Please tell me this gets easier

Dear Friend,

Yes it does get better. I was your age when first diagnosed and will be 61 next month. I wanted so badly to be normal, but realized this is a new normal. I am not the same person I was, and not a victim. I am a survivor and you are too, it's an inconvenience, true, a big one, but you will be empowered knowing you are not alone and you have so much living to look forward to. Someday you will be an encourager of others having gone through this. Life is sweeter now, realizing each day is a precious gift! It's ok and normal to have anxiety even anger. Look for the joy and good people around you and reach out when you need reassurance. God bless you

Yay Shelley! Awesome update.. so glad you are doing well. So glad that you don't have to do chemo. Radiation sounds daunting, but it will be over before you know it... I bought myself a treat at the end of every week, Alex and Ani bracelets.

KJ, that was a wonderful post

OMG, Shelley, do NOT let our Idesim get you started on Alex and Ani! She got us all hooked on those bracelets!

Do NOT, for example, let her tell you that you could get them at zeeberry.com and that they have 15% off and free shipping!

So glad to hear you are doing well. Your husband sounds so excellent! Good boy, husband, with those healthy snacks! XXX

shelley,, i smile every time I see your dog's pic!!  So cute!!

omigosh, I didn't even notice.. Shelley, that's adorable!

Hi Trvler...hope you are doing well.

Bobo, actually if I recall, the requested opinion was on spin mops and you started pushing the steam mop... just sayin.

I know you are pushing project 333... I feel poor M sweating every time you mention it

Ok you three!!!!

Z has a steam mop, SHE started it!!!!

can we say hijacked

shellym I have one just like it snoring across the room.

shellym1, they are good dogs. Mine is getting older and I dread to think of that. When people come in, she goes crazy and acts like she doesn't have an ounce of sense but I tell them, when its just my husband and I here with her, she acts about like a cat, just lays around, never barks, just is a great dog. She has some peculiar ways, if you give her something to chew, she walks from room to room crying until you take it from her and put it under your leg or something. She's satisified its hidden then and she'll go on about her business. I wouldn't take anything for her. That was the one good thing, she really enjoyed having me home for 4 weeks after the mastectomy.

I remember that exact feeling when I was waiting to have my surgery. I couldn't handle it at all. I was completely non functional waiting to get the cancer out of me. As a result, I think I made a poor decision and I picked a breast surgeon that could do it NOW instead of the BEST one that couldn't do it for a month. I imagined cancer going crazy inside my body for that 30 days. Now, two years and 4 reconstruction attempts later, I wish I had just chilled out and waited for the best surgeon. My ONC told me that nothing is going to change in 30 days, but I couldn't believe him. Take whatever anxiety medicine you need to take, do yoga, and try to enjoy the parts of your life that are still great. For me, I still got to read to my son every night at bedtime and that was wonderful. So- even when cancer seems to be taking so many things away, there are still great parts of life. Get the best doctors and then trust them. Don't rush anything. Most people will go through a really difficult time like this sometime in their life. This is your time. Just be nice to yourself and do the best you can. Chances are you will live a lot longer than 10 year!