David Raubach: I want to thank you for joining us on today’s episode of the Cancer Project podcast. We’re very privileged to have Morgan Aino on with us. She is not just a single but a double cancer survivor, kidney cancer and breast cancer. And we’re going to talk a little bit about that journey that she’s gone through. Um, and we’re also going to talk about this fantastic t-shirt that she’s wearing. So, uh, Morgan, to kick things off, yes, cancer is a hoe. Cancer is a hoe. That’s what the t-shirt says. Yes. Yes. Is that Did you come up with that t-shirt? I mean, I would love to take credit for that because

Morgan Aquino: I do have numerous great ideas, but no, I actually found this on Facebook, believe it or not. Did you really? I did. I’ve ordered a few now at this point, but yeah. And so, did you get that? Did you have that after your first cancer diagnosis, second cancer diagnosis, second? Okay. And then that you were ready like cancer really is a hoe at cancer really is a hoe. Yes. 100%. Yeah. So, uh talk to us just a little bit about um who you are. Morgan, you live here in Oklahoma. Um, your family, what you like to do, help help us get to know Morgan. Um, oh, goodness. And that’ll

Morgan Aquino: kind of lay the framework as we go into talking about your cancer journey. Okay. Um, I my name is Morgan. I um I’m mom. I have two kids. Uh, married. We own a couple businesses and um you know just super involved in my kids’ lives. Uh they’ve always done competitive things and and then we have like a really great neighborhood community and stuff where super close with a lot of our friends and family and everything and you know just just love life. Yeah. You know I mean work hard, play hard. That’s always kind of been You’re headed to the beach. Yeah. Heading to the beach tomorrow. 3A. Yes. Yeah. I’ve

David Raubach: never been there. Oh, you haven’t been? I have not been to that one yet. It’s amazing. Yeah, it’s it’s fantastic. Have you been to Carlton Landing? Yes. Outside of Lake Eupfala. Okay. So, this is I guess Carlton Landing was mirrored after or modeled after the development at 38. Now, 38’s been around longer. It’s right much much bigger. Um but kind of same vibe. Uh it’s a lot of fun. I think you’re going at the right time, too, because I’ I’ve gone to 3A a couple times, more over like spring break season. Yeah. And it was uh a little overrun with all the teenagers riding

David Raubach: around in their golf carts and scooters and uh I mean it was fun. Um but I think now would be an amazing time to go. Yeah, that’s I’m when we travel because we do we love to travel as well. Um, you know, I always try to plan it around whenever it’s not quite as crowded. Yes. You know, like my ideal time to really travel normally is like leave on a Sunday and come back on a Wednesday or Thursday or something. Oh, right. All the weekend crowds. Yeah. So, I was actually in uh 3A when COVID hit. Oh, wow. And so, I I remember this. So, this is 2020. Mhm.

David Raubach: Um, you know, you kind of, it’s March, so you kind of started to hear some of the news coming out of China and maybe there was a case here or there on the West Coast, but it hadn’t really like spread around the country up to that point. And so we arrived, I think on a Sunday, um, and then there was this systematic shutdown that occurred over the course of the week. So, I think it was like Tuesday, uh, they announced, well, you know, you can still go out to the beach, but we’re not putting all the chairs and umbrellas out. And then Wednesday, oh, well, actually, now you can’t even go

David Raubach: to the beach, but you can still hang out in the town. Oh, okay. Well, now Thursday, uh, you can’t go to the restaurant, but you can order still order food to go. And then by Friday, everything was shut down. Everything was Yeah. And we had to leave. And of course, those were the early days where you didn’t know what was going on. And then you were, you know, spraying Lysol all over the food from the grocery store and just I remember I actually I would spray it Lysol like in my air ducts and everything and like even where like my return fan is and everything, you know, just just to make

David Raubach: sure it was kind of like my mind like pushing it through the air and there was just you just didn’t know what was happening. There was a lot of misinformation out there. And then I remember driving back from 38 because we lived in Knoxville at the time. Okay. And I was wiping hand sanitizer all over the gas pumps on the way back. So like, you know, it’s like, okay, well, am I going to get the virus touching the gas pump here at the gas station getting back? To be fair, I I still do that. Like I have a good deal of hand sanitizer like in the little corner or the pocket of

Morgan Aquino: your my door, you know, and every time I get gas or anything like that, as soon as I get back in the car, I’m like, it’s not a bad idea. Yeah, I mean, it’s not a bad idea. The gas pumps are maybe not the most sanitary thing that you could touch. So, and you said you have kids. How many kids do you have? We have two. Okay. How How old are they? Uh, one just turned 18. That’s actually We’re taking her to Florida for her 18th birthday. Oh, okay. And then our youngest one, we actually adopted um and she is going to be turning eight in

