I hate the term "cancer survivor!"

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Comments

  • BlownAway60
    BlownAway60 Member Posts: 851
    #42
    aysemari said:

    while I respect your opinion
    I would like to add that it is not an "easy ride" for everyone. And I feel that
    many sisters on here deserve the title survivor.

    Ayse

    I refer to myself as a
    I refer to myself as a survivor, drop the cancer part. I would also like to be referred to as "Kindred Spirit". In honor of the first person I heard use the term, dear Chenheart.

    Hugs to all

    Donna
  • LoveBabyJesus
    LoveBabyJesus Member Posts: 1,679 Member
    #43
    I have a little problem with
    I have a little problem with this word too. I guess it sounds to me like I'm just hanging on, battling, fighting for my life...I don't know. Some ladies don't mind it, which is fine too. I personally don't use the term. I think it bothers me that although we are ALL survivors, regardless of who have had or has cancer or not, it only gets attention when cancer attacks. And I choose not to give cancer that much attention. I'm a survivor everyday. I survive work, NYC traffic, the foods I sometimes eat outside my home (which is full of chemicals), an argument with a love one, etc..We are survivors of LIFE. and cancer just happens to be a small rock that got in the way, and we too survived it.
  • carkris
    carkris Member Posts: 4,553 Member
    #44
    LoveBabyJesus said:

    I have a little problem with
    I have a little problem with this word too. I guess it sounds to me like I'm just hanging on, battling, fighting for my life...I don't know. Some ladies don't mind it, which is fine too. I personally don't use the term. I think it bothers me that although we are ALL survivors, regardless of who have had or has cancer or not, it only gets attention when cancer attacks. And I choose not to give cancer that much attention. I'm a survivor everyday. I survive work, NYC traffic, the foods I sometimes eat outside my home (which is full of chemicals), an argument with a love one, etc..We are survivors of LIFE. and cancer just happens to be a small rock that got in the way, and we too survived it.

    Warrior princess
    I like that. I wonder how my doc would react if I said "I am a Warrior princess".
    I also agree with the thriver part, this is my 3rd diagnosis, I am just too stubborn I think. I try to thrive everyday. I am not pollyanna but I try to be happy every day. Cancer is not going to win on that front. Nope!
  • New Flower
    New Flower Member Posts: 4,294
    #45
    carkris said:

    Warrior princess
    I like that. I wonder how my doc would react if I said "I am a Warrior princess".
    I also agree with the thriver part, this is my 3rd diagnosis, I am just too stubborn I think. I try to thrive everyday. I am not pollyanna but I try to be happy every day. Cancer is not going to win on that front. Nope!

    Hate is a very strong word to me
    I hate to loose friends to cancer. Our pink angels, they wanted to continue being survivors so much!!!
  • disneyfan2008
    disneyfan2008 Member Posts: 6,583 Member
    #46
    well we have many choices
    well we have many choices that fit us and make us feel best...we each have our reasons-we all handle life in general as it comes our way...

    NICE we can give our opinions and thoughts here...

    what ever makes you feel best is way to go...!
  • Angie2U
    Angie2U Member Posts: 2,991
    #47
    Ballerina said:

    I like them all
    I like them all. I don't care as long as I'm still here.


    Ballerina

    I'm like Ballerina, whatever
    I'm like Ballerina, whatever word you or I choose is great as long as the cancer is gone and I am living.


    Hugs, Angie
  • MsGebby
    MsGebby Member Posts: 659
    #48
    OK
    PINK WARRIOR?
    IRON LADY?
    C-SLAYER?
    RTCP? this is my personal favorite...my husband gave me this nickname. It stands for "rough tough cream puff"

    Just rambling

    xoxo
    Mary
  • inkblot
    inkblot Member Posts: 698 Member
    #49
    disneyfan2008 said:

    CARKRIS: I agree we each
    CARKRIS: I agree we each have our own ideas, thoughts and perspectives on this whole subject....IF IT WORKS for you good if not use what ever word that feels comfortable

    Denise

    Are We Survivors?
    Best suggestion on the Board! While we are "survivors", not everyone may wish to refer to themselves as such. Whatever works is the thing to do.

    Love, light & laughter,
    Ink
  • DianeBC
    DianeBC Member Posts: 3,881 Member
    #50
    Blondiemomma said:

    Chemo survivor
    I don't know that I will be a cancer survivor but I already know that I am a chemo survivor! I was told my "cocktail" was milder than others. If so, my hat (and hair!) is off to all you women that have the tough stuff because mine was all I could bear.

