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← Return to Cancer Survivor Guilt: What can I do to cope better?
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Cancer Survivor Guilt: What can I do to cope better?
Cancer | Last Active: Apr 26 2:53pm | Replies (21)Comment receiving replies
At this time, I am a 6 year survivor of pancreatic cancer. Several people I know died of pancreatic cancer - my cousin, my brother-in-law, my pastor's wife. I wonder why they died and I didn't. It is especially hard when I meet family members who have lost love ones to this disease. I wonder how they feel that I am still alive when their loved one isn't. I really feel it bothers me more than it bothers them. I think it gives me a greater compassion for those suffering with any type of cancer and those who have family members dealing with cancer.
Replies to "At this time, I am a 6 year survivor of pancreatic cancer. Several people I know..."
What a blessing to have survived this particular cancer. Currently I am in a not too common remission for Myeloma. I consider myself so fortunate that I don’t gravitate towards the why me thinking. Instead I focus on considering how much hope I can offer others fighting this battle. If you need an answer to, “Why me?” then perhaps you have gifts of communication, or evangelism, or personal qualities that open up others to the possibility of success in their fight. You may not easily change direction of thought, but when we focus on others it is impossible for our brain to focus on ourselves at the same time. I hope you can get to a place where you can enjoy the new life you have no matter HOW it happened. The why may not even exist. Will you please check back in down the road when you have had time to readjust your thinking on this? Peace, Nancy
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@marvinjsturing Thanks for liking my post. Bravo for being a cancer survivor and maybe one can think of your gift is compassion for others with this illness for that's your journey. I appreciate your honesty.