BUYING A NEW HOUSE - HELP!

readytorock

Hello-

I am three years cancer free/NED (yay!) and my husband and I have finally resumed house hunting and will be closing on the house of our dreams in November. But OMG am I having anxiety about it! All cancer-related - what if we finally buy this house and I find out a month later that I am Stage IV - that kind of thinking. I was in such a panic during the process that I wanted to make the sale contingent on a clean MRI, but I just had one in July, so I don't think the doctor would have approved!

Anyone else have difficulty MOVING ON (ha - literally!) Any suggestions?

edwards750

Congrats on the dream house to be!

My advice to you is don't buy trouble. Be happy you are 3 years out. None of us have guarantees - by the way I'm 6 years out - but with each passing year you become a little less anxious.

We are branded with the C word but it doesn't define us. We just drew an unlucky card. BC research and treatments have come a long way. While there is no cure there are reasons to be optimistic. I am the poster person for anxiety so for me to be optimistic is saying a lot.

You didn't ask for it but you got it and dealt with it. You have done all you can. Give yourself permission to be happy and not focus on something that may or may not happen. Don't deprive yourself of happiness by focusing on the what ifs.

Good luck!

Diane

cajunqueen15

Yes and yes! We sold the cancer house (the one we bought just prior to my diagnosis that I grew to loathe), our rental condo was severely damaged by Irma and we close on the home I love next week. I seriously considered waiting 5 years to buy a house, I just didn't want my husband to be stuck with the mortgage if I died. But I finally determined that life was for living, so I'm going to live.

Hugs and best wishes for your move!

Herculesmulligan

readytorock: I'm also prone to anxiety over "what ifs". A trick I learned is to allow myself to thoroughly think through JUST ONCE the worst possible scenario. So here I would say to myself " so if we buy this house and move in and then I have a recurrence and struggle through treatment and die, what will happen? My husband will probably sell the house and I will have spent my last years in an awesome house. ". Fir me imagining in detail the worst possible outcome is therapeutic as long as I don't let it become an obsessive loop of thought.

Congrats on your new house. Enjoy it. You deserve to.

beach2beach

Go for it. I had the "what if's" all my life. It certainly can stop you from living. Having breast cancer and all that comes with it does enough of that for a while. Don't let the mind do it also. Like the above OP wrote, do the worst case scenario play out. Also do the scenario if you don't buy the house because you worried. Any happier? I doubt it. You'll just be cheating yourself out of something that obviously will give you joy.

Anonymous

Congrats on the new house! We're in the middle of a complete kitchen renovation that was delayed by BC. I had those little what-if thoughts before I signed all the papers. I decided that I want us to enjoy our life now. Have fun!

EastcoastTS

Congrats on the house!

I'm in a similar boat. Started plans to build a new home before BC. We'd been preparing to sell our current home when diagnosis hit. Set me back a few months, but we're closing in Dec. And I'm a little nervous -- which I never was with a move before. That could also be getting older.

Change is our only constant. And anyway...nothing ever goes quite like we plan. So enjoy that new dream home!!!! You deserve it!

SandiBeach57

Move to your dream home!

I have Stage IV and we are closing on a new home in 2 months.

It is okay to think of the "what ifs". Have a plan in your mind, move forward and start packing!

So excited for you.

tessieb1904

I was just diagnosed with BC on November 20, 2017.  My husband and I had just purchased a lot in the city where we live and were planning to build in spring.  Then I received the news.  I am meeting with the surgeon on Thursday this weeks to receive my core biopsy results and hopefully what the action plan will be.  My initial reaction was to put a stop to everything, because I am that personality who overthinks and plans.  I have really worked with myself to let things be and continue as planned.  We are scheduled to meet with the builder on Dec. 28th to finalize details and the contract.  I have told myself that no matter what I will go through to get over this stage, BC, I want to still have something to look forward to and try to keep things as normal as possible.  

So readytorock, you must continue living.  You have been giving a new lease on life, take advantage and move forward.  Stay positive in your thinking, it will go a long ways.  You deserve to be happy.  You cannot live life on maybes.  Good luck to you!

EastcoastTS

Tessie:

Right there with you. Building a home on a lot we owned for many years. (After diagnosis, we took the plunge.) It's time and life doesn't stop with BC. Mine will be complete around March.

Happy New Year to everyone!

NancyD

After being a renter all my life, I bought my first home three years after my breast cancer treatment. I am now here almost seven years and I have absolutely NO REGRETS about it.

I say, GO FOR IT!