How is the one year cancer anniversary calculated?

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beatrice00
beatrice00 Member Posts: 103
edited September 2014 in DCIS (Ductal Carcinoma In Situ)

How do I calculate my one year cancer anniversary, from the date of diagnosis or the surgery date? I also have another different cancer now, can I still be a survivor even though I am not technically cancer free now? Does the one year countdown start all over because of the new cancer? I am not sure how this works. 

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  • proudtospin
    proudtospin Member Posts: 5,972
    edited May 2014

    sorry you have a second cancer.

    you get to count your anniversary when ever you want

    me I flunked my mamo June 2008, ended my rads in Dec 2008 so both are my anniversary times to me

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  • dltnhm
    dltnhm Member Posts: 873
    edited May 2014

    Beatrice. 

    There are many answers to that question. I have yet to claim a particular one but am not fond of the term 'cancer anniversary'. Just doesn't sit with me. Toe-may-toe --- Tuh-mah-toe.  

    I do know the date since I was first diagnosed. That's one. The date I completed chemotherapy. That's another. The date I finished rads. Three. 

    I am sorry you are facing another cancer. If you feel the survivor - claim it. You are one til you're not .... so say some. 

    Love the name Beatrice. It was my grandmother's :-) 

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  • exbrnxgrl
    exbrnxgrl Member Posts: 12,424
    edited May 2014

    Beatrice,

    There is no "official" way to calculate this! You get to decide, and celebrate or not celebrate whatever you want. I figure that if you know the month /year of your diagnosis that's good enough for any medical history.

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  • Annette47
    Annette47 Member Posts: 957
    edited May 2014

    I agree - it's however you want to calculate it.    I'm aware of my diagnosis date, but prefer to celebrate the anniversary of the day I finished treatment and started getting on with the rest of my life.

    Sorry to hear that you have been diagnosed again ... again, I think you observe whatever dates however you want, but for medical history purposes I would note both diagnosis dates.

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  • ej01
    ej01 Member Posts: 155
    edited May 2014

    If you are going to celebrate every year, the anniversary of surgery or end of treatment would be most logical to me.  But like the others said there are no rules...whatever works for you.   

    Personally i never felt like the survivor term fit me because I 'just' had a small DCIS  It would have been uncomfortable to me to consider myself a survivor....but that's just me.   Many others with DCIS do feel the term fits.

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  • faerywings
    faerywings Member Posts: 173
    edited May 2014

    Beatrice, I agree with the ladies who already posted.Your cancer, your rules. Think and do what feels right to you. Life is too short to worry over what other people thing about terminology.

    I am so sorry to hear that you have to go through this again, much luck and healing thoughts to you.

    ej, I totally get what you are saying, and am dealing with that myself. I am doing the "Survivor Lap" for Relay for Life this May and I internally cringe when I think about it. My SW is helping me to acknowledge that while my dx and tx is on the good end of the cancer scale (for which I am so grateful!!!) I still had to deal with the dx, the tx, the SE's. Its still not a good fit, but at least I see where she is coming from in accepting hte terminology. She also says *many* of the people she sees say the same thing.

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  • slv58
    slv58 Member Posts: 1,216
    edited May 2014

    I agree with everyone but just want to mention that I had read on the John Hopkins site that most doctors calculate it from date of diagnosis. I still think it's your decision. For me it is the date of surgery and my body was rid of physical evidence! My new birthday :-)

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  • mrenee68
    mrenee68 Member Posts: 383
    edited May 2014

    I agree with slv58 doctors say day of diagnosis but I use the day I had my MX, that was the day the cancer was removed from my body. Really you can pick whatever day you feel is best, it is your journey and your cancer anniversary day is something you get the say in.

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  • Bren-2007
    Bren-2007 Member Posts: 6,241
    edited May 2014

    Hi Beatrice,

    I count my anniversary as the day I had surgery, as I was technically cancer-free at that point.  Plus, it's an easy date for me to remember.  I have a hard time remembering the month my treatment ended .. think it was in July.

    I'm sorry to hear you have another cancer.  Will keep you in my thoughts.

    hugs,

    Bren

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  • beatrice00
    beatrice00 Member Posts: 103
    edited May 2014

    I decided that I will count one year on the date I was first diagnosed with cancer, August 9th. 

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  • mripp
    mripp Member Posts: 106
    edited September 2014

    I've decided....my treatment end date and I'm DONE and moving on with life! So, 9/10/2014!!!!

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