Newly diagnosed

Kamiecake

I'm recently diagnosed. Have my first appointment with the oncologist tomorrow following a PET scan. Then straight to preop to get a port placement next week. I'm very overwhelmined. Any advise for my visit tomorrow?

I_Spy

I hope someone answers you soon. I'm so sorry you are going through this. My cancer was not invasive, so I did not have to have chemo.

My best advice on the whole process is what I read in a book by Dr. Susan Love called "The Breast Book" (you can get it on Amazon and I highly recommend it). She said to accept the fact that nothing will be "normal" ever again. There is no "going back to" our old life after a bc diagnosis. Once I stopped trying to force myself into thinking "I will just do this and this and then things will be back to normal!" I started to feel better about the process. The other thing I used was "surrender to the process," which just means let them move your body and prick your arm and get you ready to receive your treatment, and stop resisting it mentally; go with the flow and let it happen.

And finally: this totally sucks. However, we play the cards we're dealt. That is my number one motto, because I have had many, many health problems and surgeries -- not just bc. I try not to waste time on feeling sad or sorry for myself (although I take a break and do that sometimes too -- ice cream is my number one go to on those occasions!) I just say "Well, we play the cards we're dealt."

You will find out how strong you are as you go through this. You are a lot stronger than you realize.

Moderators

Hi Kamiecake! Sorry you had to join us, but glad you reached out!

Besides the great advise from other community members here, we encourage you to take a look at the Breast Cancer 101 section, designed to help you sort through all of the information on our site to find what is more relevant to you right now.

Hope this helps! We know it's too much right now, but you'll get through it!

Thinking of you,

The Mods