Episode 270: The Appointment Is the Easy Part: The Real Cost of Navigating Healthcare with MBC

How are you? Busy? Overwhelmed? Maybe both?

In this solo episode, Heather gets honest about what the last month has really looked like — navigating a sleep study, insurance approvals, cardiology appointments, and the quiet exhaustion that comes from managing your health on top of managing your life.

This isn't a crisis episode. It's a real one. Because for those of us living with metastatic breast cancer, the invisible load doesn't take days off — and the healthcare system isn't making it any easier.

The appointment is the easy part. It's everything around it — the prep, the phone calls, the insurance approvals, the waiting, the processing — that nobody accounts for. And when you're doing that on repeat, it costs something.

Heather talks about what it actually costs to keep all the loops open, why energy triage matters more than time management, and why giving yourself grace isn't the same as giving up.

If you've ever hung up the phone with your insurance company and just sat there for a minute — this one's for you.

Heather was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer at 26 and has now been living with the disease for more than 25 years. Through this podcast she shares perspective, lived experience, and conversations that help people navigate life with metastatic cancer.

Sensational Survivor SeriesIf you have been living with metastatic breast cancer for 10 years or more and would like to share your story on the podcast, you can apply here:⁠https://forms.gle/6H9K7NXMAeN1QEv87⁠

Listener QuestionsHave a question you'd like answered in a future episode? Submit it through the contact form:⁠https://heatherjose.com⁠

Connect with HeatherInstagram: ⁠https://instagram.com/heatherbjose⁠Website: ⁠https://heatherjose.com⁠

MusicIntro and outro music for the podcast was created by Heather's son, Ty. You can find his music here:Instagram: ⁠https://instagram.com/tyjosee⁠