Questions

CierraFiedler

My name is cierra fiedler. I am 21 years old. Right now im am in college and i have to do a paper on people who are survivors of cancer. My grandmother dies of breast cancer last year so i can not ask her for these questions, unfortuantly because she was not a survivor.
I have made a list of 11 questions that i need answered. Please help me if you can.

1. How did you feel sitting in the doctors office waiting?
2. What was your first reaction when you heard what the problem was?
3. What kind of cancer were you diagnosesed with?
4. How did you tell your family?
5. How did you feel after the first couple of months of finding out the news?
6. What was the steps you had to go through to become a survior of cancer?
7. What was the hardest step?
8. When did you find out the cancer was gone?
9. What were some of the worst side effects of the cancer?
10. How did you feel when you found out the cancer was gone?
11. If someone has found out they have cancer what is one piece of advice you would give them?

It would really help me out if i can get some one to help me thank you very much!

kay-b

Hi
1. I felt very scared and nervous. I tried to calm myself down saying there is no way *I* could have cancer. I knew whatever the doctor had to tell me could potentially change my life forever.

2. When I was told I had an abnormal pap, I first thought it may be something minor. I tried not to worry about it too much. But cancer was always at the back of my mind.

3. Stage IIIB Cervical Cancer

4. I don't have family, but I called my best friend on the phone to tell him. He already knew it was a possiblity. I didn't have to say much really, he knew by the tone of my voice it was something terrible.

5. Well...sick, from all the treatment. If you mean emotionally- I tried to stay positive. I had my ups and downs but the treatment was working at that point so I had a lot of hope.

6. I guess you can call me a survivor because i'm still alive. But my cancer has metastasized, and treatment isn't working for me anymore. I still have chemo/ radiation therapy to help alleviate my pain.

I can't answer 8-10 because of the above reasons.

11. I would tell them to stay strong. Always keep fighting and don't ever for one minute give up hope. Make sure you have plenty of support and love to help you through this, even if it's from an online site like this one. Don't ever feel that you're alone.

Hope this helped a little...

Blessings.

Sally08

Boo! lol
1. Ironically enough... I wasn't phased in the least because I honestly didn't think there was any chance I could have cancer... the doctor did tell me it was a 20% chance of me having cancer.

2. My first reaction was "Are you sure you have the right patient?" when they said yes.... my next question was "You've got to be wrong... cause I'm healthy, I'm fine, I don't have cancer"

3. Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma - Tall Cell Variant

4. Only family to tell... is my son... and he's 2 years old.

5. I was diagnosed in Oct. 2008 and by Febuary 2009 I think it finally -began- to sink in... up until then... I was in complete denial... shock... and numb.

6. I believe anyone living with cancer that is taking the necessary steps against it... is a survivor... therefore... what I did; even when I was numb and in shock... was listen to my doctors and begin treatment.

7. For me... as corny as it may sound... going under the knife and undergoing Radioactive Iodine Treatment... because it meant I could not be around my son for a certian period of time... I'm a single mom and my son is my world. Not being around him for periods of time like that on doctor's orders feels like the doctor just yanked the one thing I love about life away from me and in the same sentence told me it was for my own good.

8. I haven't yet... Still workin on it though!!

9. I had no side effects from the cancer... My Physician noticed a lump in my throat... and had an ultrasound, and biopsy done... that's how I found out. I don't even think I know what the side effects of thyroid cancer would be... are there any? lol

10. Can't answer that one yet.

11. Hang in there, you're not alone. and Always know your opinions regarding your treatment over-rank your doctor's. It's your body, not theirs!

ElissaF

1. Simultaneously everything
1. Simultaneously everything - a list of 100 things to do - and nothing but the sound of my own rapid heartbeat
2. Denile and disbelief. I just had a persistant cough - how could it be cancer?
3. Hodgkins Lymphoma
4. Called my parents with a friend holding my hand, from his office
5. Like if I just stayed focused on treatment, ploughing through my to-do list, and pretended like everything was okay, then it would be. This was not the case long term.
6. Admitting that the disease would change my life dramatically, and relinquishing the control I thought I had, then learning to cope with that loss of control, and to let myself appreciate with more grace and love the things that I could. And learning to trust the people in my life would be there to support me through it.
7. When it came back 1 year into remission
8. In April of this year, 3 months after a stemcell transplant
9. For me, every side-effect from the steroids (which you almost always get with chemo) hit me in a rough way. Also, chemo can make your toe-nails fall off. That was particularly unpleasant. And then the things that last - easily sunburning where I had radiation, the weakened heart and lungs, the radiation tattoos...
10. 85% relief and joy, 15% fear and disbelief
11. Trust in your own strength, and the strength of the people who love you. Find a healthy way to express yourself. Do things and interact with people who nurture you. Give over to your lack of control temporarily, and give treatment the time it needs so it can give you the rest of your life.

Unknown

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