consumed with fear

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KathyL624
KathyL624 Member Posts: 217
edited June 2016 in Stage I Breast Cancer

Is it normal to be consumed with fear for the future, even with a Stage 1 diagnosis? I am having trouble living my daily life, to be honest because all I can think about is my children having to bury me in a few years (I am only 39 and they are still quite young--4 and 9).

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  • KBeee
    KBeee Member Posts: 5,109
    edited June 2016

    For the first year it's pretty normal, but with the passage of time, you'll think less and less about it each day. Try to distract yourself when those fears surface. The busier I am, the less I think about cancer.

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  • JCS28
    JCS28 Member Posts: 153
    edited June 2016

    KathyL624 -- you sound EXACTLY like me at my diagnosis. I was diagnosed on August 14, 2015 at age 39. My kids were 6 and 4 at the time. AllI could think was, "please God let me live for 14 years to see my children out of high school". I was stage 1 also. I'm here to tell you that I am doing GREAT now. I had targeted therapy (herceptin/perjeta for HER2+ BC) in the fall, double mastectomy on Dec. 14, and then chemo from January through April. Now I'm 2 months past chemo and my life is almost back to normal. I still have fear sometimes, but it is not like at first. The first month or so is the hardest thing I've ever done. The anxiety was so much worse than the surgery or the chemo. Also, at my doctor's suggestion I started on an anti-depressant. I think it really helped. I take Effexor once a day.

    You can do it. You will get better. You will get back to your old life. But it is very scary at the beginning. It's very hard for others to understand. But we understand.

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  • elise24601
    elise24601 Member Posts: 155
    edited June 2016

    I too am consumed with fear - I am 31 (no kids) and worry that both my parents will have to bury me!

    I'm at Stage 3, so more risk of mets/death than you. My mother is 12 years past stage 1 treatment, and healthy as can be. Stage 1 is a great place to be, the survival stats are incredible, try to take comfort in that.

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  • dtad
    dtad Member Posts: 2,323
    edited June 2016

    Hi Kathy....we all get it! I think the younger you are the harder it is to deal with. Having young children makes you even more vulnerable. However this will get better with time. Also could you take a minute to fill out your stats? It makes it much easier to share accurately. Good luck and keep us posted.

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