Hi All
Told last week that I have the dreaded disease. Lumpectomy, radiotherapy and medication mentioned. Thought I was tough and acted like I would just fight this thing but today cannot even face going to work and feel a complete wimp!
This is not my first Cancer as had Thyroid Cancer 5 years ago which was successfully treated.
Just feel such a wimp and am worrying what my colleagues will think.
First of all, welcome to the forum Bella, although sorry to hear you’re joining us.
You’re definitely not a wimp, we’ve all been where you are now. The first thing I did on diagnosis was organise sick leave as I simply could not concentrate at work & it would not have fair on the people I work with.
Getting diagnosed is a shock & you’ve been through it once already, so do be good to yourself & do what you need to, to manage it.
There’s loads of support here, so do come back & chat & vent as you need to.
ann x
Bellas Mum
You are most certainly not a wimp- you’ve just had a cancer diagnosis for goodness sake! It is early days and the shock of diagnosis hits us at different points in the process - sometimes very soon after hearing the news, sometimes months or even years afterwards. As well, I think how you are feeling may inevitably be linked to having had cancer and treatment before this - it’s a huge thing to get your head around. What I will say is that you will get lots of support and advice on here, and treatment for breast cancer is better than it’s ever been. Like you, i had lumpectomy radiotherapy and am now on a hormone tablet to prevent a recurrance and have to say i have never felt better physically but I’ve had the odd wobble from time to time - we all do. The recovery time was far quicker than i thought possible and due to lifestyle changes I ended up thinner and fitter and with better lungs (I quit smoking, though not immediately!) Your colleagues will not judge you, and don’t be afraid to ask for help from those around you, (something that many of us strong women don’t like doing!) but I’ve learned that people want to help if they can, and it is not a sign of weakness to let them. Accept your feelings whatever they are and don’t judge yoursef. Keep in touch with this forum. xx
You sound very brave to me. Really brave and strong. It’s a hard situation to face.
Hi Bellas Mum,
I think your mind has not quite registered what has happened. Put those wimp thoughts away, you have just been diagnosed with breast cancer. Ask yourself how you would react if it was a friend of yours or an office colleague who had just been diagnosed, you would feel concern, sympathy, want to help, want them to focus their energy on their health and welbeing etc so that they can get through treatment as well as possible. That’s how others will feel about your diagnosis. There is no way your colleagues will be thinking the W word!
To help your body and mind through the shock of diagnosis and treatment you need to ensure you are focus on your health. Sleep is a big part of that which means giving yourself a chance to register what’s going on and not put tons of stress and/or pressure on yourself to carry on full pelt at 100% of whatever your normal speed is/was.
You need to be kind and compassionate to yourself, and focus on health, body and mind.
Give yourself some time.
Hugs
Seabreeze (nearly 4 years on, doing ok : ) and primarilly only on the forum now to give back…)
XXX
Thank you everyone for your kind wwords and support. Will follow your advice and for once think about myself. I will continue to use this forum and will update on my progress.
Hi all, have the results of the biopsy and it’s an Invasive Lobular tumour. Need an MRI scan before they can give me a date for surgery. Will await that joy as hate MRI scans as get claustrophobic. Should know in about 3 weeks re date for surgery.