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I am a cancer survivor

Posted by Helen, Volunteer Mentor @naturegirl5, Sep 25, 2019

I was diagnosed with Stage 1a endometrioid adenocarcinoma following a radical hysterectomy in August at Mayo. I'm fortunate that my cancer was caught at a very early stage and was not aggressive. My follow-up visit with my doctor at Mayo was last week and I was given my packet about cancer survivorship.

A new perception of myself to work through-I am a cancer survivor. How do I deal with this? How do you deal with this?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Cancer Support Group.

dreamwithdom | @dreamwithdom | Jan 22 5:56pm
In reply to @JustinMcClanahan "Hi @dreamwithdom, I moved your discussion and combined it with an existing discussion titled, "I am..." + (show)
@JustinMcClanahan

Hi @dreamwithdom, I moved your discussion and combined it with an existing discussion titled, "I am cancer survivor," - https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/i-am-a-cancer-survivor/.

I did this so you could meet other Connect members like @naturegirl5 and @marvinjsturing who also shared their cancer survivor story. You may also be interested in sharing your story with other Hodgkin Lymphoma members here, https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/hodgkin-lymphoma-was-stable-now-new-activity/ who may find your experience useful and inspirational.

Like @loribmt mentioned, were you in treatment for the past 11 years? What was the most difficult part of that treatment?

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Thank you for moving my discussion.

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dreamwithdom | @dreamwithdom | Jan 22 6:02pm
In reply to @javajude "I am a grateful 4year survivor of Stage 1A breast cancer, and I am extremely grateful..." + (show)
@javajude

I am a grateful 4year survivor of Stage 1A breast cancer, and I am
extremely grateful for that. For the past several months my husband and I
have become rotating full time caregivers for our son who is battling Cmml
Leukemia at Mayo. I really feel down and lonely at times since I am away
from family and friends. It&apos;s so easy to forget about taking care of me.

Judi Maddock

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@javajude Wow this is a crazy story, I could imagine this being very difficult. I am sure your son appreciates you so much for everything you do for him. I know going through my cancer battle I could not have done it without the help of my Mom.

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dreamwithdom | @dreamwithdom | Jan 22 6:04pm
In reply to @marvinjsturing "As a 5 year survivor of pancreatic cancer, I thank God every day for another day..." + (show)
@marvinjsturing

As a 5 year survivor of pancreatic cancer, I thank God every day for another day of life. Things have not turned out the way I had expected and planned for my life. Surgery for my cancer made me a Type I diabetic and chemo indirectly damaged my kidneys so now I am waiting for a transplant. I have learned to live with my physical limitations at this time, but I do what I can to enjoy life and spend as much time as possible with family (especially the grandkids) and friends. I can't control what has happened to me but I can control how i react and respond to my situation. I look around me and see so many people who are worse off than I am and i am thankful for the life that I have.

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@marvinjsturing Your story is very special man, I would love to be able to connect more and share stories. I love your attitude with this around what you can and can't control. Thats all you can do, it could always be worse.

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Lynne Marie | @lbrockme | Jan 25 9:30am

Congratulations!
I am a cancer survivor, first diagnosis in 1991, second different one in 2018 and third different cancer dx in 2019 .
Lots of treatment, surgeries and other affects but I am a survivor and cancer does not control my focus! I am living present in every moment and thankful for each one!

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1 reply
dreamwithdom | @dreamwithdom | Jan 25 12:46pm
In reply to @lbrockme "Congratulations! I am a cancer survivor, first diagnosis in 1991, second different one in 2018 and..." + (show)
@lbrockme

Congratulations!
I am a cancer survivor, first diagnosis in 1991, second different one in 2018 and third different cancer dx in 2019 .
Lots of treatment, surgeries and other affects but I am a survivor and cancer does not control my focus! I am living present in every moment and thankful for each one!

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@lbrockme Man, thats an incredible story. I love your attitude with this, I'm sure thats helped you overcome your battles.

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debrajean674 | @debrajean674 | Jan 26 1:36pm
In reply to @dreamwithdom "My name is Dominique Muhammad and I am a cancer survivor. I was diagnosed with Hodgkins..." + (show)
@dreamwithdom

My name is Dominique Muhammad and I am a cancer survivor. I was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma stage 4 when I was 19 and have now been in remission for about a year, I am just about to turn 30.