Morgan Aquino: June. Oh, that’s amazing. Yeah. How did that come about? Oh gosh. Um unexpected. Uh we, my husband and I actually, we had just gotten married and we came back from our honeymoon and literally this little baby was kind of dropped on our doorstep. And um you know and it just kind of she was with us for a couple weeks and then would be gone for like a day and then she came back you know um we knew the birth mother. Yeah. And um anyways you know and and for me I was just I just remember thinking like okay this is not normal Yeah. to me you know as a

Morgan Aquino: as a mother. I um I God, I cried first time my dad took my daughter to down the street to see my grandparents, you know. Um but uh so we contacted an attorney and she said, “You know, we need to get you before a judge and and then it just it started this whole it took 1,368 days.” Oh my gosh. And uh yeah, so it was it was a journey that we um could not have foreseen. Yeah. Or anything. And um but you know, I mean it’s it’s um absolutely amazing. She just she completed our family. Yeah. Um completely uh we’re done. Yeah. And um and

Morgan Aquino: yeah, so she’ll be eight in June. That’s amazing. So, uh, I’ve had the opportunity to adopt three kids out of the foster care system. So, they’re now seven, five, and three. Uh, and then we’re about to adopt another little girl who’s one. So, very familiar with the adoption process, not familiar with a kid being left on my doorsteps. Yeah. Um, little bit different, but certainly familiar with the fact that the legal process can be arduous and complicated and Yes. just is. Yeah. I mean, even even the little girl that we’re about to adopt now, she’ll be almost a year and a half when we adopt her. Um, and it

David Raubach: was we basically knew from day one, we took her home from the hospital when she was born that we were going to adopt. The biological parents weren’t really in the picture. And even with all that, it’s still taken a year and a half. Oh, yeah. To get through everything. Yes. It’s it’s maddening in so many ways. And I mean and as you know I mean it’s very emotional. Yeah. And I mean just so many highs and lows and you know hurry up and waits and just I mean hoops that you have to jump through and it it it’s it’s probably the most emotional honest I mean even above

Morgan Aquino: cancer everything um it’s probably the most emotional thing that I’ve ever been through in my life. Yeah. Well uh that’s amazing. And kudos to you and your husband. Oh, for that and you amazing amazing ministry. Uh so the 18-year-old, what is she doing next year? Uh she’s actually she’s still she’s going to be a senior next year. Oh, okay. So she’s got one. Yeah. Yeah. I started her late cuz again, like I said, I you know, just just loved her, you know, and wasn’t ready for her to leave mommy. And yeah, so um so she’s going to be a senior and but she’s looking at uh OSU is

Morgan Aquino: number one for her and then OU or UCO. But I’m I’m insisting that she, you know, apply a lot of different places and just, you know, try to keep an open mind, which she is not inherently very good at. Um, so you know, we’re we’re just going to try and see have good to have options. And are you prepared for that emotional roller coaster that is the senior year of Oh, I’m moving with her. It’s Yeah. I’m like, “Wherever you go, I’m going.” So, yeah. I already told my husband, I was like, “Okay, so, you know, we’re going to be buying like a rental property or something.” And is it

Morgan Aquino: going to be Still Water? Yeah. Yeah. I’m like, “It’s gonna happen. So, just go ahead and wrap your head around that, dear. Oh, that’s funny. Yeah. Well, I have I’m about to have four daughters, so I I am definitely not prepared. Fortunately, I have I’m a few years off, but yeah, I I I can’t imagine. It’s I my dad, you and him should talk cuz he had all of us girls. And um I I don’t know if I can say that. One time we came home from the grocery store and like the first three bags that he looked in from the grocery store was just like tampons and toilet paper. And

Morgan Aquino: literally to this day, every time he gets irritated with one of us, he just shakes his head and he’s like, “Tampons and toilet paper and he just kind of walks off. I mean, he’s just he’s accepted defeat. It’s fine.” Yeah. Yeah. It’s a house full of girls on my end, so and they’re all pretty close in age, so we’ll be riding through it together. Yeah. Um so uh let’s shift gears a little bit and talk about this journey that you’ve been through. Um so kidney cancer. Yeah. Tell us how that came about. How did you find out that you had the cancer? What was the treatment process like? So

Morgan Aquino: um you know I’m I’m very blessed. Um ultimately um first and foremost, you know, I give all credit to Jesus for me in my life. Um I had how I found it was kind of by act like I had had a I’d had to have a hysterctomy a few years before. Um, but they had left my ovaries and cuz at that time I was gosh I don’t even know if I was 40 yet whenever I had the hysterctomy. Um, so they um left my ovaries and apparently in my ovaries I developed very large cyst. Okay. And one of them ruptured and I I have a very high pain tolerance. Yeah. But

