Terrified
Hi..my name is Lisa Im 51, married with two children, one 21 and one 18yo. My life has changed so much over the past 4 weeks Im terrified when I recap everything and need to just push it aside. 4...
Forum Discussion
Hi Lisa. What a difficult time you have had. An understatement for sure.
Do you know your type of cancer yet?
Many women don't need chemo for cancer. But many women do. Australians have amazing survival rates, 90% survival 5 years on. But that is because of the current treatment regimes. When you see the oncologist ask the statistical difference with or without chemo. I believe if 3 nodes or under it could still just be radio needed. But again...all depends on pathology.
Your sister is a survivor....remember that.
And you can be too.
I was 51 at diagnosis with 3 children, the eldest 21. My sister in law died the week of my diagnosis of endometrial cancer. She died because she wouldn't see a Dr until it was too late. It was inoperable and treatment gave her a few more months only. If she had been treated earlier she quite likely would have been cured. The impact on her quite young adult children is profound and the hardest part is their anger...at her not seeking treatment earlier...and guilt...because they couldn't change her mind.
I was (and still am) terrified it's my fate too. But I've followed all treatment guidelines, including bilateral mastectomy due to breast density. I got through chemo, it was tough but am now reclaiming my life in the world after bc treatment now as a survivor. I want to be there to guide my children as young adults. I want to meet their partners and hopefully meet grandchildren. Any guarantees...nope. But I didn't want to get down the track in 2 years and think...I wished I'd done that.
You are grieving. You are overwhelmed. But you are stronger than you believe. You can get through this. It's okay to not feel okay. Retreat, cry, be friggin angry. That's all normal and okay. We get it. But then you pick yourself up and on you go. Because why...because you want to be a survivor, one of the 90% that gets to talk about it and support others. But that doesn't mean you have to like it.
Take care. Kath. X
Do you know your type of cancer yet?
Many women don't need chemo for cancer. But many women do. Australians have amazing survival rates, 90% survival 5 years on. But that is because of the current treatment regimes. When you see the oncologist ask the statistical difference with or without chemo. I believe if 3 nodes or under it could still just be radio needed. But again...all depends on pathology.
Your sister is a survivor....remember that.
And you can be too.
I was 51 at diagnosis with 3 children, the eldest 21. My sister in law died the week of my diagnosis of endometrial cancer. She died because she wouldn't see a Dr until it was too late. It was inoperable and treatment gave her a few more months only. If she had been treated earlier she quite likely would have been cured. The impact on her quite young adult children is profound and the hardest part is their anger...at her not seeking treatment earlier...and guilt...because they couldn't change her mind.
I was (and still am) terrified it's my fate too. But I've followed all treatment guidelines, including bilateral mastectomy due to breast density. I got through chemo, it was tough but am now reclaiming my life in the world after bc treatment now as a survivor. I want to be there to guide my children as young adults. I want to meet their partners and hopefully meet grandchildren. Any guarantees...nope. But I didn't want to get down the track in 2 years and think...I wished I'd done that.
You are grieving. You are overwhelmed. But you are stronger than you believe. You can get through this. It's okay to not feel okay. Retreat, cry, be friggin angry. That's all normal and okay. We get it. But then you pick yourself up and on you go. Because why...because you want to be a survivor, one of the 90% that gets to talk about it and support others. But that doesn't mean you have to like it.
Take care. Kath. X