New to the board..

I'm sorry that this has happened to you at such a young time in your life, with your life just starting.

Dealing with the emotions surrounding breast cancer is as important as the drug treatment we have, the radiation and the surgery.  You have to experience the emotion so that you can move on from it.

You did have something ripped away from you...your innocence and your health.  It's okay to be mad about that, to be sad about that and to experience that emotion.  And then you reach a point where you pull your socks up and tackle this from the aspect of taking control in any way that you can.  It's a shocking wake up when we realize that we don't always have control over our body.  And we learn in what other ways we do have control and where we can regain our confidence in the world, in our bodies and in our faith.

I had a journal and I wrote my experience; I kept a gratitude journal and every day I wrote down at least 5 things I was grateful for so that I would remember that there is still "good" in life.  I walked and I spent time with friends; joined a support group and enjoyed the things I had always enjoyed before breast cancer.  I'm 2 years from my dx and I am still finding new things to enjoy, new things about myself.  I still experience emotional ups and downs which is natural..it happens in life daily, no matter what we are going through.

If you find it especially difficult to cope with your emotions, talk to your doctor and ask for something to be prescribed that will help you.

Take it daily, take it with patience and be kind to yourself.  Let us know how you are coping, how you are feeling.

So sorry you are going through this.  That first year it seems like all i did was cry and sleep.  It has been 3 years and there are weeks at a time now that you almost forget about it.  Am just now going through reconstruction.  Just take one day at a time and no matter what communicate with your husband and let him in on how you are feeling.  Sending hugs and prayers your way.   Sherry

Hi Samantha,

Sorry you had to join us.  I'm 32, a mom to a 3 & 1 year old.  I was diagnosed in July of this year, I know what you're going through.  I can't say it's easy by any stretch but it does get easier to accept as time goes on.  Are you having chemo before surgery?  I am, I'm halfway through now.  These boards are a great place for support, I've gotten through a lot of hard moments already with these ladies help.