Morgan Aquino: I could barely walk. And so my husband, he and and I’m the type also, I’m like, I’ll be fine. I don’t need to go to the hospital, you know, like I I’ve I’ve got things to do. Yeah. And so he insisted, he took me to the ER and they did a a CT and they were like, “Okay, so this is what happened. You know, you have massive cyst, one ruptured, and oh, by the way, we found a mass in your kidney.” Oh my gosh. and so we need to go ahead and send you downtown and um we need some more ultrasounds and we need you know more tests and this and that

Morgan Aquino: and um so that was like I said right before Thanksgiving of 24 and um I they did the surgery in January and I was able because it was caught so ly um they were just able to remove it and it had not spread. Their biggest concern was my pancreas or my liver. Yeah. But um it was they got it with zero margins and uh and I was cancer-free. Yeah. For about 10 months. So, so at that point, so it sounds like it was almost fortuitous or a little bit lucky to a certain extent that you even found that cancer. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Like if if you didn’t have that

David Raubach: cyst, correct? Yeah. First you may it may have been months. It would have been it it would have been years. Yeah. Before uh they would have started the way the where it was in my kidney. um it would have it probably would have been a few years before I would have started having like noticeable issues but by then it would have hit my pancreas and liver and everything. So, um, yeah, like I said, very, very blessed. And, um, yeah. Do you remember that moment when they said that you have a mass on your kidney? Like, have you played that moment back in your head? Numerous times. Um,

Morgan Aquino: it it was kind of like like it got quiet. Yeah. you know, uh I I remember after they said mass and everything, it just kind of went quiet and I I couldn’t really hear them. My husband immediately started crying. And um and I think I actually one of the first things I said to him, I was like, “Okay, you’re going to have to stop crying or you’re gonna have to leave.” I mean, like, yeah, trying to process all this, you know? And um but yeah, it it was just it was Yeah, it like I said, it was just very quiet for me. Yeah. Um I I never really was

Morgan Aquino: afraid may I mean I I don’t know if that’s the right but like I just I I knew I had peace, you know. I I knew everything I just knew everything was going to be okay. Yeah. What did the doctor How did the doctor describe the situation at that point or next steps or did did you even get into that process or No. Um um cuz we were at a a smaller like hub of a hospital. Okay. And and then they sent us to the main one downtown and um you know and they confirmed that I mean because they were checking two things. They were checking to make sure that

Morgan Aquino: my ovaries were okay and with the cyst and everything like that because they were trying to decipher if they had to take me into surgery right away. and um and then also just uh to you know take more pictures, CTS and everything and send those off to um a kidney surgeon and said they’ll be in touch and I’m like all right thanks. Yeah. I mean what do you do in that interim period? Uh it it was as crazy as it is. Um I felt like it I could feel it, you know, like all of a sudden like it was just like a power, you know, of your mind and everything. It’s like you

Morgan Aquino: just become hyper aware of it. And it’s it really is um a weird thought to like you you have something in your body that you know you didn’t know is there but now you you really know it’s there and and and you just you have to just set Yeah. and you want it out but you can’t get it out and you’re like what’s happening with it? Mhm. As I’m sitting here. Yeah. Did So, did they take the full kidney out or? No. Uh, I they took three quarters of it out and then I guess folded the remaining quarter and stitched it together and said you’re good.

David Raubach: So, you have one and a quarter kidneys. Yes. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. Have you had any uh side effects or what’s what’s the followup after that particular treatment? Well, you know, honestly, the biggest issue I had from that was um they did a uh they did it laparoscopically. Okay. And so with that, they used Dermabond which I’d had numerous times from other surgeries and everything. Um but just you know more fun in my life. Apparently I des uh developed a severe severe allergic reaction. Oh no. To it. And so every single incision um blisters and I just it was they had to take me back to the ER.

Morgan Aquino: Oh my gosh. And it was I was like I don’t care what you got to do. I’m like, “Cut it off. Burn.” I mean, like, it it was terri. So, I mean, yeah, they had to he had to get like a scalpel and uh scrape all the dermabond off and it was And you know, the thing is with that also because a lot of times whenever you’re having severe allergic reactions, they give you steroids. Yes. Well, steroids are very hard on kidneys, so I was not allowed to have steroids. Oh. So, it was Yeah. That that honestly was probably I remember that stands out in your mind.

