When First Diagnosed

Scripture of the Day:

Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.

1 Peter 5:7

I have not posted in over a year. I have no excuse. But I’ve been informed of so many new people who have been diagnosed with this horrible disease. When will it stop? I daily pray for breast cancer patients.

I do “preach” on my Facebook page. I have no problem talking about what happened to me. I recently got a message on Facebook. A friend’s mother was diagnosed and what should she do. I actually led her back to this blog. But it occurred to me that there are some immediate mind sets, especially of the patient, that would help the whole family. I later asked my children if they were scared when they found out I had breast cancer. I was told that my attitude dictated theirs. I may have said this before, but it bears repeating. When I was first diagnosed with breast cancer, dying was NOT an option. It never occurred to me that I would not beat this disease. After informing my family, I introduced myself on Facebook to my friends that I was the next survivor of breast cancer, instead of announcing that I had breast cancer.

At the time I had 3 grandchildren and the oldest was 8. I think they handled it ok. I answered their questions if there were any. I think attitude helped them with this as well. But I have a dear friend that was diagnosed less than a year ago. When I saw her in September after several chemo treatments, she looked the same. Of course, I asked how she went through chemo and didn’t lose her hair. She told me that she on one of her grandchildren spent hours looking at wigs on the internet to find one that matched the way she wore her hair before breast cancer. I can’t help but believe that that had to be therapeutic for both my friend and her granddaughter to bond over something that was going to make her look “normal”. The wig they found looked exactly as she wore her hair before the diagnosis. I was amazed. Her family lives closer to her than mine and they were involved in her recovery. I think that had to have helped.

If you are the family member, immediately after surgery, help your breast cancer survivor to follow what the doctor says to do. I can tell you that I know a lot of women that cannot raise their hands over their head because they did do as they were told. My husband made me do all the exercises I was given and I cried but did them. Now I can raise my hands completely over my head. We also got me out of the house almost every day, even if it was only a ride in the car. We went to   the Norfolk Botanical Gardens. We went Putt Putt Golfing. We would walk around the block. I think it was good to get out of the house.

I understand that not all breast cancer patients will have a care-giver like I did. My husband had accrued enough sick leave to stay with me 5 out of 6 weeks I was off work.  But if you as the patient, or you as the family member could just work on mental attitude and thinking positively, it has to help everyone concerned. Did I have my bad moments? Absolutely!! After 8 years, I still do.

I really hope that this is helpful and if I’m repeating myself, I’m sorry. If you are making this journey as I am, may God bless you with His healing touch. I know He loves you.