Hello everyone,
Welcome to our final Friday update for 2019. A very warm welcome to all our new members who have joined us in the last few weeks. I can see from the recent online discussions there is lots of activity going on with decisions to be made regarding treatment, coping with the total shock of a new diagnosis, managing family and friends and dealing with the side effects of treatment.
Look after yourself everyone and know that you can use the online community to connect with others who have gone through similar for peer support. Don’t hesitate to jump online if you need to as there is always someone close by. The online community will continue to be moderated and you will see MichelleP_ BCNA, Laura_BCNA and myself Giovanna_BCNA online. We wish you well with your treatment and hope that you are able to enjoy some of the Christmas and New Year festivities with the people you love.
Community highlights
1. Dark days
New thread commenced by @ddon who was diagnosed with early breast cancer this month and is having a full mastectomy, removal of axillary nodes and a portacath insertion. Telling her 4 children aged 7 to 16 was ‘horrendous’, she has a supportive family but currently feeling very alone and scared.
Response from @shs14 ‘@ddon This bit is the very scary time, hang on there and once you get a bit further, know your full pathology and have started treatment it does get easier, you will feel normal again, even during chemo. I am nearly out the other side but I remember the terrible fear at the start. That's great your husband is such a great strength, I am lucky that mine was too. We walked every day after diagnosis and it helped us talk our way through it and the exercise was great to keep my body strong for surgery, chemo and now radiation. port is a great thing to have, I just had mine out but was grateful I did it.
I had twin sons going through HSC this year too and a daughter finishing Uni. And we survived it! Made us closer if anything and it was good for me to have someone else to focus on. There is lots of advice here for the practical stuff once you are on the road but I am sending you my thoughts and wishing you the smoothest path through. Good luck with it.’
@ddon post ‘You are all so wonderful. My heart is full from everyone’s kind and very helpful thoughts and advice. I would love to thank you all personally if I could. It means so much to hear from people who have walked this road before me and got through it. I am trying to live one day at a time / I know that’s all I can emotionally deal with right now. I feel like crouching down with my arms around my head to protect from the blows of more bad news. But I can’t. I have a family who need me and they are a welcome distraction really. Thank you again xxx’
2 Support during Christmas and New Year
Don’t forget to read my post for the contact details of support services available during Christmas and New Year.
3. Christmas
funnies My personal favourite!
This week’s reflective quote
‘Calm mind brings inner strength and self-confidence, so that’s very important for good health.’
Dalai Lama
Wishing you all a very
happy and festive Christmas and wonderful New Year. We hope you get to spend
time with friends and family and those nearest and dearest to you and that you
get time to rest, relax and recuperate.
For all of our community members who are currently undergoing treatment,
take care of you. Try to take one day at
a time and accept any offers of help. We
are thinking of you and know that you will be well supported by our community
members and moderation team over the Christmas and New Year break.
Kind regards the moderation team
Giovanna, Rosie, Riki, Michelle, Laura, Jenny, Carissa, and Pat
