What term to use instead of 'survivor'?

Something odd happened that post, sorry. Will try again.

I would say maybe an optimist? It's a bit odd that by your definition you can't be a survivor until you stopped surviving.

sur-vi-vor; noun; 1. A person who survivies; a person who remains alive after an event in which others have died. 2. To remain alive or in existence 3. To carry on despite hardships or trauma; 4. To perservere.

I understand what you're saying but by definition you and all of us are survivors, we all continue to perservere (that's my favorite).  I was told at my hospital that you're considered a survivor already because it didn't take us, we found it and got treatment. I guess it's all in what definition you put on it but right now I'm dancing with NED so, I did survive bc & take it as a compliment. Good luck in your search, I'm interested to see what others come up with.

Ditto what Poptart said.

I do feel somewhat like a survivor for coming through four surgeries, three months of chemo, and six weeks of radiation in a 12-month period relatively unscathed. However, cancer doesn't define me; I've also had an ingrown toenail and a broken ankle, but I would never identify myself as an "ingrown toenail survivor." I had cancer and was treated for it; I had a broken ankle and it's healed. Hopefully, I won't have a repeat of either one. 'Nuf said. 

Hi, I dislike the term "survivor" as to me it connotates that BC might have won.  I never put my head there at all.  I just put it down and determined to myself to get thru it, however I made it.

I respect every woman's right to call it whatever she feels most comfortable with.

For me, I refer to myself as a "veteran"...I fought in a war and I have some scars, but I'm here to talk (or not talk! Yikes, the stuff people ask) about it.

 For that little issue, I have found that a blank stare, a semi long silence followed by a calm "why on earth would you ask that?" has served me well or even "My, that's a personal question" with a little laugh and turning the subject to something else.

Celtic Spirit, you probably seen much worse troubles and needed much more perseverance with your ingrown toenail than BC done to me!

I like "Veteran" too Annie, although for me it has connotations someone about 70 and i'm only just adjusting to being 50. heck, i'm 23 inside  just a shame my body can't keep up!

Many years ago I was in my first adult job.  I was working in the office and one of the vice presidents came in and struck up a conversation with me about work.  I had had a few lucky breaks and my mom had taken to calling me "Jelly Side Up" to reflect my sometimes uncanny and not necessarily deserved survival skills.  Somehow in the conversation I managed to tell this fellow (proudly, like the naive moron that I must have been) that I was a Survivor.

He looked at me and said, "But wouldn't you rather be an Achiever?"   Well, I guess I would.

It stuck with me, all my life: it's been (gasp) 36 years.  Whenever I hear the word Survivor, I think, no, Achiever.  So I am a Breast Cancer Achiever. For me it just means I get ahead of the luck and set a goal. 

Yes, I may be a control freak.  

Warmly,

Cathy 

Namaste!

I do not consider myself a BC survivor.  I don't like the term. I have survived a near drowning in white water canoeing.  I survived childhood. For me, surviving means the event is over and done with and I came out of it alive.  I could consider myself a survivor if someone could tell me I was cured and will not have to worry about it any longer. No one can assure me of that absolutely.  For me, I consider that after treatment for BC I am currently in remission and it is possible that I will remain in remission the rest of my life. 

I would rather not be referred to as a BC  survivor by others and I communicate this to those who are important to me.  For the rest of the world, how they refer to me is not important and does not define me.

Karla

Warrior...because you are in battle

i've finally come to peace with the idea that "the club" (to which none of us wanted to join) will always have a different perspective, and thus use different language, than those who haven't experienced this. as i always (half) joke with people, most folks gain their oncology info from Dr. Oz and Oprah - well intentioned, but hardly the real and final deal.

i call myself a survivor to others, because it's the most common and accessible word. yeah, it sometimes feels vapid or trivial compared to the ordeal, but whatever. i try not to sweat that kind of stuff anymore.

i do like nora's idea of "warrior" - my cousin kept calling me "HC" for hardcore during this, and i liked that. i think our pinkwashed movement could use a little more kickass atmosphere.

great ideas all around - always interesting to see what everyone is thinking.

j

I guess there is no perfect word to describe us.  The whole bc thing doesn't come up much for me so it's never been an issue.  I do agree that the word survivor makes it seem like it's over.  I like all the other words too warrior, achiever, veteran maybe we can call ourselves "jelly side up club."   I don't sweat the small stuff myself either, they can call me what they want...at least I'm here for them to call me!  Great thread.

I like survivor. However, this is one of those semantic things where you can label yourself in many alternate ways and people will still get the gist of what you are talking about.  Like "housewife."  You can call it homemaker, household matriarch, domestic monarch, or domicile goddess (a term I save particularly for the bottom of my 1040 Form, as we all know how finely honed the IRS sense of humor is.)

Haha, hymil, your first post was hilarious!

I like "veteran".  I like "warrior".  I guess veteran impies the war is over, which for me, it's not. 

I agree that "survivor" seems to equal "cured" in most people's minds, which I am not. 

Before I was Dx'd as stage 4, I participated in one of those pink fund raising races just as I thought I was putting this behind me, and I had "surviving" then the year painted on the back of my shirt.   Got the stage IV dx one month later, so I guess I'm still just surviving.  One friend commented : "wouldn't that be fun if you kept wearing that shirt, and someday you just had a list of the years going on and on all over it?"  Working on that.  

Grammatically, "survivor" does apply to one in the act of surviving.

Personally, at stage iv I like warrior - since I will be battling this crap always now. 

For the years from my initial dx and treatment and declared NED - I WAS a breast cancer survivor.  I had it, I treated it, and for all the tests and stuff - I was cancer free - I survived it.

If it does not come back - you are a Survivor.  Texas357 - you are in my prayers that you will never again have to confront this ugly beast - I do get what you mean about the term, though but you can call yourself a survivor - you don't have to wait until you die from something else - if it never comes back, you will grow old and gray and have survived your bout with breast cancer.  I hope that you do...

Hugs and all the best to you

LowRider