Morgan Aquino: Yeah. Just my girlfriends they were getting pictures every day and I was just like I was like I’m sorry but it’s terrible luck. Um yeah. Yeah. I’ve I’ve had cancer and to make it worse I’ve had a dermabond reaction. Yeah. Yeah. Yes. Oh man. So now I can’t even use band-aids um anything. I mean like it I it’s it’s so now whenever I have surgeries it’s a whole okay how are we gonna close her up. Oh yeah. And not send her body into even more Yeah. like septic shock or something. Yeah. So uh are you so you’ve you’ve had this cancer, you know, fast forward

David Raubach: a few months. Are you how are you kind of processing the fact that you’ve had cancer at that point? Are you thinking, “Well, I’ve I’ve I’ve had my cancer. I know lots of people get cancer, so I’m done.” Yeah. Or are you thinking like, “Oh, man. I’ve had cancer. Is it going to come back? Is it going to be some place like like where’s your head at maybe three, four, five months later?” Um well once we got past the dermabon thing um you know I it was kind of the the first thing you said you know it was more of like okay you know it it’s done. Yeah. And I I

Morgan Aquino: you know, not a box you want to check, but check. And um and I’m good, you know. I mean, so I I I just felt very, you know, just um fortunate. Um, and I just, you know, I mean, whenever I did think about it, it was more of just, you know, um, grace and fortunate and I, you know, I just, yeah, just thought, okay, moving forward, put that behind us. And your husband’s kind of gotten through the process. Is he Oh, he is a he’s a mess. Um I I love him. He uh you know he he he’s been amazing. I mean you know whenever they

Morgan Aquino: say you know marriage it’s hard. It it’s hard and it’s not pretty and um you know and but whenever you know through all the surgeries and different things you know he’s the one helping me get dressed. He’s the one who’s insisting that I go to the hospital. I mean, if it hadn’t been for him. Yeah. I mean, honestly and truly with that cyst rupturing cuz it would have subsided by the next day and I would have been like, “See, I told you I’m fine.” Yeah. But thankfully, um he knows when to push back against me just enough. Yeah. and um and he insisted and so I

Morgan Aquino: mean like you know honestly he’s he’s been my emotional soft rock through all of this if that makes sense. Yeah. Yeah. Uh we we hear that so much here at the Proton Center of these stories where one of the spouses like whoever’s been diagnosed with cancer either they weren’t they didn’t want to do screening or maybe something popped up on screening and they weren’t necessarily going to do the follow-up right away or for whatever reason or maybe they were diagnosed but they didn’t want to they weren’t really focused on doing treatment. Um, and then then the spouse steps in or some other caretaker and is really the one

David Raubach: that’s kind of walking them along that journey and pushing them along. And so I think it’s a it’s a beautiful story and a beautiful picture and just um I mean I guess that’s that’s partly why they say, you know, with marriage, for better, for worse. It’s like that’s they’re prepping you at the beginning. This is what you’re signing up for and here’s what worse can look like. Yeah. Um but it also is nice to have somebody to walk through that journey with you. Mhm. Yeah. Oh, 100%. I’m I’m um very grateful to him. I mean, I was talking with girls earlier. Um I mean, he drives me insane, which I mean, it’s

Morgan Aquino: not like I would ever do that to him, but um you know, I I would I mean, he’s he’s my best friend. Yeah. And drives you insane, but you are willing to go to the beach with him. Yeah. Well, I mean I Yeah, I guess. Yeah, that’s fine. Maybe. Maybe. Uh, so you think you’re done. I’ve had cancer. You know, 40% of people in the United States get diagnosed with cancer. So, you’re like, “Okay, I’m in the 40%. Let’s move on with life.” Uh, but not so fast. Yeah. So, talk to us about how you found out that you had breast cancer. Um, so, so

Morgan Aquino: we’d actually, uh, like I said, we have a a tight-knit friend group, you know, a great support system, but we just did a girls trip. Okay. And just up to Tulsa, you know, for a couple days. And I, um, a lot of information for me here. Um, I don’t normally wear like regular bras. I just normally wear like sports bras cuz they’re more comfortable. Yeah. And um but so I went on a girls trip and I actually wore a real bra that had an underwire and everything. It was so crazy. And um so I So I got home and it was a brave choice. It it was

Morgan Aquino: I mean I you know I I I carried that crosswell. Yeah. Um, but whenever I got home, my husband and I, we were sitting outside on the back porch watching TV and I had taken my bra off as, you know, it was night time. I put my jammies on and was sitting out there watching TV and just I thought from that stupid underwire that there like it had poked me or something. And so I just kind of like inadvertently just reached up and felt and then I kept feeling and I kept feeling and I was just like, “Okay, that’s new.” Yeah. And so I waited. Our uh our daughter was actually

