This is part three
of my weekly blogs about breast cancer during the month of October. So what
happens if you or your sister, mother, partner, bff or daughter is diagnosed
with breast cancer? A lot happens at once.
After the
diagnosis, this is the most confusing yet important time of the whole treatment
period. It is so very important because you choose your treatments. For
example, unlike a heart attack where physicians are working on you immediately
and they implement the procedures to save your life, breast cancer has options
and choices. Why? Because my breast cancer may not be the same as your breast
cancer.
Breast cancer in
many ways is a disease about statistics. You will be thank-full of that college
statistic course. Don’t remember, didn’t happen? Maybe you or some one in your
family is good with baseball statistics. Similar probabilities. Your team of
oncologists want to up your success percentages by backing the protocol plan
that has proven the most success. After surgery they may recommend chemotherapy
or radiation or both. Here is where you need to ask a million questions before
you commit to a plan. Questions like, what are the side effects of this regime
versus another? What are the late
effects of these plans versus another? It is all about percentages.
This is a confusing
time and there are no guarantees or return policies. If some one says they
chose a certain protocol because they never want to worry about breast cancer
again, they are either in denial or they got some bad info. Let me repeat;
there are no guarantees in breast cancer, just statistics and probabilities!
Breast cancer
happens and it stinks. What parallels in life can you make to this insidious
disease?
20 comments:
I haven't experienced cancer, but I have survived infertility. The language you are using is very similar -- probabilities and protocols.
I would imagine this is a helpful post for anyone facing such a diagnosis.
The parallel I can make is Divorce. Sometimes it happens and it just stinks (although not as many people DIE from it they just think they are going to or wish the other person would).
Really any cancer is a good parallel as they can all be life threatening if untreated. Thank you for your series. So glad to read and comment on each one.
I have a very close parallel. My mother passed away from oral cancer, a fairly rare type of cancer. It was so terrible seeing what she went through. Cancer is a hideous way to die.
LL, thanks for your comments. I think you are right about the fertility process,protocols and probabilities must be researched to make a choice!
Deadly Divorce could be an option for some people!
Thanks for your comments.
Jennifer, sorry for your loss. Cancer stinks.
I have had my own bouts with cancer both myself and family members, just not this type of cancer.
To put it bluntly - Cancer Sucks.
Thank you for sharing for those that are or will be faced with this disease. Hopefully one day we can say that it is a thing of the past.
Think PINK!
Thanks Cat, I second that, cancer is the big sucky disease!
One of my dear friends survived breast cancer and she saved her own life by disagreeing with the doctor on his course of treatment and elected to have a mastectomy instead. After the surgery the doctor said the test results came back and her cancer was so aggressive that if she had went with his decision she would have died. I was so glad she went with her gut.
Grace you make a great point. Everyone has to do what works best for themselves and be their own health advocate!
I don't even want to equate something as devastating as cancer to anything else. I had a simple, treatable, early form of cancer. And I cried for weeks. Can't imagine what someone with a more aggressive diagnosis has to deal with.
I had breast cancer too. I once had a woman chase me down in a parking lot at a store because she also had been through it and she spotted my bald head and started a conversation.
SUSAN KEATS:
As we were talking, commiserating, connecting, a woman walked past us to her car. This woman was bruised all over, covered in bandages and was walking slowly and painfully. Maybe she had been in some sort of accident. I don't know. But at the time I thought "Wow. Everybody has SOMETHING."
So, cancer sucks for sure, but any illness or devastating incident also sucks. We are all human together in our fragility and hope for living good long healthy lives.
Bonnie, you are right it can be devastating, and hard to compare.
anonymous, I had the same thing happen to me, bald heads and that pale death pallor unite!
Susan,Thanks for your comments and you are right!
very good!
That's really interesting. Thanks for posting all the great information! Had never thought of it all that way before.
A great post! My dear friend Penelope went through a similar experience and found her empowerment and wellness again through meditation, loving herself from the inside out and changing her diet and attitude...
She found the right recipes on sites like Sweeter Life Club and Taste and some of the Curezone forums. Also other than reading books like The Power of Now, she discovered her inspiration on sites like Haralee.com, Zenhabits, and Breathe Magazine... Just keep an open mind when reading anything and see if it fits in with your life...
This information might help others in a similar situation to Penelope - I hope : )
Thanks for commenting Lisa. I wish the best for your friend!
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