bread on your store shelf. I am fascinated with logistics and how it impacts the world.

The logistics world is also very tight-knit. I have friends all over the country from my work experiences. It was interesting to see the news of my diagnosis slowly make its way around.

My company handled it beautifully. I even convinced them to allow me to host my own company-wide “ted talk” Esque meeting to go over my journey, how it impacts me, and encourage others to be aware of their own bodies.

I think I am set apart from others on my sheer drive. If cancer hasn’t stopped me, nothing will.

Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
For someone just starting out in business – learn. For someone just starting out with their cancer diagnosis – learn. Education is critical in our world. You have to always be willing to learn new things. My grandfather once told me, you do not have to memorize everything, you just have to know where to look.

I think for people whether starting a new job or starting a new phase in their life with a crappy health diagnosis – you need to know where to look for information. You have to trust people around you and have to trust your resources.

Finally – you cannot compare yourself to others. Forge your own path. What worked for someone else, may not work for you and that is okay. Where someone else succeeds, it may be a challenge for you. However, always know that someone is looking at you as the inspiration.

People fail to realize that for every person you look up to, there is someone looking up to you.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/duchessvanduchess/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/katherine.grinsven

Image Credit:
LaPhotographie – Stephanie May.  https://www.laphotographie.info/about/