Confussed and scared
Hello to all. I am new to this . I was diagnosed on Friday the 31st August with breast cancer. My story is as follows, In May I got a bad case of shingles which was on my left side of back went aroun...
Forum Discussion
Hi Gal. I'm sorry you find yourself here in the club that nobody wants to join. This forum is fantastic. It's warm, supportive and an incredible source of information. It is an astounding hive mind, and we even have some laughs!
Your tumour will be classed as small, and if there are no others and no spread to your lymph nodes, will be classed as early breast cancer. This is of course a good thing, so take some deep breaths and try not to cross bridges until you come to them. I know it's easy to say (type!) but we've all been there and it really does help. Try to stay in the moment as best as you can.
More information will be known when your tumour is removed. The size may change and the pathology will show how aggressive it is, as well as how hormone responsive it is. This will contribute towards what your treatment plan will be. Be guided by your doctors, and your gut. You know what you are capable of living with, and without.
Don't worry about the speed of things, it makes little to no difference at this stage, other than on our mental health. It's wonderful that you already feel so supported. Breast cancer treatments have changed and refined a lot in the last decade, let alone since your mother-in-law had it. Your husband will observe a lot of changes.
@AFraser is absolutely right, ditch Dr Google. If you've got any questions, ask here. The internet is a scary place, there are only a few sites that I trust. Macmillan in the UK is good but steer away from any American forums. Their healthcare is vastly different from ours. The Aussie Cancer Council is excellent, as is the entire BCNA website.
Have you got the My Journey kit yet? And access to a breast care nurse? Both can be a tremendous help and support.
So in the next couple of weeks you need to distract yourself. What works for you? Walking, swimming, any exercise is good as it's a kind of meditation and releases endorphins. I watched a lot of stupid sitcoms. If you don't have Netflix or Stan now might be a good time to sign up. Company helps, so rustle up your friends to take you out and divert you. You can focus on improving your day to day health, cleaning up your diet, cutting back the booze (presuming that needs doing of course! You may already be perfect!). The healthier we are going into surgery the better. Try to focus on your hobbies as long as they keep your mind occupied. And of course, meditation. I downloaded the Headspace app onto my phone and have found it really helpful. And I am NOT a natural meditator...!
Odds are you'll be OK Gal. Big hug, deep breaths and hang in there. We'll be with you every step of the way if you want us to be. K xox
Your tumour will be classed as small, and if there are no others and no spread to your lymph nodes, will be classed as early breast cancer. This is of course a good thing, so take some deep breaths and try not to cross bridges until you come to them. I know it's easy to say (type!) but we've all been there and it really does help. Try to stay in the moment as best as you can.
More information will be known when your tumour is removed. The size may change and the pathology will show how aggressive it is, as well as how hormone responsive it is. This will contribute towards what your treatment plan will be. Be guided by your doctors, and your gut. You know what you are capable of living with, and without.
Don't worry about the speed of things, it makes little to no difference at this stage, other than on our mental health. It's wonderful that you already feel so supported. Breast cancer treatments have changed and refined a lot in the last decade, let alone since your mother-in-law had it. Your husband will observe a lot of changes.
@AFraser is absolutely right, ditch Dr Google. If you've got any questions, ask here. The internet is a scary place, there are only a few sites that I trust. Macmillan in the UK is good but steer away from any American forums. Their healthcare is vastly different from ours. The Aussie Cancer Council is excellent, as is the entire BCNA website.
Have you got the My Journey kit yet? And access to a breast care nurse? Both can be a tremendous help and support.
So in the next couple of weeks you need to distract yourself. What works for you? Walking, swimming, any exercise is good as it's a kind of meditation and releases endorphins. I watched a lot of stupid sitcoms. If you don't have Netflix or Stan now might be a good time to sign up. Company helps, so rustle up your friends to take you out and divert you. You can focus on improving your day to day health, cleaning up your diet, cutting back the booze (presuming that needs doing of course! You may already be perfect!). The healthier we are going into surgery the better. Try to focus on your hobbies as long as they keep your mind occupied. And of course, meditation. I downloaded the Headspace app onto my phone and have found it really helpful. And I am NOT a natural meditator...!
Odds are you'll be OK Gal. Big hug, deep breaths and hang in there. We'll be with you every step of the way if you want us to be. K xox