Morgan Aquino: out there with us also. So I waited until she went in and uh I said to my husband, Scott, I said, “I think I found a lump.” Oh my gosh. On the side of my breast. And he goes, “What?” And I was like, “I yeah, you know, come here and feel this.” And so he did. And he was like, “You you need to go to the doctor and get that checked out.” And I’m like, “It’ll be fine. I will.” I mean, like, you know, and then the very next morning, he was like, “Have you called? Have you made any calls yet? Have you?” you know, and just started like pushing me and

Morgan Aquino: pushing me and um and I reached out to one of my girlfriends, Devon, and um who’s in studio with us. Yes. Watching, observing. Yeah. Yes. And she critiquing. She literally held my hand through all of it. I mean, she she pushed open doors and she um just, you know, next to next to Scott in the beginning, it was I mean, it was Devon who took care of everything. And uh oh my god, I’m starting to act like Scott now. Um and um but yeah, no just I mean again I just feel very I was very blessed again by um just right circumstances, you know, I believe that

Morgan Aquino: God brings the right people into your life and um in that time it it was Devon. Yeah. Well, Devon’s grabbed a tissue so she can bring that over to you here. Yeah. So, um, man, that’s that’s I it’s so interesting. So, you’ve had the you’ve had a burst cyst, found kidney cancer, underwire bra. Yeah. I’m telling you, leads to finding breast cancer. It’s these very But a lot of stories are like that. It’s just very like circumstantial, random, not something expected. So, had you been doing mammograms at that point? No. Um, I I had not. And it was always it was always on on my list of

Morgan Aquino: things to do, right? Um once I turned 40 and everything, but you know then the kidney cancer kicked in and then it was you know and from that I had had all these you know tests and everything and I was actually supposed to be going in um in like another see that was the end of November. So, I was supposed to be going at the very end of December, beginning of January for my one-year followup from being cancer free from my kidney. Yeah. Um and I was, you know, they were going to do another uh full body CT and everything. So, I thought I’ll get checked then. Yeah.

David Raubach: I mean, it’s, you know, Yeah. It’s all good. Yeah. Um Yeah. So, the uh So, you think you you found a lump um and you need to go get it checked out. And and by the way, I should say it’s very common uh when women turn 40 to put off a mammogram. And I’d say the same thing for men when they turn 45 and should get a colonoscopy or turn 45 or 50 and should get a PSA check. It’s just one of those things where it’s like you hit that that tipping point where the recommendation is now, okay, you should be getting screening and it’s easy to just

David Raubach: put that off. You’re healthy. Hey, what’s another six months? What’s another year? Um, but it is I mean there’s a reason that the the guidelines exist and I know you would say that now probably. It’s like hey if you when you hit that point where it’s recommended to get screening don’t put it off too long. Yeah. Um so you uh so you you find this lump. What’s next? What what’s happening from there? Um it all really goes really pretty quickly. Um, again, you know, in in great part to Devon. Um, like I said, she I mean, she she kicked doors open and got me in and um oh gosh,

Morgan Aquino: I think within a week um she got me in and we did um they did mammogram, ultrasound, and biopsy. Okay. All at the same time. Yeah. same day, everything. And then within 36 hours or so, they got the um they had the results back. Okay. And so, I mean, yeah, it was it was all like very very quick. I mean, from the time I found the lump, right before Thanksgiving to my first surgery with this, that was December 28th. Oh, wow. And so yeah, I mean it it was it was super fast. Yeah. And I remember after they did the um biopsies and everything, we we

Morgan Aquino: actually have um a cabin down in Broken Bow, Hotown area and I we went down there and cuz I you know had to decorate for Christmas down there. I mean, right, life goes on. Yeah. You know, I mean it just you just continue on. And um so we’re down there and I remember I walked into the kitchen and my Scott he was crying and he just came over and he hugged me and I I I remember I like stepped back and I looked at him and I said look I’m just going to go ahead and tell you I said it’s cancer. I know it is. Yeah. and he was like, “Don’t

Morgan Aquino: say that you.” And I’m like, “I’m I’m telling you it is, but I’m telling you, it’s it is kind of the same thing.” Um, how you asked me earlier with the kidney, you know, like what was that moment like? You know, like, you know, how and and I said it just kind of got quiet, you know, that was this moment for me, like it just kind of got quiet and I mean, and I just but I I had peace about it. And I told him, I said, “It’s going to be cancer, but it’s going to be okay.” Yeah. And um uh I think he went outside to go look at a

