The Secret Suckiness Of Life After Breast Cancer

Very good, thank you for sharing.

I need a "like" button right now.

So, this is what I have to look forward to? Bummer!

Simbobby - Maybe. Everyone is different. At least if you do go through it, you will not feel like you are nuts. And when you have to smile and nod about how grateful you are, you know you have a safe place here to rant, laugh, vent and then pull it back together.

How are you doing on chemo? Good luck with treatment.

Thanks for sharing this article - helps to hear things so eloquently expressed. So true about people only want to hear that you are OK.

Now there's some Awareness for you!

This is so true, it makes me feel less alone with these feelings. I've occasionally referred to my side effects on letrozole with some female family members and received little to no sympathy. They just don't want to hear about it.

Hi everyone...IMO this is what Pinktober should be about!

What do you think about saying that ^^ to the manager? And asking exactly how much and to whom the company is donating?

I was diagnosed 8/2013...stage 1, no lymph activity (4 removed), didn't need chemo, 35 treatments of radiation. I was estrogen positive, HER2 negative. I consider myself exceptionally lucky. My team of doctors was/is outstanding. The aftermath has been so challenging and downright discouraging. I have recently (5 days ago) voluntarily stopped taking my Letrozole. I'm in such joint & muscle pain that it has become dibilitating. I teach third grade & can barely move around my classroom. My school is all stairs & the pain is fantastic! I did see my oncologist & ask for time off, more like I told him I was done! As you can't well imagine he was not thrilled. We settled on 6 weeks during which time I will be seeing a rheumatologist for advice/relief & bloodwork to see what is going on. I warned my oncologist that after the 6 weeks I have every intention of going for 6 more & starting back on Tamoxifen which I tolerated so much better. I'm done with the aromatase inhibitors. Turning over a new leaf to eat an anti inflammatory diet & stop drinking-maybe that's why I'm really ticked haha, & exercise. I'm no whiner & have been blessed with a great sense of humor but I'm frustrated. Anyone else been through or going through this? Any advice? Thanks

Everyone has the right to their own responses to tying marketing / sales to breast cancer, but just as an FYI, Panera Bread has donated over $2 million to breast cancer organizations. Their Pink Ribbon Bagel program was started by a franchise who is a long time survivor, originally diagnosed with Stage III breast cancer. Some franchisees donate 100% of their Pink Ribbon bagel sales one day each year.

I'm not defending abusive marketing practices, like slapping a pink ribbon on any old product to promote "awareness" while not donating more than a pittance (if anything) to research or tangible support for women in need. That is truly loathsome. I don't have the visceral response to pink that some do, BUT admittedly have problems with the images of smiling, beautiful, perfectly made up women beaming at the camera when the realities of breast cancer are so trying and ugly.

As to the general concept of suckiness, I had numerous complications during treatment, deal daily with knowing my triple negative cancer is relatively high risk and that I have genetic mutations associated with chemo and radiation therapy resistance. I have lymphedema as well as neuropathy in my hands, shins and both feet, the latter affecting my gait and balance. Adding that to the fatigue associated with decades of severe Fibromyalgia makes me wonder if I'll ever be able to return to the part-time jobs I need both financially and emotionally. I'll likely never recover from the financial hit of paying catastrophic out-of-pocket co-pays. THAT is my cancer reality and it ain't pretty.

Lyn

jackster15...completely agree!

I agree with the disconnect between the "pink" campaigns and the reality of BC. I'm a nurse and still had no idea of how scary BC is! What is portrayed is a strong, healthy, and happy survivors group. The true story is quite a bit different:

- having to be strong in the midst of feeling anything but,

- trying to be healthy while the treatments are whittling you away,

- working your way back to happiness but never really carefree again.

That's the true story of BC and its aftermath.

I never felt like I needed a support group during cancer treatment, I had great support in real life and these boards for questions. Plus I had enough on my plate! But now I feel like I need a breast cancer group just to have a safe place to vent. I am extremely "lucky" all things considered, but some days I really need to just commiserate with people that get it! This article is so validating.

NotVeryBrave - Stated very well!