I was heading towards the feelings of guilt because I had a comparatively very easy time of things. I said one day to my boss that I didn’t think I deserved or needed all the fuss because I’d got away with it lightly and she said: “it’s not a competition, and if it was it’s one you don’t want to win”. Put things in perspective for me and now I’m simply grateful that I came through the other end relatively unscathed.
In terms of not feeling part of the breast cancer community, this is something I have reflected on a lot. Rightly or wrongly, I came to the conclusion that it is just as important to be part of the community when things have gone well and share those experiences as they may help others. I know how much I appreciated hearing those more positive stories when I was diagnosed. x