Thoughts and wishes for the New Year?

My thoughts for the New Year are to continue to live each day to the fullest. Work to be that person that is always happy and fun to be around. And pray for a cure for this awful disease so that my niece who may/may not have the same mutation does not have to endure the crap I have been thru!

To All,

I feel for you. I hate that I got breast cancer, that I had to have chemo, lost my hair, had my breast burnt to a crisp, and now the horror and fatigue and brain fog of tamoxifen. I am sorry my friends, I do not find this a quality-of-life, and I feel like my life is over as I knew it. I will never be with a male partner again, not with this fat belly. I'm disgusted beyond belief. I'm so sorry, just being honest. I'm glad many of you have someone to support you. I have friends but no family around. My life ended as far as I'm concerned the day I got the diagnosis. I'm worn out from worrying about the shadow of cancer and recurrence! Wishing you all well and glad for those of you that can be positive!!

Why2015...lots of men find fat bellies super sexy. Just saying

My Preferences

I hope not to require sympathy either before or after my upcoming surgery, just kindness.

I wish not to produce a dark cloud of bad news over the Christmas season for my extended family, so I have told only a select few about this. I hope the others don't find out about the diagnosis until after the surgery is over, and after Christmas. I prefer not to answer a bunch of questions over the phone, even though I know these people care about me.

I prefer a simple and speedy recovery from MX coming in January, so I will not get reconstruction. I am not too proud to wear a "falsie" in my bra. I hope my pair of triple D's becoming just one, will not create back problems because of the difference in weight when one breast is gone.

I will use this situation to push the "reset" button in a few areas of my life. One is my marriage; and also my health and weight loss, a new start.

I am willing to use this crisis to motivate myself to change my eating habits. Namely, I am willing to mostly embrace the "Eat to Live" diet book (Dr. Joel Fuhrman) which my doctor recommended and which will help me lose weight.

I vow to take better care of my own dreams and goals from now on, because I realize that my life is more fragile than I thought. Louise Hay ("You can Heal Your LIfe") says that breast cancer is possible only with certain underlying attitudes, namely not loving and nurturing yourself very well, and having some resentments, too. Whether I fully believe in her stuff, the jury is still out, but I have been guilty of putting others' needs ahead of my own for most of my life and I am 57.

I have not given myself the time to color easter eggs for about 6 years in a row. So, I think it is really important that I use this pre-surgery time frame to remap my life and make sure I do not get off track with what is important to me personally. It's time for a bucket list, too.

I hope that my more cheerful attitude will return soon. I feel like a wounded bird.

Edited to shorten and get rid of some of the drama on 12/11!

My thoughts and feelings as we approach this new year is that I continue to have the strength and positive attitude to take on whatever comes my way in the new year. My diagnosis came as a real shock but the reality has certainly set in after the numerous doctor appointments and the routine of chemo. In the new year, I will lose my breast, have reconstruction and radiation and I am sure more tests.

The diagnosis, as hard as it has been, has shown me that people are compassionate and so many people have come to help support my family. It has given me an opportunity to see kindness in myself and others. I have an incredible respect for the doctors and nurses that I have come across and to everyone in the health field. BC has also taught me to not sweat the small stuff.....maybe my kids have received a more loving mother because of what I have learned in such a short time.

I just pray that I will be able to see my kids grow up and that I grow old with my husband. Nothing in life is guaranteed and I am grateful for today but I hope for more tomorrow's.

Thanks, moderators. This is going to be my favorite place to write. I am all about the feelings!!!

I am really grateful that I have a Breast Surgeon/cancer specialist that I trust completely. I feel that I am in very good hands. .

Hello all!

The very first thought that came to me when I saw this thread is to express my wholehearted gratitude and appreciation to the entire Breast Cancer Organization, all the officers and staff including its wonderful Moderators for maintaining such a wonderful organization which helps so many cancer patients, their families, friends, and even possibly other medical organizations, academes and researchers, et.al., who all benefitted and or continue to benefit from this site for its wonderful generous sharing of invaluable knowledge, information, care, concern and support worldwide! May BCO, and all those involved thrive and be more blessed in every aspect of their respective lives and spirit.

As for the wishes, I guess I just want to suggest that maybe they can add more updated information about world statistics and rankings with regard to cancer incidence and mortality rates. It is important for us to find out more about the etnicity, behavior, nutrition and lifestyle of those countries that have low cancer rates for us to study or try to emulate. What their people do, what they eat, what they do about their environments, what their government's policies are, their plans for helping cancer research and patients, how countries can cooperate and link to share knowledge for the ultimate cure and treatment of all forms of cancer.