    I like the word survivor.
    I like the word survivor. Take a look at what I've, we've, been through with bc.
  • Still Have Faith
    Still Have Faith Member Posts: 1
    #51
    I am a cancer survivor
    I am a cancer survivor but I have never had cancer. My wife did for 17 1/2 years and I think of my self as a cancer survivor. It was almost too much to handle so I wrote a book about my experiance as the husband of a breast cancer victim. Still Have Faith is the name of my book.
  • waffle8
    waffle8 Member Posts: 234
    #52
    Still Have Faith said:

    I am a cancer survivor
    I am a cancer survivor but I have never had cancer. My wife did for 17 1/2 years and I think of my self as a cancer survivor. It was almost too much to handle so I wrote a book about my experiance as the husband of a breast cancer victim. Still Have Faith is the name of my book.

    a rose by any other name still smells sweet?!
    Just checking in with my pink sisters! Call me anything you'd like just as long as I am still here to hear it all! But I do like to say no I wasn't sick I had breast cancer!
  • DianeBC
    DianeBC Member Posts: 3,881 Member
    #53
    waffle8 said:

    a rose by any other name still smells sweet?!
    Just checking in with my pink sisters! Call me anything you'd like just as long as I am still here to hear it all! But I do like to say no I wasn't sick I had breast cancer!

    I so agree with you Waffle!

    I so agree with you Waffle!
  • terrineedssomejoy
    terrineedssomejoy Member Posts: 15
    #54
    the term survivor
    I'm new here too. I have stage four breasted cancer with metastasis to my spine and pelvis. I don't know what to consider myself. Knowing it is considered terminal I find it hard to consider myself a survivor. I was first diagnosed and thought I did everything right. I chose to have a bilateral mastectomy followed by chemist and then a year of herceptin infusions. I was only cancer free for a year and a half before I was diagnosed again and was stage four. Totally blindsided. Very sad.
  • terrineedssomejoy
    terrineedssomejoy Member Posts: 15
    #55
    the term survivor
    I'm new here too. I have stage four breasted cancer with metastasis to my spine and pelvis. I don't know what to consider myself. Knowing it is considered terminal I find it hard to consider myself a survivor. I was first diagnosed and thought I did everything right. I chose to have a bilateral mastectomy followed by chemist and then a year of herceptin infusions. I was only cancer free for a year and a half before I was diagnosed again and was stage four. Totally blindsided. Very sad.
  • MAJW
    MAJW Member Posts: 2,510 Member
    #56
    terrineedssomejoy said:

    the term survivor
    I'm new here too. I have stage four breasted cancer with metastasis to my spine and pelvis. I don't know what to consider myself. Knowing it is considered terminal I find it hard to consider myself a survivor. I was first diagnosed and thought I did everything right. I chose to have a bilateral mastectomy followed by chemist and then a year of herceptin infusions. I was only cancer free for a year and a half before I was diagnosed again and was stage four. Totally blindsided. Very sad.

    I, too...
    Am stage IV undergoing chemo again and every day that I'm alive means I am a survivor! I survived another day!!!!! So for me I love the term survivor! But in the big scheme of things does it really matter what we call ourselves?

    Hugs, Nancy
  • pchinlq
    pchinlq Member Posts: 4
    #57
    I understand
    I understand your feelings because I felt exactly the same, that is until recently. We have a "Cancer Survivor's Park" in our area and each time I would drive by I would wonder...

    I'm just one year post surgery. My lumpectomy was a breeze, the radiation a breeze to a point. It is what has followed since treatments end that makes me now feel like I'm a "survivor".

    My radiation treatment turned out to be the gift that keeps on giving. The cancer is gone, but now I have lymphedema in my breast. My last radiation treatment was Aug. 18,2011 and there hasn't been a day since that I haven't been aware of the presence of my left breast and not in a good way. I've had three infections in my breast. It took weeks of unbelievable discomfort to get care for the first infection. The second, in Novemer, sent me to the ER with a high fever and a 4 day hospital stay and 2 weeks of IV treatment at home. The third sent me to the ER again with little warning and another high fever and a 5 day hospital stay. It seems like every two months there is a blow-up and then it takes weeks to recuperated. Please get me off this merrygo round!

    One thing I have learned from all of this and in as much as some of our cases are so similar they can also be soooo very different and yes some are just trying to "survive" the treatment.

    My hat's off to all of you courageous women & anyone having to deal with cancer,the treatment & more that follows.

    And as for you that started this post, you should use any term that makes YOU feel better!

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