One year anniversary

MeToo14

It was one year ago today I was diagnosed with cancer. It's been a long year, I finally finished active treatment on June 19th. I asked my onc if he thought it was gone and he said absolutely. I know it can come me back but I refuse to live my life in fear. It seems odd to not see a different doctor almost every day, but I look forward to the rest of my life. I don't know, I guess I was just wondering how others have dealt with the transition.

farmerlucy

Congratulations! Also I love your onc!! I always add in another year when my anniversary rolls around. Thus welcome to year two!!!

MeToo14

Farmerlucy I like your name and I like the way you think. Thanks for the positive thoughts!

Sierra

Hello: Congrats to you! l year is great and you'll keep moving forward

I am at l4 yrs, and used to come here more often years back

Celebrate big time!

Sierra

MeToo14

thank you Sierra! It's my dream to come back in 14 years, or maybe earlier, and do the same for someone that you've done for me. Congratulations on your 14, here's to another 50!

HappyOwl

I had surgery on 4/17/14. PET Scan post surgery showed no evidence of cancer. I then had chemo and radiation. Since PET scan was clear before I started chemo, I use surgery date as "anniversary" date. Being 1 year cancer free is so surreal.......I'm excited, and most of the time I am fine emotionally, but it's hard to know when an ache/pain/itch is just a normal thing and when I should be "worried." I don't want to "ignore" something important, but at the same time I don't want to become a hypochondriac either. I just try to remind myself of all the reasons why my cancer "won't" likely come back....and most of the time that works. Hard not to have anxiety sometimes though.

MeToo14

HappyOwl, I too have anxiety whenever I get anew pain. It's hard not to go there but telling yourself why it won't come is the way you do it, instead of why it will or can come back. Congratulations on being clear for a year. Here's to another 60!

HappyOwl

Thank you so much for your reply! This is what I try to do..... I literally rationally tell myself why something is "NOT" a problem. I see oncologist this Wednesday and surgeon Friday for routine follow ups. I think that with good reports from them both, I will be less anxious for a while (I hope!).

HappyOwl

Your 6/19/14 FINISH date, was my very first treatment when I started chemo!

MeToo14

HappyOwl! I think you misunderstood. I'm sorry for the confusion. I finished treatment this past June. I was diagnosed on 7\7\14. It's been a whole year of treatment. But it doesn't change the sentiment. Before cancer I knew very little about it. My dad died from lung cnacer when I was twenty and just thought that that was how cancer worked. I wish I didn't know as much as I do now, it keeps me up at night. The fact that it could come back at anytime is always there and sometimes it takes a hold of me and paralyzes me. But I tell myself that I worked so hard to save my life that I'm going to live it and enjoy it.

Once you see your doctors and they tell you are fine you will feel better. I have a friend who had stage 3 IBC. That was 6 years ago, she is now pregnant with her third child. She said it does get easier, that you can life a happy life. When I was first diagnosed I thought about it every second of the day. Now, hours go by without me thinking about it. I bet that one day, days will go by without me thinking about it.

When the doctors give you the all clear, hang on to that. Believe that. That will be what sustains you.

HappyOwl

Oh...this makes sense now!!! Thanks for replying again so quickly. I, too, have a friend who was stage 3....... and that was over 11 years ago. She told me, too, that one day I will realize I went a whole day without thinking about it. Now, I'm happy with an hour or two!