I am a cancer survivor

I, too was diagnosed with endometrial CA stage 1. Treated with surgery. 5 years later diagnosed with stage 4 peritoneal CA. Treated with radiation and chemo. 2 years later, am OK, followed with PET scans. Initially I objected to being labeled as "palliative." Then realized I am still me, despite labels. My hair grew in from bald state, I am stronger, I can function pretty independently.
I didn't want to tell family.

I think of myself as a survivor, not a victim. Many I am in contact with have cancer. I try to help with support, education. We each deal with our cancer in our own way. There are many resources, on line and in person. My faith helped me greatly.
My chemo experience wasn't fun. If there is a recurrence, I dread the chemo. I try not to think too much about cancer. The experience increased my resiliency.
This is a good site to share. My heartfelt wishes to all to be strong and positive.

@merpreb
hi, i don't know how to send you private message. i was just recently diagnosed with lung cancer. i have my appointment for surgery this week but thinking of just getting the sbrt instead. please help me. what do you think of it?

I’m also a cancer survivor, was diagnosed in 2020 with stage 1 lung cancer, blessed with early detection, they performed a lobectomy and I was done with further treatment, about 2 years later I had a wedge removed in another lung and no other treatment. I truly feel blessed with how things went but truthfully I still struggle mentally from anxiety, I have found that talking to God has helped me a lot to keep moving forward. I think that how one copes with this disease is based a lot on your own personality, some people I read about here are truly brave souls and I envy their positive mindset even in the face of so much adversity. I do try to focus on my blessings and battle with pushing the negative thoughts away so it’s basically a work in progress.

One day at a time. Try to see the good, the positive. Take joy in small wins. Today, I can swallow a bit more food. Today I walked 3 more steps. Pain seems less.
Early in my survivor saga, I couldn't experience, see beyond 2 feet. Gradually this expanded.
My new best friends were other cancer survivors, who could relate. Knowing I was not alone lifted my spirits. My faith, practicing gratitude, accepting the "new" me, helped me. Although initially it was hard; hardest thing I've ever done.
My heart and thoughts go out to you.

Welcome @mypinkheels25, I see that you have also found the lung cancer group. That's great!
The decisions related to treatments are difficult, and highly personal. I have a late-stage lung cancer so, I didn't have many choices, but I did have an early-stage breast cancer too which brought many treatment decisions. It's not easy. Have you consulted with your doctor/s? Maybe a primary care provider that knows you, and your overall picture of health?

I try to treat my body with exercise and getting out into nature. Even if it just your backyard. I have been on a feeding tube for 3 years and will probably be on it for the rest of my life. You have to find the joy. Even if it is just a distraction.

This is a new thread for me. Reading the experience of others has been wonderful. We will all handle this in our own way. I am a 7-year cancer survivor. A few years ago, someone asked me if I ever forget about it. It took no time at all to answer "no". Between all of the cancer drug commercials, the constant pop-up ads on my phone and computer, and the cancer story line in so many TV shows, it is impossible to forget. I was so incredibly lucky that my diagnosis came very early. The first question I asked myself when they told me those dreaded words was not "Why me?" It was "What is God's plan for me?" Followed by "What did I do wrong and how can I figure out never to do it again?" As far as God's plan, once I was done with my treatments, my mother-in-law was also diagnosed with cancer, also early stages. I was able to help her deal with the questions she had, what to do when food was no longer appetizing, just plain how to cope. Not long after helping her, a cousin was also diagnosed with cancer. She was at stage 3 Endometrial cancer. Again, I was able to offer suggestions of what to do when she was anxious, had a bad day, and how to deal with the hair loss. I believe it was God's plan for me to be there to help these two important women in my life. Research into the side effects from the chemo cocktail I was given continues and being kept updated on that has been a comfort. Mayo Clinic has always been there for me answering every question I had and if they didn't have an answer, they took the extra time and effort to get that answer. I still have in the back of my mind that someday, I will be diagnosed with some other form of cancer but until then, I just keep trying to enjoy all of the little things in my incredible life. I know my limits and I adjust. I make time for the grandkids, my beautiful flowers, friends, cooking, reading books, exercise, and just keep learning. Thank you for this thread and I will continue to enjoy reading about the experience of others. It sure does help all of us who happen to be a part of this club. God bless all of you.