Stephanie
Stage 2, Georgia
“Hey! I’m Stephanie Astalos-Jones, an actor, a writer, a comic, a caregiver, and a cancer survivor.”
I was blind-sided in the summer of 2019 when, at a mammogram, I was asked to stay for further tests. I had cancer. I had seen a friend of mine choose aesthetic flat closure and had seen how happy she was with it. I knew I would make the same choice since I could avoid radiation if I said goodbye to the girls.
I told my surgeon I wanted to be flat. Imagine my surprise when, weeks after the surgery, I still had swollen, painful, saggy bags on my chest. Only then did my genius of a surgeon tell me “Women can’t be flat.” He informed me that he’d left extra skin in case I CHANGED MY MIND. OY!!!
So off I went to find a second surgeon who would listen and respect my wishes. I eventually got what I needed and am living flat today.
While I was healing, I thought how wonderful it would be to have a podcast where you could hear the voices of flat sisters. I started FLAT is where it’s at, a podcast for and about flatties. It has been a wondrous journey to meet so many marvelous sisters. Teachers, designers, artists, technicians, chefs, adventurers, doctors, moms, and more have all shared their stories. Black, brown, white, thin, thick, young, and old, it is a healing thing to hear the stories, laughs, and tears of our many diverse sisters. You can find it at flatiswhereitsat.libsyn.com or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also find me on Instagram @flatiswhereitsat And you can find out more about me at stephanieastalos-jones.com