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

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

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.

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 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

desertgirl947 said:

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!  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.

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 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!

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

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 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