Morgan Aquino: tree or something. I don’t know. He was like um so it was probably like an hour or two later that we got the phone call. Oh, okay. And confirmed it was cancer. What uh so on on that phone call, what what did they say or do you remember what the specific diagnosis was and what the next steps were at that point? Um I I I know that she told me what it was and still to this day I I can’t remember like I think it was lobular or something. Yes, Lo lobular carcinoma. um it it was a blur. And so again, I called Devon and she sends me like the paperwork

Morgan Aquino: and for me to be able to read and um process, but I um I I do remember one thing with the phone conversation. She um she asked me, “Do you have an oncologist or someone you know that you prefer?” Mhm. And I was and I like and and I said, “Now I’m I’ve never been through this before.” And you breast cancer. And uh and and that was a moment that like my voice kind of um I got choked up for a minute, but you know, then I I looked over and I saw my kids and um just went right back into, okay, next. Yeah. Mom, Christmas. Yeah. Yeah. Cabin,

David Raubach: all the things. What did What did you tell your kids or how did you approach that conversation? Um I’m very I mean obviously you know the a difference in 18 and eight year old you know I mean different conversations but um you know with Jaci my oldest um just told her you know remember the other night whenever we were sitting out on the couch and after you went to bed and I told her I said you know I think I found this and just kind of walked her through it and and she was like you don’t seem worried. And I go, I’m not. I’m not. I said, it’s going to just

Morgan Aquino: be I said it’s going to be just like my uh kidney. Mhm. And I said, it’s going to be okay. And I think my um piece about it gave her peace, right? you know, and with the little one, it was more of just like um you know, whenever, you know, mommy had to have surgery last year on my belly and stuff, you know, um mommy’s going to have to have surgery again, but this time it’s going to be on my chest. Yeah. And but, you know, it’s okay. And and her it’s it’s funny for her. the the thing that um resonated with her was that I moved slow for a few

Morgan Aquino: days after Oh, that surgery. I moved slowly. And and I guess I mean it’s fair. She’s like not used to me being slow moving go. Yeah. Yeah. So, it’s just funny that you know a a child’s perspective. Yeah. And what they think about Yeah. Yeah. What? Uh, and so you you had to you did a surgery. Mhm. Did you do a lumpctomy, massctomy? Uh, they did a um they did a lumpctomy and they also removed 12 of my lymph nodes. Oh, okay. And because whenever they were doing uh the ultrasound, they also found a um what they thought was a tumor in

Morgan Aquino: one of my lymph nodes. Okay. So, they biopsied that as well. Okay. Yeah, that’s a big surgery. Yeah. What um and what was the recovery like after that surgery? I mean, how are you just getting through that physical trauma? Um you you know the the lumpctomy really wasn’t that part wasn’t you know quote unquote bad. the and honestly still to this day the the thing that I probably struggle with the most most sorry physically is um my arm from the lymph node removal it I mean like right now it just it feels heavy. Yeah. Um it I have to wear compression sleeves a lot like tomorrow

Morgan Aquino: flying I had to uh get a special compression sleeve to wear while I fly tomorrow. And um uh we were sitting out by the pool yesterday and I had to go get the compression sleeve and put it on because I could feel my arms swelling. And um so it’s just it’s it’s something I’m constantly feeling. Yeah. And that is probably been physically my biggest struggle through all the surgeries. Yeah. What? So the two different cancers I guess like emotionally did they hit different? Like I mean when you think back like Yeah. Do they feel like two totally different experiences or were they were there similarities? Yeah. So it’s

Morgan Aquino: two totally different. two totally different exper I mean, you know, the the first one it was just kind of like, huh? You know, and the second one it it was like really Yeah. You know, I like I mean really God, you know, and um and I mean obviously it wasn’t God. Um but um yeah, it it was I don’t know. I was almost kind of like more pissed off also at the second one some you know. And um my friends can attest I get a little stubborn sometimes. And uh so I I think that I was just like okay. And at that point, um, you know, I found my new slogan,

Morgan Aquino: cancer is a hoe. And I also, you know, um, God built me to last. Yeah. And I Okay. I’ve I’ve got big shoulders. I can a lot of perseverance. Yeah. Yeah. I just Yeah. Perseverance, stubborn, whatever. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I just was determined, you know, like this is not going to be my story. Yeah. You know, and um Yeah. I just And so you did so you did the the lumpctomy and then I think you told me before we started that you have a surgery coming up. Well, so yes. Um I did the lumpctomy and the and the um lymph node

Morgan Aquino: removal. Um, and then let’s see. Um, then I had a double masectomy and a reconstruction at the same time. Oh, okay. So, there is We’re going to have to go back in and do another um replacement with these implants and because one of my muscles is doing something weird. It’s the one with all the trauma to it. And so he has to go and like do something with my muscle and then I have to heal from that. And then they will do a fat transfer. Okay. What is What’s a fat transfer? Um they’re going to make me skinny and pretty. Look good for the beach. Yes. Exactly.

