| Coping With the Diagnosis | | | | or not we will get cancer - its selectiveness is so |
| Being told that you have breast cancer is shocking. | | | | random. We can only take measures to reduce the |
| Your first thought may be: "Am I going to die?" or | | | | chances of getting it. |
| "...get this cancer out of me". These feelings are | | | | #5 |
| reasonable; there's no doubt about it cancer | | | | Acceptance |
| turnsyour world upside down. | | | | You have gone through the emotional upheaval and |
| As a breast cancer survivor, I now know that we go | | | | have done your research. Now it's time to deal with |
| through several psychological steps in dealing with a | | | | it. You know everything that you want to know, you |
| breast cancer diagnosis. | | | | know what you want to do, and now it's time to do |
| #1 | | | | it. The initial shock of your diagnosis has passed, and |
| Shock | | | | you know the pros and cons of your treatment |
| Being given the news is shocking. But it's also difficult | | | | options. |
| to believe that you have something as serious as | | | | #6 |
| breast cancer. You thought that you took good care | | | | Dealing with It |
| of yourself and then, sometimes, without a single | | | | The treatment phase can be very stressful and |
| symptom, your world is shattered. Many women feel | | | | physically challenging. This period, in many ways, is an |
| that the initial shock is the worst part of the breast | | | | improvement over the earlier stages because you |
| cancer journey. | | | | are actually doing something to try to defeat the |
| #2 | | | | illness. During this time, allow family and friends to |
| Anger | | | | support you by helping you with the daily routine, let |
| You may feel like your body betrayed you. And in | | | | them. Conserve your strength to fight the cancer. Or |
| spite of your fear of what is yet to come, your | | | | you may find that the number of people who were |
| anger makes you just want to "get rid of it". At this | | | | supportive in the beginning are now starting to |
| stage, it's best to take it a little slow and let the | | | | dwindle. At this point you may want to consider |
| news sink in. There's usually enough time between | | | | joining a breast cancer support group where you'll |
| initial diagnosis and the beginning of treatment to | | | | find women going through the same thing. It can be |
| make any decisions. You don't want to make It's not | | | | an immense help. |
| the time to make decisions that you may regret | | | | #7 |
| later. | | | | Post Treatment Sadness |
| #3 | | | | When you're finished with your treatment you may |
| Investigation | | | | find yourself in a bit of a strange mood or even be |
| You've had time to let things sink in a little and now | | | | depressed. This stage may last several months or |
| it's time to make decisions about different treatment | | | | more. Some doctors say that this is a type of |
| options and which doctors to use. Every woman is | | | | separation anxiety. You were preoccupied during your |
| different as to the degree of their investigation. We | | | | intense treatment phase and now it's over. Now |
| may do extensive research or we may depend on | | | | what? Anxiety and the possibility of depression are |
| family or friends to help with our choices. Others may | | | | not uncommon. Many women find that this is the |
| want to rely on our doctors to help make the | | | | time when they really need the support group. Some |
| decision. No matter what you ultimately decide to do, | | | | women may also want to seek professional guidance. |
| it won't be the wrong decision. When exploring your | | | | This is completely normal. |
| options, your main consideration may be whether or | | | | #8 |
| not to have a mastectomy or pursue a different | | | | Moving On |
| course of action. | | | | Sometimes, it may feel like life will never get back to |
| #4 | | | | normal. Your life has changed, maybe even for the |
| Guilt | | | | better in certain ways. Yet we look for a |
| Many women will tend to feel guilty for having cancer | | | | breakthrough. During this phase a dear friend of mine |
| - a sense that maybe you could have taken better | | | | sent me a card that said "....and then when it seems |
| care of yourself so that this wouldn't have happened. | | | | we will never smile again, life comes back." And you |
| Unfortunately, we don't have control over whether | | | | know what? It's true. |