Moorcow wouldn’t it be good to choose “the rudest of health if I get to choose, but lumbered with breast cancer”.
You have to be strong and positive to beat cancer…so many have said that, OR
its the strong and positive ones who beat this so be positive…
Yeah, you try it…
you know what Sascha, that is my biggest biggest hate - both of those phrases, and thanks I will now always say - yeah you try it,
Nice ideas CM and Hymil!! x
Yep, Sascha, I got the “be positive and strong, it’s the positive and strong people who beat cancer” lecture off the postman a while ago. I know he brings me junk mail, that’s his job, but I don’t need his junk opinions too!
How about “I will come with you for your first chemo and we can go out for a coffee while you are having it done. Oh and by the way I have a bad cold”.
Er…yeah, whatever. 
Like everyone else I hate the ‘stay positive’ thing - my GP has just said it to me - you’d think she’s know better. Also hate all references to ‘fighting’ or ‘brave battle’ etc which gives the impression that if people succumb to cancer they haven’t tried hard enough somehow.
Being told that breast cancer is easy to treat now, so it’s not a big problem is it. Or, Olivia Newton John had it 20 years ago and she’s fine isn’t she?
You do have to keep a sense of humour though. I don’t mind making my own jokes about my condition, but don’t expect others to make light of it. When saying to a friend that I wasn’t sure whether I’d be having a lumpectomy or mastectomy, she blithely said ‘Well a mastectomy is one way of losing weight isn’t it, ha ha?’
Just found this thread tonight. Fantastic stories from all of you, someof which made me laugh uncontrollably and others which annoyed me. People come out with the same crap all the time don’t they? Stay positive. Positive people are the ones who live longest! Who says?
I had chemo 11 years ago and am now haveing chemo again due to lymph node and bone mets. My pet hate is - you beat it before and you can do it again. Well obviously i didn’t beat it before as it’s bloody well back.
My mum comes out with some crackers too. Like what a shame for that woman having to deal with bc in her 70s. I said , What so it was ok for me to have to deal with it at 47? Apparently I’d be able to cope better with it.
After my recurrence dx, my mum phoned me next day and said, Your dad and I have been up all night because of you!!!
When my young brother died she told me that if any of the two of us died young she thought it would be me!
My friends frequently give me the - inspiration, brave, keep positive, you carry it well, you look so well you wouldn’t think there was anything wrong with you.
I’ve worn my wig once but have worn scarves more often as they are more comfortable. One friend: I wish I had a choice of what to put on my head each day! No you don’t! You’ve got hair!
Oh your wig’s lovely! Can I touch it? I have to pay pounds and pounds at the hairdresser every month to try to get that look!
AAARRRGGGHHH!
Yea we do need a sense of humour! Thanks to you all for your tales.
Neighbour texts me to see how I am, noticed wearing scarves/hats now she asks … Do you feel libertated without your hair… errrr no I feel bl**by awful and its freezing … next question please
Today someone told me that I couldn’t have been REALLY ill cos I’ve looked ‘so well’ and anyhow I get free prescriptions for breast cancer.
I suggested we change places so she could give it a try … SILENCE.
Thank goodness my real friends don’t come out with such garbage.
grumpy (but only a bit)
Recently went to a funeral and met a friend who was slightly deaf she announced in a rather loud voice , ‘is that your new hair,? wish i had a wig in this weather my hairs been a nightmare’ So now the whole church knew i was wearing a wig!!
Mum comes out with crackers too ’ soon u’ll be back to normal’
Gill x
Please can I chip in on this thread?!
Ive recently gone back to work with a full head of grey hair (more or less). Prior to all this I’d tinted my hair for 20 years, a warm brown.
Although Im absolutely delighted to have hair again, dont get me wrong, Im not enjoying the curly, grey look.
When I say that to people at work, they all say “I think your hair is lovely”. So I turn round and say “Would you like it?”. They dont know what to say then! Ironicallly, everyone that says it has tinted or highlighted hair!!!
I know for a fact, noone would want this grey hair. No magazine has fashion pictures of women with grey hair.
(Just for the record, I’m getting it re tinted next week!)
The other classic is “You’re so brave”. Ggggrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!
I wore my wig out for the first time on tuesday, saw an old friend i’d not seen since just after diagnosis, she siad “i cant believe how good you look” i replied “didnt i look good before all this then?” she went very quiet 
I’m feeling very smug because I’ve started a new job and haven’t told anybody what 2011 did to me. But I’m sure it’ll come out at some stage, when appropriate, and I reckon there will be some complete crackers!
Keep smiling ladies, it is most definitely the best medicine. (Well, after chemo, rads, surgery, Herceptin, wine, beer and chocolate…)
Someone told me the other day they were jealous of my newly re-grown hair as it is so nice and black. I feel awful because I couldn’t stop myself and said “tell you what, swap the cancer for the grey hair any day!” oops, she is a really lovely woman so I did feel bad, but really…
Just posting to get thread reminders - I keep losing threads now.
Keep them coming.
Yesterday’s comment - I Like your curls! (me : gift from God) then, “I like the colour” (me: gift from Asda!)
Like Ninja, posting so I can get updates
Jane
I visited my colleagues at work today at lunch time. Got a text message from one tonight saying, You look well all things considered. I replied: Wot so I don’t really look well! It was then that she started trying to dig herself outa the hole.
Christine
I had one the other day.
I finished my chemo last August and now have a full head of hair and am back at work. Ive always worn a full face of make up, my whole adult life as well as throughout my treatment.
A friend of my husband met me for the first time, although she knew what Id been through.
“Oh you look so well”. I reesponded by saying “I dont know what people expect to see”. A little blunt I know but I felt like some kind of peep show and she was disappointed with the show!!!
Mandy xx
Hey guys. Have been lurking and enjoying this thread. My sister has a lovely friend who has had cancer for some years now. I am regularly compared to Ann. When I was first diagnosed with secondaries my sister came to visit me. She told me “I’m going to see Ann too on Thursday. Huh cancer week”. Then when I had scans after my chemo I rang to tell her the good news that all was stable. She said in a disappointed tone “Oh that’s what they always say to Ann too”. Did she want some exciting progression to show up? I do sometimes feel like a trophy sister as I’m sure all her friends know every detail of my illness. But, as ever, it is well meaning and I just store up the stories and me and my son 20 and OH laugh our heads off.
xx
Colleagues are signing up to do the ‘Race for Life’ next month. When I popped into work the other day to say hi (am still recovering from surgery nr. 2) they were getting giggely and excited, discussing what silly pink nonsense to wear and wouldn’t it be fun having my face printed on t-shirts to wear… Erm… No thanks…!!!