I Need Your Input

done

**bump**

Thanks for finding the type KSusan, I should have proof read better. I didn't include radiation because Life-math and Predict don't use information about radiation and I'll be using those. I'm guessing they do not include radiation because it is considered a "local" treatment, not systemic.

I truly want to thank everyone for taking the time to help me. I wish I could give you all a chocolate bar!

Debiann is not an insensitive student who wants a better college spot--she is a teacher learning about a specific aspect of doing her job. Moreover, she is a bc patient (triple positive) who has gone through chemo, lumpectomy, mastectomy and targeted therapy. She is eminently qualified to ask us if we’d like to anonymously volunteer our attitudes about death, dying, bc and other causes before and after dx, and her results will be visible to only the other teachers in the workshop. It’s not about “satisfying curiosity.” Those who find the survey insensitive and inappropriate simply shouldn’t participate. Nobody will know who the participants or those refusing to participate are.

Thanks again for those who took the survey. Thank you also to those who didn't take the survey because you were uncomfortable with the topic, at least you took the time to consider helping with my project.

As stated, I am one of you. My doctor tells me to "be positive", "don't think about dying", "we went for a cure", yet sometimes..... the dark thoughts creep in. I think most of you understand. So I woke up one morning and read a post from someone else who was also dealing with the dark thoughts and wondering if she was alone. Her message struck a chord with me.

Later that same day and it was announced that we needed to do a research project to learn how to prepare students for the science fair. We were instructed to think of something we "wondered" about. Immediately I thought "I wonder if all those dx with BC think more about dying (like me) and if so how much more? What would be the norm and what would be excessive? Am I normal? Do we only think more about dying of BC, or do we now think more about dying in general? Does having a more aggressive tumor (like me), mean I worry more?" Thus, my project was born.

I didn't mention all of this in my original post because I didn't want to influence anyone's response. So far I've received close to 50 surveys and I think just about everyone who wanted to participate has likely already done so, so I don't mind discussing this now. There are plenty of "real" studies on post traumatic stress and anxiety about dying after being dx with cancer, so it is a valid topic of interest to others not just something I came up with out of morbid curiosity.

Through my project I also hope to present some facts about breast cancer (early stage and metastatic) and dispel some rumors like, "if you go five years without a recurrence you are cured". So while my audience is small (about 70 professional educators), it will be 70 more people who will now know something more about BC. Maybe it will help them someday.

Debiann, mine was DCIS, stage 0. May I answer your survey or do you not need responses from DCIS?

Thanks Hanley. You're from Bath, PA? I live in Macungie, not to far away. What cancer center do you go too? I had treatment at Lehigh Valley Hospiital, Cedar Crest.

Debiann...we are so very close!

I had all of my chemo @ St. Luke's Cancer Center just up from you on Cetronia Rd in Allentown. My ONC & BS are all located there. I had my surgery @ St. Luke's MD Anderson Campus in Easton and that is where my RO is and that is where I will be having my RADS.

I gave birth to my daughter @ Lehigh Valley Hospital, Cedar Crest. Wonderful care! I would have gone there for treatment but my insurance at the time would only cover one second opinion (stupid insurance) and St. Luke's had an appointment sooner and I ended up with them. So far so good.

It's nice to meet you!

Maryann