You Can Get Back to Normal After B/C!

Hello to all my wonderful and courageous sisters. It's been awhile since I've posted even tho I've stayed in contact with some of you and lurked here ever so often and kept tabs on what's happening here. Some of you know my history, Invasive Breast Cancer, (3 tumors)Stage 3, masectomy, 17 lymph nodes removed, chemo every week for 12 weeks and 35 radiation treatments. Then shingles hit which left me even more weakened and was on pain killers for 2 months. I have lymphadema in my right arm, have asthma and insulin dependent diabetes. I also had another round with a heart problem in June and found out that a beta-blocker I was on for a year was causing me problems with my asthma. Once taken off that, my health is starting to rebound and for the first time in a couple of years I'm able to do a lot of activities, including gardening, my passion.

I want to pass along some of the things I've learned during this whole process. Things do get rough when you're going thru treatment and so much seems to go wrong at times. There are days you just crawl thru, some you don't remember and some days you want to forget. Everyone who has been here knows you just "take one step at a time, one day at a time." I learned so much here on this board, what to expect and have been so encouraged by everyone. This is a wonderful site, informative, loving and encouraging and sometimes sad.
One thing that I heard over and over was causing me some concern. "You can't get back to normal. You have to accept your life with a 'new normal". (Words to that effect.)

I'm here to tell you that you can go back to your normal life after cancer. Just because we've lost a part of our body and had to go thru a lot of treatment doesn't mean we can't have our life back again. Sure, we may have to take cancer meds, take tests for awhile and there is always the concern about reoccurrence but cancer does not have to take our normal life away from us. Just as someone who has had a heart attack, lost an arm or leg, (or had other problems come along that takes their focus for a time being), get their lives back, we can too. Don't fall for that line that you will have to get used to the "new normal". Your life will be back to normal and for the most part you can enjoy the same life you did before B/C. Don't spend too much time on what's happened to you in the past or worrying about what may happen to you in the future. Start each day with thankfulness and look for the joy in each day. My prayers and hopes are that everyone of my cancer sisters can soon be healthy and full of life again and enjoy each day to the fullest. Love you all!