Cancer = War? Do you feel it is a war between you and it…if you had it?

Mentally how would you prepare to face the enemy?

What would you do now….if you were to have cancer in a weeks time?

We were diagnosed with cancer, now the war has begun.

How do you fight it mentally?

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Answer:
Since being diagnosed last year with breast cancer I've had a lumpectomy, mastectomy, 20 hyperbaric oxygen chamber treatments to help heal, a port-a-cath put in, 6 rounds of chemotherapy, 7 weeks of radiation, 32 Herceptin treatments, a total hystorectomy & ooperectomy and I'm now on medication. I'm getting ready to take all my records to a cancer hospital for a second thought because of some recent findings on my CAT scan. Heck yeah it's a war! I need to be here to raise my three kids. I don't feel sorry for myself…I know there are others in worse situations than me. I try to stay as positive as I can. Don't get me wrong, the fear is always in the back of my mind but I try not to live on it. Mentally, I can't give in to the fear. I try to live my life as normally as possible. I don't want this disease to rob me of the time I spend with my family and friends. Humor is important too. Believe me, in the very beginning…being first diagnosed was terrifying. Once I knew what I was dealing with and what I needed to do, it seemed a tiny easier to handle. Take one day at a time, one treatment at a time.

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Answer:
I didn't think about it war at the time. I did a bunch of research on my own so I could ask the right questions of each doctor I saw. I researched the ideal treatment facilities for my condition. I got multiple opinions and decided what treatment option I would follow. I selected the hospital that I felt would give me the ideal treatment then worked on getting approval from my insurance company to get treated there. During this time I worked at my normal job every day. Looking back on it, it might have been like going into battle, but I didn't think about it at the time. I just did what I felt like I needed to do. I didn't let any doctor or my insurance company decide what treatment I would have, I asked them for answers and advise and made those decisions myself. It's been over 4 years and I'm still here and there's no sign of the cancer returning, so I guess I won.

Also, I'm not religious, but I asked family and friends to pray for strength for me and my husband. I would have thought I would fall apart, but I stayed strong and my husband stayed strong for me. I can't explain the power of prayer, but I do believe in it.

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Answer:
I did 16 weeks of chemo and 7 weeks of radiation. The best advice I can give is to keep your sense of humor. Don't take it too seriously. It got pretty hard near the end, but I never wanted any body to feel sorry for me, just make me laugh. If you laugh about it your friends will too. The treatment is going to do a pretty good job of kicking your butt, you've just got to “Cowboy Up”

Good luck and keep smiling.

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Answer:
The only analogy to war is that the ideal plans are thrown out when the first shot is fired.