Breast Cancer Survivors Need To Let Go To Boost Quality Of Life

I don't get what is news about this study.  Life is all about resetting goals when circumstances changes.  In my twenties, I learned I was not going to be a college professor, and entered the world of business.  Talk about a place for goal setting!

My goals have changed many times since.  My latest challenge is taking my career to a new place. 

I will say that it took about a year following active treatment for my dreams to come back.  I was too busy "recovering" to look ahead.  Plus, I had the hairstyle from hell, so didn't recognize the woman I saw in the woman - a strange sense of dislocation.  Then suddenly, things started to fall back into place.

I don't think we encourage former breast cancer patients to set the bar high enough.  I am greatly looking forward to working on my list of cool stuff.  I do not feel in any way limited by this experience which I would describe as more of a "life detour" than anything else.

I am saying all this coming off a string of career successes.  Last year was so painful as I tried to work through a new direction.  Nothing to do with the BC experience, but more a rethinking of my skills and talents.

Anyway, now I love my new look.  It was beyond time to ditch the long hair anyway.  I am fit and healthy.  My trashed ankle is healing so I should be able to hike this summer, not just cycle.  I have new, exciting friends.

I would urge anyone on the other side to take this opportunity to SET NEW DREAMS.  Then figure out how to do them (goal setting).  I do agree with the article about exercise, not for just the physical, but because it keeps my brain sharp.

Going back to the article, I think they could take the findings and apply to a comparable group of women who had not had breast cancer.  Because it really is about adapting as you learn from life.  Otherwise, you don't see the doors that open and stay mired in the past. 

We should all expect better from our lives. - Claire

I agree with Claire and Gracie 100%! Maud, why do you think you won't realize "most of them"?

cp418, "piss on this disease"....very well put. Edited to not offend those who find this study informative.

What stood out to me was the recommendation of "150 minutes of .... excercise" a week.  That's an average of 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week (or whatever configuration works for you).  Uhm, my last understanding was that was the basic minimum exercise recommendation for ALL folks, whether or not they have had breast cancer.  And, as others have said so well, life is all about resetting goals and dreams and priorities, anyway.  I just find this a weird study with questionable motives.

Maud, it sounds like you have found some goals that make you happy NOW and I think that was the point of the article.

What I don't like about articles like this one is that it lumps all breast cancer survivors into one clump.  There are millions of us.  I highly doubt that one small study will apply to all of the millions of us.

I will say, though, that I have done the same as Maud, not necessarily because of physical limitations, although certainly I am changed physically, but because there were stressors in my life that I believe contributed to my diagnosis.  I am changing my goals to be more content with life in general, to do things that I enjoy and love and not make all my goals work-oriented.  That doesn't mean I am giving up.  Completely the contrary.