Cold Cap Experience
You can see I'm back with a vengeance... I was offered cold caps at the same place I would be having the chemo, at no extra cost or runaround so I decided to give it a go if I could tolerate it. I'm ...
Forum Discussion
My Mum was one of your "tough old chickys" @Zoffiel - the strongest woman I have ever met. My best friend described her as having the softest heart with a backbone of steel (she also had eyes and ears out for anyone who needed help). 18 years and I still find myself wanting to pick up the phone.
@kmakm I was having the wine a lot, too (which my husband is convinced was integral to the cancer, and probably didn't help) but I can remember thinking many times with the stress that, if anything was going to give me breast cancer, that would be it and I what was I going to do about it. I do wonder how many of us there are that have succumbed after a prolonged period of stress. Internet research seems to show the jury's out about it but one of my GPs said that it's definitely considered a factor. And like you, I found out about the cancer because I was making appointments to get things checked. And I too have decided that I have to find some way to cope after this. I love to walk but when life is normal, I never seem to have the time when I have the energy. I spend more time at work or in a car. Living in the sticks isn't as back to nature as it seems. I had more time when we were living in the burbs for awhile, and that's another stressor.
I've actually been laying in bed thinking that it might be time for me to access some counselling. The problem is, as much as I advocate it for others, I'm not very good at actually talking to psych people - I tend to close down.
I hope you've resolved matters with your Mum and younger sister. Or, at least, dealt with them. And remember, you must be an amazing woman - you've taken in 2 traumatised children, an elderly in-law, had to overhaul your house and life to do so, while grieving. I know you do what you have to, but the fact is you did it. And, I don't know what it's like at yours but somehow, the minefield of emotions is always ours to deal with.
@kmakm I was having the wine a lot, too (which my husband is convinced was integral to the cancer, and probably didn't help) but I can remember thinking many times with the stress that, if anything was going to give me breast cancer, that would be it and I what was I going to do about it. I do wonder how many of us there are that have succumbed after a prolonged period of stress. Internet research seems to show the jury's out about it but one of my GPs said that it's definitely considered a factor. And like you, I found out about the cancer because I was making appointments to get things checked. And I too have decided that I have to find some way to cope after this. I love to walk but when life is normal, I never seem to have the time when I have the energy. I spend more time at work or in a car. Living in the sticks isn't as back to nature as it seems. I had more time when we were living in the burbs for awhile, and that's another stressor.
I've actually been laying in bed thinking that it might be time for me to access some counselling. The problem is, as much as I advocate it for others, I'm not very good at actually talking to psych people - I tend to close down.
I hope you've resolved matters with your Mum and younger sister. Or, at least, dealt with them. And remember, you must be an amazing woman - you've taken in 2 traumatised children, an elderly in-law, had to overhaul your house and life to do so, while grieving. I know you do what you have to, but the fact is you did it. And, I don't know what it's like at yours but somehow, the minefield of emotions is always ours to deal with.