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Facing Cancer Recurrence, PTSD & Acknowledging Mental Health
Cancer: Managing Symptoms | Last Active: Sep 24 10:31am | Replies (447)Comment receiving replies
I had somehow never seen this post until yesterday. I was diagnosed with stage 2A triple negative breast cancer (the most aggressive kind) almost exactly 3 years ago. After a lumpectomy, chemo and radiation, I finally finished treatment in June....11 months later. I had several chemos postponed to to blood counts. In March 2018, they found a malignant nodule in my lung. Initially it was assumed to be metastatic breast cancer but, lucky me, it was lung cancer. I had a wedge resection and went on my merry way with no chemo or radiation. It was stage 1A. In Nov. 2018, they found another nodule. It was too small to biopsy. We waited 3 mos., had another scan and now there were 2, possibly 3 nodules, which were all too small to biopsy. That 3rd possible nodule, radiology didn’t see but the surgeon thought he did. That one was in the same lung. Tho other two are in the opposite lung. I’ll be rescanned July 25. They need to know if this is lung cancer or breast cancer before proceeding. I'm hoping they’re large enough to biopsy now.
When I say I’m hoping they’re large enough to biopsy, that's only half true. A part of me hopes they’re still too small but mentally, I’m not sure how I’ll make it another few months without totally flipping out. There are some other family issues that are stressing me out and the combination of all of them sometimes seems just too much to handle. My parents are thankfully still living and in reasonably good health considering they are 88 and 89 years young. They live 3 blocks from me but my nearest sibling is over 1100 miles away so my husband and I are the ones who do whatever they need doing. We have a 49 yr old son with some disabilities and marital issues who recently moved in with us and after 25 years of not having anyone living with us full time, this has been stressful. Our other 2 sons both live over 1000 miles away and the one who moved in lived 800 miles away until he moved in with us.
My salvation is that we live near a beach and I go almost every day and walk and sit. I try to walk at least 3 miles a day and frequently walk around 6. I think it helps me keep my sanity. I tend to cry....when I’m happy, when I’m sad, and frankly for no discernible reason at all. My husband has been a rock throughout all of this. The fact that we drive 1 1/2 hrs each way to see drs. at Mayo Jax makes things a bit more difficult too. I am 69 yrs old.
Replies to "I had somehow never seen this post until yesterday. I was diagnosed with stage 2A triple..."
@cwm1- Good morning. I hope that this finds you on a sunny beach. You are a super woman and in need of putting your foot down to some of your demands. I can't imagine how you are handling all of this.
First to your cancer- It sounds as if you might have Multifocal Adenocarcinoma of the lung. I have this and have survived 22 years after having many nodules that have come and gone and 4 that needed removal. Hopefully your type of cancer will be large enough to biopsy or the radiologist can tell if it is MAC (Multifocal Adenocarcinoma of the lung).
Your own health should come first but I think that under the present circumstances you need to think this too. If there is no way that you can turn your son out than he should be asked to take up slack by helping care for his grandparents. Your other siblings should also take part in this care. There are planes. It's a tough situation, I know. But you can't do everything and take care of yourself.
How about this, make two lists. One should be your top priorities and ones that you have control over.
Is it possible, that if your son isn't capable of caring for his grandparents, that they or you hire help to lessen your burden? Can you have food delivered for example, house keeping help, anything? The American Cancer Society can help with this, maybe your house of worship?
Then make a list with things that you have no control over- and put them in a drawer and forget about them until things change. I know that it won't stop your worrying about your son, but you have housed and fed him. He's warm and loved. The rest should be up to
Please, please don't assume so many duties-now it's your time to take care of yourself. This is a very difficult time for you and if you haven't asked the rest of your family to help, this is the right time and will help reduce your stress level., don't you think?
I too “had” elderly parents to attend to and it seemed I was alone in that until I finally reached out to my step-siblings to re-enter their dad’s life. Then there was just mom who was 90 when I was my sickest. My siblings all lived either on the west coast or in the mid-west and one lived in Asia. When asked to help they all were not able. One had passed the previous year with multiple metastatic cancers, another just diagnosed with bladder cancer (which is now metastatic), my significant other had just gone through colon surgery, and then I was diagnosed with Carcinoid Cancer and went through surgery. Luckily one son stepped-up to the plate to help with mom. Less than four months post-surgery, while still trying to arrange meetings with Alzheimer’s agency reps for her future institutional care, mom passed away. I, as her executrix, was the one to settle her estate which included out-of-State property. We get through “the stuff” in life even at the worst times. For me, my reliance was on my God and his son Jesus to guide me. Though others I thought could help but failed to do so, my help came from unexpected sources when I sought that power higher than myself.
@cwm1 I hope you been walking nonstop? I sure was wandering like a lost soul after my double trouble cancer diagnosis. I can relate to the crying, plus I was hyperventilating with the crying. Which I had never hyperventilated before in my life.
I have no siblings or parents left. Just a husband and 2 sons. My sons do not live near me at all..
Have you looked into the Livestrong program at all? They have people that help guide you through the double trouble nightmare maze you are dealing with. They also have a free 12 week YMCA workout program to help you keep your mind distracted with fitness trainers.
They helped me a lot when i could barely get out of bed. I used to think what for? The exercise program was a nice healthy distraction. Another thing I did was meet with a dietitian to help work out a nutritional plan to help focus on. Foods that help starve off Cecum cancer and Follicular Lymphoma.
You need to Focus on you right now. Your body needs you strong and focused to heal yourself.
Take the time to block out your stresses and regroup your strengths to heal.
Can you please let us know how your Dr visit goes on 7/25?
I been bouncing on, and off so I will watch for your post.
Praying for the best for you..
Jackie
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Oh dear. You have your hands full. But your health is most important. These small lesions should come out whether they are bio-siblie or not. Do you have a sympathetic doctor? You need someone to hold you together! Thisistoo much worry. See if there is a social worker who can help.Good luck....