I am looking to connect with fellow cancer survivors, please reach out or add me if you have beaten cancer.

Thank you

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Hi there I'm a cancer survivor I survive ovarian cancer...

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1 reply
dreamwithdom | @dreamwithdom | Jan 26 6:15pm
In reply to @debrajean674 "Hi there I'm a cancer survivor I survive ovarian cancer..." + (show)
@debrajean674

Hi there I'm a cancer survivor I survive ovarian cancer...

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@debrajean674 Thats amazing, what stage of cancer were you diagnosed with?

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Denise | @denisestlouie | Dec 11 5:43am

I won't use the word surviver. I'm a surviver if I live through a tornado. In a tornado your passive. You cross your finger and pray that your shelter is enough. But with health issues and that is what cancer is a health issue, I am actively working to correct the problem. I'm not surviving. I'm fighting. I will fight nearly every day.

My parents named me Denise Louise. Denise derives from Dionysus the god of wine-making, orchards and fruit, vegetation, fertility, festivity, insanity, ritual madness, religious ecstasy, and theatre. Louise is a worrier. I like to joke that I'm a Drunken Warrior. But it is the warrior that I identify most with. I have images of me as Zena the princesses warrior fighting for justice. In hard times I just turn to my Warrior and I fight like hell.

Everything I have done since the cancer diagnosis has been to preserve my warrior image. I tell few people of my situation. I don't want to be thought of as a cancer victim or survivor. I don't want people to know I'm a warrior either. I just want to be thought of as Denise. Caring, funny and fun Denise. Denise the goddess of festivities. Few people know my middle name. She is just for me. Louise is my strength. My secret weapon.

Things happen to people. That's the flaw of being human. So maybe I'm not a goddess really, but I bet you I'm a demigod.

Denise

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1 reply
Mentor
Helen, Volunteer Mentor | @naturegirl5 | Dec 11 8:23am
In reply to @denisestlouie "I won't use the word surviver. I'm a surviver if I live through a tornado. In..." + (show)
@denisestlouie

I won't use the word surviver. I'm a surviver if I live through a tornado. In a tornado your passive. You cross your finger and pray that your shelter is enough. But with health issues and that is what cancer is a health issue, I am actively working to correct the problem. I'm not surviving. I'm fighting. I will fight nearly every day.

My parents named me Denise Louise. Denise derives from Dionysus the god of wine-making, orchards and fruit, vegetation, fertility, festivity, insanity, ritual madness, religious ecstasy, and theatre. Louise is a worrier. I like to joke that I'm a Drunken Warrior. But it is the warrior that I identify most with. I have images of me as Zena the princesses warrior fighting for justice. In hard times I just turn to my Warrior and I fight like hell.

Everything I have done since the cancer diagnosis has been to preserve my warrior image. I tell few people of my situation. I don't want to be thought of as a cancer victim or survivor. I don't want people to know I'm a warrior either. I just want to be thought of as Denise. Caring, funny and fun Denise. Denise the goddess of festivities. Few people know my middle name. She is just for me. Louise is my strength. My secret weapon.

Things happen to people. That's the flaw of being human. So maybe I'm not a goddess really, but I bet you I'm a demigod.

Denise

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@denisestlouie Like you I'm very careful who I reveal my cancer diagnosis to. At some level, though, I have to decide who to share my private life with. The more open I am the more support I get.

If you came up an alternative to "cancer survivor" would it be "cancer goddess" or "cancer warrior"? Or may drop "cancer" altogether and refer to yourself as a "warrior?

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2 replies
Denise | @denisestlouie | Dec 11 10:42am
In reply to @naturegirl5 "@denisestlouie Like you I'm very careful who I reveal my cancer diagnosis to. At some level,..." + (show)
@naturegirl5

@denisestlouie Like you I'm very careful who I reveal my cancer diagnosis to. At some level, though, I have to decide who to share my private life with. The more open I am the more support I get.

If you came up an alternative to "cancer survivor" would it be "cancer goddess" or "cancer warrior"? Or may drop "cancer" altogether and refer to yourself as a "warrior?

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Drop cancer all together. I hate labels. I'll talk about all the time in these forums. I don't want to talk about it in person. Maybe it's just still to new. I'm approaching 6 mos.

Maybe I'll feel different in the future.

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