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Talking Frankly about Living with Advanced Cancer
Cancer | Last Active: Jun 18, 2023 | Replies (508)Comment receiving replies
i think it helps to read how other people are trying to deal with the same problems. i think it makes me realize other's have the same thought and feelings and know we are not the only ones. i have had pancreatic cancer since 2015 which is a miracle i am still here to me. i was NED for almost 3 years and now have a recurrence and mets in my lungs. At first another Dr ws able to ablate 5 mets but now there are 20 small ones and about 5 are growing slowly so that makes me feel guilty. There are always people who have a harder life to live or easier one than we do so comparing is not helpful. What i think helps is that you learn from each other how to look at things differently and hear ideals that help you put it all in perspective. i am 72 and old age is when we typically get cancer. But when i hear of younger people getting it it is tragic. My oncologists said even if he had a crystal ball he couldn't say what kind of road lies ahead. It is like the blind leading the blind sort of. Take it one day at a time i guess.
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My best friend lost her husband to bone cancer within the last year. NOW my husband has pancreatic cancer. The best advice she gave me was ONE DAY AT TIME. It’s a long journey.
@leighs2011 I am 70 years old and was diagnosed with endometrial cancer at age 67. It's hard not to compare my diagnosis and story with others and feel that maybe my cancer and journey are not all that bad. A psychiatrist once told me that this is my journey and my life and so feeling the way I did at the time about my circumstances is valid. I did not understand that at the time but I do now. I feel blessed to have insurance and the means to get the cancer care that I do. One day at a time, sometimes one hour at a time.
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@leighs2011 Yes, I agree. Each person's journey is unique, and in sharing we can reveal what works for us. So many times I will read a post, and have an "ah-ha!" moment, and be able to add another tool to my arsenal as I navigate my own path.
Do I say "congratulations" for working this many years with pancreatic cancer? It is indeed a sneaky cancer, that one! I really like your attitude, and am wishing nothing but what works best for you.
Ginger