Morgan Aquino: And they lipo the fat from my belly or you know wherever. And um because whenever you do the double masectomy, they remove all breast tissue, right? So it is literally just um skin resting on top of my pectoral muscle. Yeah. And um and so what they do now is they can do a fat transfer to give some more of that like natural softness and um you know a buffer if you will between the skin and the muscle. Yeah. So yeah, make it pretty. Yeah. Well, you know, as pretty as it can be with, you know, giant scars. But yeah, whatever. Well, I mean, so talk about that

David Raubach: as much as you feel comfortable because I guess, you know, with the kidney cancer, it was a little bit more internal. I mean, certainly there’s an incision, but you said it was laparoscopic, so maybe it’s a smaller scar, but something like breast cancer is just I mean, you’re getting hacked hacked to pieces. And so, it’s the the uh physical scarring and the physical trauma, I just can imagine, is significantly worse. It is. It it um you know and for me it’s it’s not just the um the masectomy scars you know were going across you know where my breast were. It’s the scars also from um like running down from my armpit

Morgan Aquino: and everything from where they did the lumpctomy originally and the um lymph node removal. Um so there’s well and then all the drains. Yeah. Um, God, I hated those damn drains. Yeah. Um, they um, so there’s there’s scars from that actually. And um, you know, and it it to me it it is hard like I remember the first time I I took off my bandages. I was in the bathroom by myself and obviously um and and like as I was taking them off, I remember like I just had my eyes closed and I was just kind of saying over and over and over in my head, you’re

Morgan Aquino: still you. You’re still you. You’re still you. And then I’d open my eyes and you know and and and you know what? I I was I was still me. Um different. Yeah. But still me. Yeah. and which I don’t know if that’s a good thing or not but um you know and um and it’s just take you know a little bit by a little bit honestly it was more emotional um I’d say the emotional part was more than any of the physical parts. talk about Scott’s support through this journey like the just you going through this process of looking in the mirror and saying it’s still me and how he has

David Raubach: been maybe a soft rock through that process. Yeah. Um yeah. Well, okay. At first I would not let him in the room. Yeah, I did not. And Morgan, I I want to talk about this because part of the reason that we do this podcast is that there are people like you that are just starting this journey. They’ve just been diagnosed or they’re going to be diagnosed and they’re going to listen to this and these are all things that they’re thinking about. These are things that they’re worried about. What is how is my husband going to react the first time that he sees me? How am I going to react the

David Raubach: first time that I see myself in the mirror? Yeah. And that’s why I really appreciate you just coming on and being transparent and being willing to talk about these experiences because I know that that’s going to help somebody else coming after you. Yeah. Um like I I I was not ready for him to see me yet, even though he he was there, you know? I mean like he would however I needed him or whatever, but whenever I told him that I just needed to process and kind of I I needed some time to get adjusted to my new self um before I was ready to share it even with him, right? you

Morgan Aquino: know, and I remember actually um one of my family members, mom kind of reprimanded me on that and and I was just like, you know, I mean, for me, I’m like, “Mom, you just you just have to, you know, it it’s me. It’s my body. You know, this is how I’m I’m going through it. And I’m not saying it’s the right way. I’m not saying it’s the wrong way, but for me, I’m like, I’m not shutting my husband out forever, right? I just need to I just need to see myself first. Yeah. And and you know, and it was it was a week or two before um I let him

Morgan Aquino: and and I was just and I remember we were in the closet one day and he or I was in the closet and he was in our bathroom. They’re connected. And I I said, “Scott,” and he goes, “Yeah.” And he walked in there. I said, “Okay, do you want to see?” And he is like, “Are you sure?” Yeah. And I said, “I think so.” And um you know, and I did. And I like I pulled my shirt down. Yeah. And um he just walked up and he hugged me and told me he loved me. And you know, we we he more so cried. I cried a little, but it’s fine.

David Raubach: Well, you’re gonna make me tear up because that’s a be that’s a that’s a beautiful story. Uh it’s a beautiful story of him supporting you, but also you having to kind of navigate and be vulnerable and and that’s really really hard too. It is. Um man, that’s Yeah, that’s amazing. And and we see everybody’s different, right? So like their experience is different, how they process it, it’s it’s different, how the spouse or the husband processes that journey is different. Um so do you do you still I mean you said that you it’s still you. It’s still Morgan. Yeah. Are there are there parts of you that

