~~ What, If Anything, Have You Learned On Your Breast Cancer Journey? ~~

susie09
susie09 Member Posts: 2,930

This journey with bc is difficult and long. We all started with the initial diagnosis of bc, had surgery's, taken chemo and rads and some are on hormone therapy.

Be it good or bad, what have you learned? About yourself, your friends, your family, your job, or just plain about life now?

Thanks!

Comments

  • burcu123
    burcu123 Member Posts: 66
    Experience Not necessary

    I apprecaited my husband my job my children a lot. i am trying to learn not to be so controlling and more relaxed.

    However I do not see the picture so pink and I still believe I could have figured these oout without going troght the breast cancer experience.

    i lost a lot too, I do not know all I lost yet. My health , my dignity, my trust to myself , ability to make long term plans. Hope i will get all these back.

    I also reserched about breast cancer a lot and learned IT si possible to prevent it to certain degree.

     

    This made me very angry, I am a high risk woman for breast cancer, my mother died from breast cancer at age 40. None of my physicians ever mentioned Chemoproflaxis. I was the perfect patient for it. Tamoxifen could have decreased by chances of getting breast cancer by 70%

     

    AND YES IT IS FDA APPROVED. It has very minimal side effects especially in younger women. If you already had hysterectomy endometrial cancer risk is eliminated. Anyway this risk is less than one in a thousand for women under age 50.

    IF all high risk women are given chemoprofilaxis there will be 30000cases/year less women with breast cancer.

    PLEASE NOTE THIS FOR YOUR SISTERS AND DAUGHTERS

  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
    Life is to be lived!

    I can't say that IBC has taught me anything but rather re-enforced my belief that LIFE IS TO BE LIVED!  Dwell in the positive - not wallow in the  negative.

    I don't know anyone who has not had 'difficulties' in their life - it is up to each of us to be defeated or choose victory on our journey/growth.  Death is not defeat - it hsppens to ALL!  Or turn lemons into lemonade!

    I had DX, had chemo, had surgery, had more chemo, had rads and will be on ER blockers forever.  That is my personal journey - MY LIFE and it is different than others - but mine.  There are so many other things I've lived through in my life that no one else can even begin to understand because they didn't live it - or for me to understand what they have lived.

    Winyan - The Power Within

    Susan

  • desertgirl947
    desertgirl947 Member Posts: 653 Member
    This title could even work

    This title could even work for a book, I think.  I want to jot it down and think about it some more. 

    In short. . . 

    • what have I learned about myself?  It is possible to maintain a good spirit through a trying time.
    • what have I learned about my friends?  Ones who live locally stepped up and were a great help to me in so many ways that my med people often commented about my visible support system; ones who live away from here also had ways of showing me their support.
    • what have I learned about my family?  Whether my own family or my in-laws, my family loves me.  My husband is an amazing man who has been a real help and encouragement to me, whether I was doing well or struggling a bit
    • what have I learned about my job?  I have realized that my colleagues are wonderful people.  People there have been an encouragement to me, the personnel clerk figured out how to get me the most sick days that she could, my colleagues have given me extra sick days
    • what have I learned about life?  Life is precious.

     

     

  • lintx
    lintx Member Posts: 697
    I've learned

    that our own bc can be as different as a fingerprint in comparison to someone elses same type.  So many factors go into the diagnosis of each person.  I've also learned that bc stays on my mind almost all the time.  I wish it didn't.  

     

      

  • DianeBC
    DianeBC Member Posts: 3,881 Member
    Rague said:

    Life is to be lived!

    I can't say that IBC has taught me anything but rather re-enforced my belief that LIFE IS TO BE LIVED!  Dwell in the positive - not wallow in the  negative.

    I don't know anyone who has not had 'difficulties' in their life - it is up to each of us to be defeated or choose victory on our journey/growth.  Death is not defeat - it hsppens to ALL!  Or turn lemons into lemonade!

