Some potential names, although I think they are all bloody lame:
"Breast Cancer for Beginners"
"Breast cancer for the non navel gazers"
"Breast cancer – between the lines"
"When boobs go bad"
A few days after my diagnosis, Louise rang and said
“Just thought I should ring and say Oh Fuck” and so began my journey. My journey, are you kidding? My roller coaster ride with the grim reaper riding shotgun is more like it!
But this isn’t so much about me, but about what I have figured out through the highs and lows of modern breast cancer treatment, and by this I mean treatment in every sense of the word. Treatment by doctors sure, and also treatment by friends, family, partners, psychologists, complementary therapists, nurses, volunteers, taxi drivers, small children and total strangers.
If you have recently been diagnosed with breast cancer you are still in shock, expect this to last in its totally frantic stage for 2 weeks to a month. (You may feel like taking up smoking) In fact if you are still in that stage then you certainly aren’t reading this, because you have forgotten how to read. That will come back, but you will only be able to read little bits at a time, and then only the most simplistic of material. In fact you will be spending so much time in doctor’s waiting rooms that you will become an expert on Brittany Spears children, and Angelina Jolie’s tats. Don’t say that isn’t a HUGE plus for this whole cancer caper. How many t's in Brittany ?? I'm sure it should be two, which means it's probably one! I don't think her mother has ever been caught being intelligent!
But back to the main game, if you are still figuring out how you are going to fit this whole treatment business into your already jam packed schedule, stop it at once.
You have cancer, life as you know it just stopped, it may come back, but it may not, that is the honest reality. Don’t put yourself under more stress trying to hold onto what was. That was your BC (before cancer) life, no one can give you any idea what your after cancer life may be like, but it won’t be the same as your BC life that is certain.
So here is something of a start, some of the areas that I want to talk about in the future include:
- Tips from other people
Wanting to introduce you to others with cancer
Wigs
Eyebrows and eyelashes (snowflakes wont stay on my nose and eyelashes)
Hot flushes
Constipation and diarrhoea
Asking for help
Statistics and lies
You are not your doctor’s new best friend
The nurses do this stuff all day every day
Nurses will usually give it to you straight – so be prepared
Have someone with you – you wont remember squat
Are you going to die
When are you going to die
They really don’t know that much
They are just following a formula
They only answer exactly what you have asked, never go further
They wont speculate
They will tell you, you are going to die if you develop secondaries
If you develop secondaries you probably are going to die – they don’t know when
Anything new you read in the paper about breast cancer your doctor has probably known about for 5 years at least
People sending you clippings from the paper about new cancer treatments – for prostate cancer etc
Oncologists tend to be upbeat – i.e. they encourage you to believe all will be well, until they have proof positive that it won’t. Because they are human they put off giving you bad news until it can’t be avoided.
They don’t give you lots of tests when you have secondaries, because they know its coming back and they want you to have as long as possible between tests to relax. If you absolutely have to know the moment it starts up again then demand more frequent tests – lots of stuff is about not wanting to worry you – but that should be your decision
Would a Dr treat their own family members differently – probably yes
Its probably better to have a grim doctor because at least when they smile you know its for real
Complimentary therapies
You simply can’t do them all – lets make a list shall we???
Luck
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