Morgan Aquino: maybe inside feel different? Like do you feel like maybe after having gone through two different cancers that you’re like okay well there was me before cancer and now there’s me after cancer and me after cancer is maybe a somewhat of a different person or do you say no it’s it’s still me going through um probably a little bit of both. Yeah. You know, um I um again, you know, I’m I’m uh very um controlled. Uhhuh. You know, uh a little high, strong, little tense. Um you know, I I like I like structure. I like um control. And I I always tell my friends, you know, you can always tell how stressed

Morgan Aquino: out I am because of how clean my house is, you know, like if Yeah. Like if you see me vacuuming my ceiling fan, it’s, you know, it’s been a it’s been a bad day. Spraying Lysol in the Yeah, right. Spraying Lysol in the vents. Exactly. Um Yeah. you know, and um so I I still am that person, but I also uh try to remind myself, you know, life is short. Yeah. There is no guarantee. Um you know, you know, for me, I’m I’m relatively healthy. You know, I work out. Um try to stay fit. you know, drink water and um all the things. But um I So I

Morgan Aquino: just I try to not sweat the small things. I’m a work in progress. We all are, we all are. That is that’s a Yeah, we could all We could all use that perspective. Yeah. What’s your message to somebody that might be just starting on this journey? Oh man. Um, I love you. Yeah. Uh, you’re gonna be okay. Yeah. And, uh, you know, um, find a support system, any, you know, whoever it is, whether it’s your whether it’s your spouse, whether it is your best friends, whether it is a pastor to church, whether it is a very nice man on a podcast, you know. Um,

Morgan Aquino: well, I hope you find him someday. Yeah. Right. Um, just take it day by day and and it’s okay to feel how you’re feeling. Yeah. And um it’s okay to cry. It’s okay to cry. I I feel like uh having talked with you today, like that maybe was something that you had to get comfortable with. Like like cuz Yeah. You’ve talked about like you like to be in control and like just letting that emotion out like that sobb cry like that’s that’s kind of like letting go letting go. I was afraid if um you know if I started to let go then I would just

Morgan Aquino: let go right. Yeah. What else is just going to completely fall apart? Yeah. And just become a mess. and and I I didn’t feel I could do that because of my controlling nature and because I am a mama and because we do run businesses and you know there’s just there’s so much life and I just it you know I I never want to let anybody down. Yeah. And um so I had to try to find that balance of not letting myself down, but also, you know, not letting my family down. Yeah. And um you know, there I mean there’s days that are hard harder than others. Yeah. You know, there’s

Morgan Aquino: moments that are harder than others. And um I would just say, you know, hold on through those moments. And um for me every you know like all everything for me comes back to my faith. Yeah. And um I would be nowhere without that. Yeah. And I I I cling to that with everything I have. Yeah. And so I would I would encourage anybody listening to to do the same. Yeah. Put seek that faith element if it’s not there. Yeah. Yeah. What uh so last question, what did it what did it mean to have Devon going through the process with you? What what did she mean

Morgan Aquino: to you since she’s here in the studio with you? Um, you know, she was just she’s every representation of what women should be for other women, you know, just um there for anything. and um she’s just, you know, if there were more women in the world like her, it would be really good. And I I just am, like I said, eternally grateful for her and her friendship and um you know, all of all of our friends, you know, I mean, they rallied around me and with um you know, love and support and text messages and Taco Bell and champagne and um just, you know, helping with the kiddos and um just everything and they

Morgan Aquino: um there my gosh there so much food and just so much love and I mean and just you know they just show up. I mean all of us we just we don’t even knock at each other’s houses anymore you know we just we just walk in and it’s because it’s family and it’s love and it’s um it’s appreciated. Yeah. Well, we have to stop now because now we’re all crying, right? I’m sorry. I don’t know. We we can’t we can’t go any longer. Well, Morgan, I really appreciate your time. Thank you again for being so transparent and talking about your journey. Thank you for having me on. Yeah,

David Raubach: I think we can all agree cancer is a hoe. Yes, cancer. We can all agree to that and uh I hope you have a great time at the beach next week. Yeah. So, thank you. Thanks. The Cancer Project podcast is made possible by the Oklahoma Proton Center, a state-of-the-art cancer center where precision and treatment meets real compassion in care. We’re grateful for their support and for you for spending this time with us. If you’d like to learn more about the Oklahoma Proton Center, you can visit their website at the link below. And if something you heard today resonated, we’d love for you to stick with us. You can subscribe to

David Raubach: the podcast and follow along on our socials linked below for more conversations like this. Honest stories, thoughtful perspectives, and the kind of support people don’t always know where to find, but do truly need. At the end of the day, this podcast isn’t just about cancer. It’s about what it means to be human inside of it and how we keep living, connecting, and moving forward together. We hope you leave each episode feeling a little bit more informed, a little bit more supported, and a lot less alone.