Hello again. This may seem a silly question but I just wondered if you all tend to just read the posts of the stage you are each at or have already passed? I was just diagnosed last Thursday and till now have only been reading the ‘worried’ and ‘waiting on test results’ and now the ‘newly diagnosed’ posts. I know I have surgery, chemo etc ahead of me but I’ve avoided reading those posts till I get there. Thoughts please?
Hi Doodles
I think do what ever feels right to you - some people want all the info they can get as soon as poss, others prefer a step by step approach.
I didn’t even discover these forums until I was nearly half way through my chemo. At first I stuck to specific topics, then I discovered the ‘Latest Posts’ option and started surfing through those as my fancy took me.
Good luck with your treatment.
Dx
Hi Doodles,
You’re doing just right at the mo!
The way I did it was like you - just diagnosed, then surgery threads, I went on to have chemo (not expected for me until after surgery & pathology results), I then moved on to finding the chemo thread for my month (I have met some lovely girls there and have got so much support), then on to Rads. I’ve now finished active treatment and most of our thread have moved over to Facebook as we keep in touch as friends now.
Until you know your next step, dont worry about burying your head in the sand - the big picture can be frightening but if you break it down into small steps it’s manageable!
Good luck with your journey, you’ll meet some good friends along the way!
Axx
Thank you both x
Hi Doodles,
I can’t improve on what DJ and Annie have already said, but just to note they are among the most supportive posters on here, and both offer wise advice based on their experience.
I think the only thing I’d add is to be selective what you read, and avoid anything that might stir up unecessary anxiety. Hopefully you will find some peers to share your journey, and there are some more lighthearted threads where we share a more flippant approach to all this stuff. We are each unique and our desires and needs differ. Just take a step at a time, and do it your way, you’ll be fine.
THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A SILLY QUESTION!
The forums are here for us to use as much as we find useful and there is no “right” or “wrong” way to use them. At first I read everything on the Latest Posts list and at times scared myself silly so that might not have been a sensible approach.
Hi Doodles
When I started here surgery was looming for me so I looked at the undergoing surgery bit & followed relevant posts & started a post for those having surgery in the same month as me so we could hold hands in a virtual way as we went through it together. When I knew chemo was going to happen I moved to looking at the undergoing chemo posts & again looked for others starting around a similar time. I’m doing FEC then T. Currently still doing FEC so I don’t want to know about T yet! For me it’s best to take it all a step at a time. It’s such a long journey it’s overwhelming to try & look at it all, so I take it just a step at a time. The sad fact is that there are ladies joining this site everyday so you never start off your journey on your own as there are always others at the same stage.Start a new thread if there’s nothing that covers your scenario.
Twinky x
Hi Doodles,
I just looked at the things relevant to me, then I plucked up courage and asked questions, now I check latest posts, it is very addictive xx
Hello Doodles,
I think I stuck with the posts that were relevant to what was going on in my life at the time. I stayed with a group of ladies going through Chemo at the same time which was sooo helpful. I never felt I couldn’t ask a question and as CM says, there is no such thing as a stupid question. Often once you’ve publicly asked a question you’ll find others will say that they have been waiting to ask the same thing!
I have made some lovely friends through these forums and we have moved over to Facebook as we each separately move on to the next stages in our lives.
I do however still have posts I follow and always check the latest posts.
I think you will find your own comfort zone within these forums and hopefully also find many people to help you along on your journey.
Take care. Karen x