Nutrition, which is a very important part of every cancer patient's recovery can be enhanced or supported by BCO thru more research and sharing of categorized food/nutrients/vitamins with specific explanations about what their individual effects are on the body and what's good for each cancer-specific patient. Natural foods or supplements which are scarce in certain countries can be remedied by providing alternative options of those foods/supplements which are abundantly found in their own areas. An example maybe is to have an alternative for brocolli which is abundant in Western countries but which can be replaced with Okra, having equivalent nutritional values and more abundant in Asian countries. Things like this.

The same strategy above can be applied to drugs and medicines specific to chemo treatments and support medicines. I think a whole lot of achievements can be done, if only countries, especially their governments, big pharma companies, medical orgs, academes, minorities including complimentary and alternative medicines combine their efforts "unselfishly" for the good of mankind.

There are many other areas of improvement that can be done to improve the production, procurement and distribution of cancer food and drugs which can significantly lower the price and made available to cancer patients if only researches and investors give enough focus and attention.

Ok,I have to wrap this up before it gets complicated, Lol!

Again, my heartfelt thanks to the entire BCO and all the wonderful ladies and gentlemen I have met on the Discussion boards. You all Rock!!!

Best Regards and Happy Holidays!

Gina

Next year, which is also "next month" already (!) I will be celebrating the four year anniversary of my double mastectomy, and my 61st birthday. I have survived breast cancer twice. In 2016, I rode a Clydesdale, went to my first air show, vacationed and kayaked in Delaware with my sister and our two dogs in the cutest beach cottage, and am still picking at my scalp (delayed stress from the breast cancers, IMO). I have chronic pain, but I am here. Life is a very precious gift. It is joyful to still be here, living my life with the best sister ever, best dogs ever, and now the best cat ever (adopted just before Halloween).As New Year's Eve approaches, I am infinitely grateful for this website where this group of comrades-in-arms can find support and understanding. I am grateful for all those who are working hard to fund raise for cancer research, for those doing research to find the cure, and especially for those in the medical profession who smile and say hello to us day after day while helping us win our fight. For these folks have had to say goodbye to many who have lost their fight, yet they keep on helping. To all of you - thank you from the bottom of my heart. It is because of you that I will be able to welcome in the year 2017, and many years to come.

I wondered on to Google after I was told "you have. breast cancer" in 2011......thinking after having a heart attack in 2007, that I had dodged cancer, and was grateful.......4 years later I heard news that no one wants to get..........after burying my husband when he was 57 dying from Pancreatic cancer, you think "this can't be happening again "........but it did............

The absolute best thing that came out of that bad news was me seeing on Google a website called BCO.Org.........I got hope, inspiration , love, laughs, tears, but most of all I got "Friends".......

I am 81 now, blessed with 6 wonderful children...18 grandchildren...and 6 great grandchildren with another coming in 2017........I have family, I have love, I have life............I have hope...........but above all I have "faith".....that however the Good Lord wants this story to end its in his hands............

Every day is a bonus....every negative mammogram another day to live, and I attend to fly into heaven when it is my time saying......."IT WAS A GREAT RIDE, AND A GREAT LIFE"......It doesn't get better then that..........Wonderful 2017 to my dear friends........and to the amazing BCO Moderaators...........

Ducky,

I love your post. It was so positive and beautiful.

Have a Blessed 2017!

Cindy

Dear Why:

I feel your pain, but remember there are others worse off than us. Yes, your life may never be the same, but it might even be better, because you can help others if you desire too. There is no greater joy in helping others, but this is just my belief. Things in our life happen for reasons, but we have to choose the attitudes that we are going to live with.

I pray your faith is strong, and keep positive; to weather the storms that might come up. Just take some small little steps to help encourage yourself, like walking, eating better. being thankful etc... Reach out to your friends, and continue to stay involved in their lives, as much as you possibly can. Even if you can call them on the phone, it helps you see that you can still be a friend to them. It will help you see that your still have value.

I struggle with why too, but I am beginning to see how I can help others after 2 and 1/2 years. In fact, I meet many others in the stores, and various places that I patronize, that are survivors too. You life may have just begun, but in a whole new way. For instance, I can't use the shampoo I used to use, and did not understand how this good work out to be a good thing. Therefore, one day I started looking for "sulfate free" products, and lo and behold; I met another cancer survivor, and we exchanged names and phone numbers. This is just one of the many blessings that can happen.

Don't give up on life, because it dealt you "a crappy hand", fight back Why! Start discovering how you can make your life better, with what you are having to go through. I am not saying this is easy, but it can be accomplished if you choose.

Praying for you,

Cindy

My thoughts and wishes for 2017 include continuing to make strides for better health; Begin my hormone AI plus supression shot without a hitch; Give back to others emotionally, spiritually, mentally, as others have given to me; Enjoy my husband and children with all of my being; Help makes strides against breast cancer, breast cancer recurrence and any cancer in general. Keep a positive attitude, because it is contagious......