Grateful!

[Feb14]

Happy and grateful to be a part of this online support and looking forward to Sharing with others! I remember hearing you have breast cancer 23 years ago when I was quite young and had two small boys at home. I had so many questions, fears, concerns and didn't know where to start! Years ago it was so difficult and isolating. Anyone had to deal with a similar experience?

[IGotSunshine]

I was a bit older than you (54), and my kids were older than yours too (14 and 23), but I was stunned as well. And like you, I felt very alone, despite a wonderful family and a hugely supportive circle of friends.

In September 2004 I didn't know the first thing about breast cancer, but within a few weeks I had become a total cancer nerd, up on every nuance of staging and therapy. I'm sure I bored everyone I spouted off to! As I finished treatment and got back on my feet, it seemed like a waste to have acquired all that knowledge and struggled through all that dreadful anxiety and not use the experience somehow. So I started volunteering on the Share breast cancer helpline.

And from what I hear from callers on the helpline, people are just as traumatized now by a breast cancer diagnosis as you and I were all those years ago!

[Feb14 in reply to IGotSunshine]

Yes, that's true! I think it's still the fear that we might not be able to live long enough to raise our children and sometimes that's what gives us the strength to go on! Now that I have a granddaughter I enjoy her thoroughly and make it my business to SHARE as much time as I can with her. We just returned from a family vacation and Nana returned with the greatest and widest smile ever!

[Suzieqat62]

My 1st trip down the cancer road I was 36 and a single mom with 3 sons and a daughter that was in 1992. The only people I or my family knew that had breast cancer had died from it .

I was scared didn't know where to get info or who to talk to about it but After my doctor sugested I should get my afairs in order for my children best intrest in case I got angry. Being out of work for 5 surgeries in six months and radiation therapy I could not afford to keep my car on the road and didn't want to be a burden so I rode my bike the 3 miles to my RT for six weeks the nurses and RT tech's thougt I was crazy but I believe it is what helped get better and beat my cancer.

I am having a much harder time finding that strength this time but am thankful that there are places like this now with support for the amazing ladies that share thier stories and strength here. Thank you