    I had DX, had chemo, had surgery, had more chemo, had rads and will be on ER blockers forever.  That is my personal journey - MY LIFE and it is different than others - but mine.  There are so many other things I've lived through in my life that no one else can even begin to understand because they didn't live it - or for me to understand what they have lived.

    Winyan - The Power Within

    Susan

    I learned how much my

    I learned how much my husband, family and friends love me!  I always knew I had great friends, but, this just solidified it to me!  I can never thank everyone enough for all of the help, comfort and love they've shown me, and. still do since being diagnosed.

    I always felt life was precious and now I really KNOW it!

    I could go on Susie, and on, as I have learned a LOT!

    Great post again!

     

    Hugs, Diane

  • susie09
    susie09 Member Posts: 2,930
    lintx said:

    I've learned

    that our own bc can be as different as a fingerprint in comparison to someone elses same type.  So many factors go into the diagnosis of each person.  I've also learned that bc stays on my mind almost all the time.  I wish it didn't.  

     

      

    Love reading all of your

    Love reading all of your replies!  It really gives me a whole new perspective!  So, thank you pink sisters!

  • DebbyM
    DebbyM Member Posts: 3,289 Member

    This title could even work

    This title could even work for a book, I think.  I want to jot it down and think about it some more. 

    In short. . . 

    • what have I learned about myself?  It is possible to maintain a good spirit through a trying time.
    • what have I learned about my friends?  Ones who live locally stepped up and were a great help to me in so many ways that my med people often commented about my visible support system; ones who live away from here also had ways of showing me their support.
    • what have I learned about my family?  Whether my own family or my in-laws, my family loves me.  My husband is an amazing man who has been a real help and encouragement to me, whether I was doing well or struggling a bit
    • what have I learned about my job?  I have realized that my colleagues are wonderful people.  People there have been an encouragement to me, the personnel clerk figured out how to get me the most sick days that she could, my colleagues have given me extra sick days
    • what have I learned about life?  Life is precious.

     

     

    I learned how strong I am! 

    I learned how strong I am!  Not that I underestimated myself, but, I kind of amazed myself.  My hubby and friends kept saying how strong I was, but, I never thought that much about it.  I just did what I had to do to survive.

     

  • Angie2U
    Angie2U Member Posts: 2,991
    lintx said:

    I've learned

    that our own bc can be as different as a fingerprint in comparison to someone elses same type.  So many factors go into the diagnosis of each person.  I've also learned that bc stays on my mind almost all the time.  I wish it didn't.  

     

      

    A journey?  I guess it is,

    A journey?  I guess it is, isn't it.  I gained a lot of knowledge and lots of friends that I didn't know I had.  I fell in love with my husband all over again as he was and still is my rock, my best friend, my love. 

    Life is fantastic and I really enjoy every day to the fullest! 

  • Pink Rose
    Pink Rose Member Posts: 493
    burcu123 said:

    Experience Not necessary

    I apprecaited my husband my job my children a lot. i am trying to learn not to be so controlling and more relaxed.

    However I do not see the picture so pink and I still believe I could have figured these oout without going troght the breast cancer experience.

    i lost a lot too, I do not know all I lost yet. My health , my dignity, my trust to myself , ability to make long term plans. Hope i will get all these back.

    I also reserched about breast cancer a lot and learned IT si possible to prevent it to certain degree.

     

    This made me very angry, I am a high risk woman for breast cancer, my mother died from breast cancer at age 40. None of my physicians ever mentioned Chemoproflaxis. I was the perfect patient for it. Tamoxifen could have decreased by chances of getting breast cancer by 70%

     

    AND YES IT IS FDA APPROVED. It has very minimal side effects especially in younger women. If you already had hysterectomy endometrial cancer risk is eliminated. Anyway this risk is less than one in a thousand for women under age 50.

    IF all high risk women are given chemoprofilaxis there will be 30000cases/year less women with breast cancer.

