Staying positive: How do you do it?

I joked and laughed throughout treatment, except when I couldn't. Chemo was not fun, but there were bright spots. There were also some rough periods. I cried when I first found out I had a malignancy.

For example, I passed out light-up rings to everybody in the uh-oh breast cancer waiting room, all women in fuschia smocks . I completed chemo and, when it was my turn to ring the bell, I brought my own soundtrack: An old disco song with the refrain "You can ring my bell-ell-ell, ring my bell. My bell." I wore my Diamondbacks attire to chemo when the DBacks were playing Game 1 of the World Series.

I’m in 2 years of having my bilateral, I have brca II. My incision is still painful, anyone else having this issue? As far as my mental state, I’m still anxious about cancer returning somewhere else. My mother passed away from breast cancer, my sister passed away from breast cancer, as well as my aunt. I’ve had a hysterectomy. My 2 girls one got tested the other one has not. My youngest daughter was negative. I’m not in a good place right now, now I have to get a pacemaker I have irregular heartbeat. So tired of all this. I have a wonderful husband thank the dear Lord! Is anyone else going through this???

Thank you for that, you sound like me but you have reached the other side, thank goodness for you! My biggest problem is the waiting for tumor to shrink and then surgery. Once I am on the road to recovery I hope my anxiety will wane and I can get to where you are.

You sound like a fun, positive person! Good luck on your journey. Thank you for making me smile.

Yes! I find being outside is a great benefit! Every little accomplishment is a step forward! Do what makes you happy!!!😊

Being grateful for the things that you have , helps to focus in the positive part of all this.

I ask God for wisdom to learn whatever this phase of my life is trying to teach me . I’m focused on enjoying life, enjoying small things such as a sunset , the company of my little daughter and my husband, having the support of my family . I’m also reading a lot , learning new things…

Cancer is here to teach us something but don’t let it be the center of your life…

I have trouble staying positive. Not sure what is next. After mammogram was a more detailed one, then biopsy, lumpectomy, and now told there was 2mm spot that now makes my breast cancer Invasive. Now I have to have a Sentinel node biopsy to see if it has spread. Not sure what the next step is but it is hard waiting. I don't want surgery but then the unknown is worse which is why I have trouble staying positive. I end up crying due to thinking about all of the "what if's" . Any suggestions? I think they term mine as Stage 1. They want me to do radiation but please pray I don't have anything in my lymph nodes.

@annette3
Welcome to Mayo Connect, many members in this group have been in same place you are in. I think the unknown at beginning was the worst part of diagnosis. It seemed like there was always another test. I just wanted to have treatment plan and move forward.

After my biopsy, they did a MRI and saw suspicious lymph node, so did the sentinel node biopsy / removal during my lumpectomy surgery.

Have you already had the lumpectomy?

I am about to start my radiation treatments. I’ve been given a handout on cream called Glaxal Base Cream for burns. Has anyone used this or does anyone have any suggestions for something they found was better. A few weeks ago I saw a post where someone mentioned, what I thought, was udder cream. I just can’t remember exactly and I can’t find the post. Any help is welcome. I don’t know why but this has got me so anxious. After everything else I know it’s a minor thing, maybe it’s just the anxiety has built up. I feel silly saying that it’s an issue.
I only have to have 5 treatments but apparently they are quite strong.

I love to laugh, and I'm always happy to make a fellow human being smile. I grab any fun within reach. It does, however, throw off some (but not all) docs to have a jokey, cheerful breast cancer patient. I'm the one with cancer -- I get to have as much fun as I can. The doc who did my biopsy was great. I was very stoned (legal pot), the doc was very witty, I felt zero pain, and we laughed our butts off.

Parts of treatment were awful, of course. But I did chemo while I still had a chance to be cured, because, if the cancer returns, I do not want to be beating myself up for ignoring medical advice at the Mayo Clinic when I still had a shot at a cure.