Shows
Just Katie...Not CancerIt's Okay to Take Yourself to BedHas there ever been a time when you feel like you just hit a brick wall? That was me this week. Up to this point, I have been really lucky with how I have been able to tolerate chemotherapy. But this week, it caught up to me and made me hit my bed and the couch, and that was it. That has been the story of my life this week. I got just ridiculously sick. All of the side effects hit me...aches, pains, no ability to eat, and no energy. I got a head cold on top of...2022-10-2110 minJust Katie...Not CancerControlling the ControllablesHow do you manage life when you have so many balls up in the air? Of course, having cancer adds some extra things to your to-do list. Scans, labs, appointments, etc. But in the midst of all that, I still have to be a mom, see my parents and friends, work with my clients, and do a whole list of other daily things I have to get done. So how can you manage all the things that life puts in your lap while also balancing all the appointments that come with cancer?
I do this by controlling t...2022-10-0618 minJust Katie...Not CancerWhat The F?Do you ever feel like you are running on fumes? Like maybe you have so much left on your never-ending to-do list, but not enough gas in the tank to make it across the finish line? Truthfully, in today's world, everyone is somewhat like that especially if they have kids, jobs, families, spouses, dogs, cats, etc.
We all know that the F-bomb is my favorite swear word. But, alas, this episode has nothing to do with that. It does however have to do with keeping your energy up when life gets hectic. Whether you are going through c...2022-09-2811 minJust Katie...Not CancerA Little Kindness Goes A Long WayI'm sure we've all heard the saying, "A little kindness goes a long way." We are literally taught from preschool to be kind to one another. However, the act of kindness and respect seems to get lost in translation as we get older. I don't know if it's just me or what, but I have noticed that kindness and respect seem to keep disappearing at a rapid rate in today's day and age. I see it almost daily. People have screamed at my 18-year-old daughter over pulling into the wrong parking space. A truck almost ran me over as...2022-09-1618 minJust Katie...Not CancerIt's Okay To Take On New ChallengesIt's okay to take on new challenges even if you have some things that aren't perfect in your life. In my case, it's the big "C". Cancer that is in my body. It's okay for me to have cancer, and still get up and try to take on new challenges. In the spirit of my daughter going to college and taking on new challenges, I'm taking on new challenges too. And my first challenge is running a 5k in October.
For those of you that don't know me very well, I am the furthest thing from a...2022-09-0810 minJust Katie...Not CancerFully Enjoying the Simple ThingsIt's back to school here in the Northeast and despite some tears (on my end), I'm enjoying every little moment. I'm enjoying the clothes shopping, getting supplies for a dorm room, orientations, and all of the little things in between. But there is a reason for that. This time last year I was fighting a 6 month long battle after my GI stent basically ripped apart my colon. I missed the first half of my daughter's senior year and all the little things that happened then. So I promised myself that I would enjoy every little thing from that moment...2022-09-0113 minJust Katie...Not CancerScanxiety...It's A Real ThingScanxiety is a real thing. As cancer patients, we are constantly undergoing testing. So if it's not a blood test to look at your tumor markers or imaging, it's something else. So one of the biggest tools that they use to assess where you are progress-wise, is imaging known as a CT scan. I go in for a CT scan every 4-6 weeks. Before I had to have these CT scans done, I had no problem with any tests. You want to take blood out? Go ahead. Literally, they could do any test and I had no issue whatsoever. A...2022-08-2518 minJust Katie...Not CancerCancer Meets FitnessBoy oh boy, am I SUPER PUMPED for today’s episode! Pun totally intended! Today I have a very special guest on the show to help me talk about the importance of physical fitness for cancer patients. Joining me today is Kristie Ruksnasitis. I have to say that one of the things that throws a lot of people off when they see me is that I don't “look like I’m sick.” Because I have cancer…people expect me to look sick.