    PLEASE NOTE THIS FOR YOUR SISTERS AND DAUGHTERS

    On this journey, as you call

    On this journey, as you call it, has been amazing, good and bad.  The bad part was that I had bc and went thru a lumpectomy and rads.  The good part is I realized that I can do anything! 

    My hubby, my family and my friends all helped me and I needed it.

    I have learned to get rid of negativity in my life, even if it means someone I thought was a friend.  No one needs that in their life and never if you've had bc.

    Surround yourself with love and support.  I have!

  • hope4thebest
    hope4thebest Member Posts: 108
    Strength comes from within us

    Like many, I am still surprised by my courage to fight this.  For me, there is no question, I will try to live another 40 years. We have the power, life is short. I feel spiritual connections more than before and understand most everything on a new level. Live for the moment.  (and forget about those stressful people). I am my new best friend inthat my needs come first.

  • disneyfan2008
    disneyfan2008 Member Posts: 6,583 Member
    MY job was NOT NICE about any

    MY job was NOT NICE about any of it. WHen  it all started they said "do what you need to do" "take care of yourself"

     

    I had been with school about 8 yrs at that time-3 days into radiation I was told YOU can't leave any more you MUST take sick days. I stated that 8 wks would wipe out my sick time. They said USE YOUR sick time.

    NOT one co worker (WHICH I WOULD HAVE DONE IN heart beat for someone) offered to cover me for an hour so I could go. Thank goodness the cancer center rearranged the schedule to fit me in on my lunch hour. Later in the year on my annual review I was written up for using too many sick days. I still had over month of sick days when all said and done. I wrote rubuttle (which made me feel better but didtn' do anything to my benefit)

    Denise

     

  • Megan M
    Megan M Member Posts: 3,000

    Strength comes from within us

    Like many, I am still surprised by my courage to fight this.  For me, there is no question, I will try to live another 40 years. We have the power, life is short. I feel spiritual connections more than before and understand most everything on a new level. Live for the moment.  (and forget about those stressful people). I am my new best friend inthat my needs come first.

    Love what you wrote

    Love what you wrote hope4thebest!  I agree totally!

  • jnl
    jnl Member Posts: 3,869 Member
    burcu123 said:

    Experience Not necessary

    I apprecaited my husband my job my children a lot. i am trying to learn not to be so controlling and more relaxed.

    However I do not see the picture so pink and I still believe I could have figured these oout without going troght the breast cancer experience.

    i lost a lot too, I do not know all I lost yet. My health , my dignity, my trust to myself , ability to make long term plans. Hope i will get all these back.

    I also reserched about breast cancer a lot and learned IT si possible to prevent it to certain degree.

     

    This made me very angry, I am a high risk woman for breast cancer, my mother died from breast cancer at age 40. None of my physicians ever mentioned Chemoproflaxis. I was the perfect patient for it. Tamoxifen could have decreased by chances of getting breast cancer by 70%

     

    AND YES IT IS FDA APPROVED. It has very minimal side effects especially in younger women. If you already had hysterectomy endometrial cancer risk is eliminated. Anyway this risk is less than one in a thousand for women under age 50.

    IF all high risk women are given chemoprofilaxis there will be 30000cases/year less women with breast cancer.

    PLEASE NOTE THIS FOR YOUR SISTERS AND DAUGHTERS

    I've learned that I am braver

    I've learned that I am braver and stronger than I thought. I found that I needed to stop sweating petty crap and focus on just being alive and enjoying every little thing that I could see, hear and feel!

    Leeza

  • survivorbc09
    survivorbc09 Member Posts: 4,374 Member
    Megan M said:

    Love what you wrote

    Love what you wrote hope4thebest!  I agree totally!

    I learned that I can get thru

    I learned that I can get thru anything! And, I found out how much everyone, my husband, family, co workers and friends loved me and respected me. They really amazed me at their support, help and outpouring of love.

     

    Hugs, Jan