Post Treatment Letdown

HollyHopes

This month I celebrate my five year 'cancerversary'!  I planned a big party at my home for 35 women whom I've met while on this journey of healing.  All of them have or have had breast cancer.  The luncheon, itself, was lovely.  Everyone seemed to have a great time.  I loved it and was so happy to reach this important milestone. 

I have been really struggling with surprising feelings of sadness, depression and loss.  I don't understand it.  I thought I would feel excited and happy and relieved.  I don't.

Has anyone else had this experience? 

LRM216

Yes, I just reached my third year today, and I am far from celebrating.  I feel as though I have just walked into a new field filled with freaking land mines.  I'm hoping it will pass.  Lately, even on the TN's thread, I am finding what seems to be a lot of gals 6, 8 and 4 1/2 years out that have progressed or recurred.  What the hay is that???????  Scares the bezeesus out of me.  I guess the reality is that we are never ever really safe from this beast of a disease being one step behind us.  As I said above, I sure am hoping these feelings will pass - and soon!

Congrats to you for five years - I hope you have at least 50 more!

Linda

christina1961

Congratulations to both of you!  I remember what the oncologist at Vanderbilt told me - she is a triple negative specialist - she said if I made it three years, that would be very good and if I made it 5 years, I would most likely be ok from there on out!  I know you have both heard that kind of thing before but it never hurts to hear it again, I'm sure!! I find myself looking for something to give me the sense of security I had before diagnosis. 

I'm at a year now but just finished chemo so I'm getting nervous already.

christina1961

I'm tired and struggling with writing the right words tonight.  I feel in a way that reaching a year since diagnosis is a milestone, but I feel more worried than ever. Of course I know the next year is a crucial time for triple negative or any grade 3 breast cancer.  I'm hopeful that I will feel better once I reach the 3 year mark, and then the 5. An oncologist who specializes in triple negative at Vanderbilt told me making it to 3 years without a recurrence is very good, and if I made it to 5 then I would most likely be ok there on out. I think I am always searching for something to give the sense of security I had before my diagnosis. Maybe we hope that each milestone will give us a feeling of security again.

Congratulations to you both - and I hope you both have many, many more cancer free years to come!