But for me, I think what has helped me is that I work out every day. Even...2022-08-1827 minJust Katie...Not CancerWeird Side Effects from My ChemotherapyWhen I started my podcast, I knew I wanted to keep it real. While the purpose of my podcast is to show people your cancer does not have to define you, I also realize there is a very "real" side to cancer. That "real" side comes out for me when I have my chemo. The only time I actually feel like I have cancer is when I'm going through my chemotherapy. I know...that seems unreal. But it's true. I have chemo every other week. Sometimes I'm fine afterward. And other others, armageddon happens for me. I'll be completely h...2022-08-1112 minJust Katie...Not CancerMom Has Cancer...Now What?So Mom has cancer...now what? Cancer is not just a diagnosis that affects the person who has it. It also affects the families of the people who get diagnosed, including children. I have 2 children, McKenzie and Zach, who have been on this journey with me. Today, McKenzie is sharing her part of this journey and how she has viewed it through her eyes. It's important to understand how our kids may view this cancer journey so that we can support them as they support us. If you currently have cancer or have just been diagnosed, and you have...2022-08-0526 minJust Katie...Not CancerF-BombsMy topic today is the F word. Full stop…it's another F word, friend. I drop F-bombs left and right. But this F word can be paralyzing. It can be debilitating and hold you back. Or it can have the opposite effect and be motivating and help you slay whatever you want to achieve or overcome. So- can you guess what the F word is?
About Katie-
Katie is an entrepreneur, Marketing, and Business Executive with an extensive background in startups and corporate marketing as well as public relations. She’s a single mom of 2 kids...2022-07-2815 minJust Katie...Not CancerCrabs Are Helping Me Fight CancerCrabs are helping me fight cancer! I know, I know, that sounds crazy. But they are. So here’s the story on that. I am a reality TV junkie.And at the beginning of my journey to beat this beast, I had a lot of downtime thanks to my surgery. I was also trying to wrap my mind around everything that was happening and how I was going to continue to do all the things I needed to do and beat cancer’s ass.
And there was a show that totally sucked me in called Deadliest Catch. It i...2022-07-2113 minJust Katie...Not CancerHell Yes to HairWhen you’re going through chemo, how does it affect your hair? In Episode 1, I sat down with my dearest friend and hairstylist Kristen to talk about a very sensitive subject for those of us going through cancer…hair. To be completely honest with you, it affects everybody differently because it depends on the type of chemo that's coursing through your body. So what’s a girl (or guy) to do?
About Katie-
Katie is an entrepreneur, Marketing, and Business Executive with an extensive background in startups and corporate marketing as well as public relations. She’s a...2022-07-1421 min
Just Katie...Not CancerJust Katie...Not CancerWelcome to Just Katie...Not Cancer. I’m Katie Zereski, an entrepreneur, Marketing and Business Executive with an extensive background in startups and corporate marketing as well as public relations. I’m also heavily involved in fitness and wellness and am a former competitor and coach. I invite you to join me and a host of friends, family, and a number of really awesome special guests as I journey down this path for the fight of my life.
We all know about the “C” word. No! not that C word….get your mind out of the gutter. I’m talking...2022-07-0701 min
WEEI/NESN Jimmy Fund Radio-TelethonGresh & Keefe - Katie Zereski, 49, colon cancer, Shrewsbury, with Dr. Kimmie Ng, Director of the Young-Onset Colorectal Cancer Center, Dana-FarberKatie was diagnosed with metastatic colon cancer at 49 years old. She's a single mom of two children, McKenzie, 17 and Zachary, 13. She's a proud dog-mom to LuLu, the English Bulldog who is 'really the boss of the house.' She's a marketing executive and general manager for Fitness Asylum. She coaches classes and the bikini competition team. She is a competitive body builder in Fitbody and is dedicated to living a clean lifestyle. In March March 2021 she was diagnosed with metastatic early-onset colon cancer. She had no symptoms but had a 7-day b...2021-08-2407 min