Not Exactly Remission but a Lull. How to approach this?

Posted by Miriam, Volunteer Mentor @mir123, May 13, 2023

Ten months ago I discovered a lump in my left breast. Then came months of diagnostics--it was an unusual NET--rare and aggressive in any case. Then months of delay as kidney disease was diagnosed and nephrologist had to weigh in on anesthesia etc. Then lumpectomy, 3 weeks of radiation, and AI. Tolerated all this. No chemo or targeted immunotherapy due to my preference.
Now active treatment is over. My oncologist will monitor me and do blood work every 90 days. I've been told I can live for a few years, but most likely the cancer will spread. How have other people dealt with this uncertainty? I'm happy be alive and with my family, and feel ok. I'm retired, almost 70, and I was set to go to grad school just for my own edification when I got the diagnosis. I can think of lots of things I like to do--but I feel remote from other people who seem unaware that we are all mortal. I'll take a minimalist approach to future treatment. Should I have short-term goals? Aspirations? Just hunker down in daily life? This experience has changed me--and that is fine--but I can't just go back to living the way I was. Advice welcome! Love the chat board--much gratitude.

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

@rhongirl

Mortality. A part of the reality in the world we live in. When things are going well in life, we tend to put our thoughts of a life-with-a-stopping-point far from our daily thoughts. But when catastrophic illness or accident comes our way, those thoughts of life and death surface so readily in our minds. It's our human condition to want to live, and its so natural to think that our last day will not be today.

I am 3 1/2 years out from TNBC. Though there are scars and other physical factors that remind me of where I've been, it is the processing of the trauma that remains, too. The Bible tells us to "teach us to number our days, that we might present to You a heart of wisdom". It's wise to remember that our days are limited - that there is a beginning and an end. That truth impacts how we live every single day, and the choices we make are born as a result of that truth.

So whether its a class, spending more time with friends and family, mentoring the next generation, saying those all-important things we forget to say to others, helping and volunteering, starting a new project, painting. . . it's that we make the choice to LIVE. There was a point that I finally reengaged with life. . . I started growing my hair again after a few years . . . I started that 30-year-long dream of remodeling my kitchen (we are still into the process, almost six month later, lol) . . . I returned to my business, working even though I still feel some fatigue . . . making plans with others to do things . . . and on and on.

Some days, I do well with short and long-term goals. . .other days, I am so very human, and a bit of uneasiness creeps into my being. But I think that's natural. We set our minds aright, focusing on things we can control, and letting go of those things we cannot. We don't expect to be any more "perfect" in our days now than before we had cancer, and yet we are changed from the very core after having been where we've been at. We see life differently, and hopefully, that is a good thing for each of us.

I believe only God knows the days appointed for me, so in that, I take a bit of pressure off myself. I still make mistakes, I still have grumpy moments and sad moments, but most of all, I LIVE - just like I did before. But this round, I know and understand more fully that the Lord, literally, holds my days. 🙂 "Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." Psalm 139:16

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In adding to all your wonderful thoughts, today I was flipping through the notes in my phone and came across a nice quote I had jotted down.

"Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds that you plant." Robert Lewis Stevenson.

Just as we benefit from the seeds planted by others who came before us so can younger generations benefit from the seeds we plant each day. Some of those seeds we plant may be ready for harvest relatively soon and some may take some time, but know that we or someone will benefit from each one so it's worth the effort. It's never too soon to start thinking about our legacy. 🙂 Zebra

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Have you heard of an ethical will? It comes from the Jewish tradition. Here you bequeath your thoughts & feelings about how to live a good life instead of leaving physical possessions. It is fun to write, and clarifying.

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You might see if your hospital/cancer center has counseling. I went for about 6 sessions after my diagnosis. They were free!, and my counselor was a cancer survivor herself and specialized in this type of counseling. (I'm not sure a regular counselor would've been experienced with the emotions I was experiencing.) It was super helpful, and I view free counseling as being comparable to a free shoulder massage...

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@kseanob

You might see if your hospital/cancer center has counseling. I went for about 6 sessions after my diagnosis. They were free!, and my counselor was a cancer survivor herself and specialized in this type of counseling. (I'm not sure a regular counselor would've been experienced with the emotions I was experiencing.) It was super helpful, and I view free counseling as being comparable to a free shoulder massage...

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Free counseling is great! However, I already had a therapist before diagnosis so am still seeing him. But thanks for the reminder.

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