Just need some feeling of hope
hi ladies, not posted for a little while. had first chemo and had some side effects and then an abcess on my tooth which made me neutrophenic so hospital stay! ive been feeling very low and just...
Forum Discussion
Hi Prime Time
I had neoadjuvant chemo too and was scared beyond belief as I could still feel the cancer in my breast and my nodes and like you I was worried that it was still spreading. Thankfully some wise women who had walked this path before me reminded me that having the chemo first was a great way to gauge how well the chemo was working. After the first 2 cycles of AC I had another MRI and I was really reassured to find out that the chemo had been killing off the cancer. Like you my cancer was locally advanced and I was worried about where else in my body it might already have been but when I found out that the chemo was working I felt encouraged to know that it was working throughout my whole body.
It is understandable that you would be finding this overwhelming and it can be difficult to focus on what is really important. One helpful piece of advice that another cancer survivor told me was to try to pick one aspect of everyday to make a focus. It could be to have a coffee with a friend, to clean out a cupboard, to watch a movie, to cook your favourite cake, go shopping for a particular gift or just to walk around the block. Whatever you choose to do each day becomes the focus of the day rather than the cancer or treatment. Any appointments you have become something that you fit in around that one thing that you would like to achieve for the day. Although this was not always possible, on the days where I could find another focus I felt better at the end of the day when I could say that I had achieved my aim for that day. Sometimes the small things can help just a little. Being positive is a phrase thrown at us so often during this time but I think it’s also important to try to shift our daily focus to achieve some of the small things and then work through each day one step at a time. No one ever expects to find themselves in this position and there is no right or wrong way to react. This online community is a great source of connection and support so please make sure you stay in touch and let us know how you are travelling. I hope my ramblings make a little bit of sense at this time of night. Take Care
Polly
I had neoadjuvant chemo too and was scared beyond belief as I could still feel the cancer in my breast and my nodes and like you I was worried that it was still spreading. Thankfully some wise women who had walked this path before me reminded me that having the chemo first was a great way to gauge how well the chemo was working. After the first 2 cycles of AC I had another MRI and I was really reassured to find out that the chemo had been killing off the cancer. Like you my cancer was locally advanced and I was worried about where else in my body it might already have been but when I found out that the chemo was working I felt encouraged to know that it was working throughout my whole body.
It is understandable that you would be finding this overwhelming and it can be difficult to focus on what is really important. One helpful piece of advice that another cancer survivor told me was to try to pick one aspect of everyday to make a focus. It could be to have a coffee with a friend, to clean out a cupboard, to watch a movie, to cook your favourite cake, go shopping for a particular gift or just to walk around the block. Whatever you choose to do each day becomes the focus of the day rather than the cancer or treatment. Any appointments you have become something that you fit in around that one thing that you would like to achieve for the day. Although this was not always possible, on the days where I could find another focus I felt better at the end of the day when I could say that I had achieved my aim for that day. Sometimes the small things can help just a little. Being positive is a phrase thrown at us so often during this time but I think it’s also important to try to shift our daily focus to achieve some of the small things and then work through each day one step at a time. No one ever expects to find themselves in this position and there is no right or wrong way to react. This online community is a great source of connection and support so please make sure you stay in touch and let us know how you are travelling. I hope my ramblings make a little bit of sense at this time of night. Take Care
Polly