I am 3 years post diagnosis....my medical story pretty much matches Cheryl W....initially I was stage 2 HER pos,
E/P pos (tumor size 2.5 cm)...my HER2 was so aggressive I was stage 3 in another month (5 cm)..yikes!...but I am doing great...experts/survivors all agree the adjustment period post treatment is VERY difficult..pretty much everyone can go through it...it took me about 6-8 months before I even stopped thinking/talking about cancer....but it does get easier...day by day I started to feel more confident and slowly returned to the life I led before my diagnosis...most say you feel safer when going through treatment because you're doing something to treat it..when that's over, there can be alot of fear...but that faded over time also...unfortunately, recurrence is the nature of the beast, but, being 65 years old...I have as good a chance of dropping dead from a heart attack as having cancer again...also, you do get paranoid about every ache & pain you experience..I always have low back pain from nursing for 40 years, but recently the pain was persistent, my onc did a bone scan...it was negative, only arthritis, boy I felt stupid...lol...just notice anything that seems unusual from what's normal for you but don't hesitate to get it tested...the bone scan at least gave me peace of mind for now so I don't resent having it done
It's a matter of choice...you can allow cancer to control your life, or accept it and move forward...I realized I had done everything I could do to treat it, every day is a blessing, and I just gave the rest to God...just take it one day at a time and enjoy each glorious day you are still here!...you got through all the treatment, you can get through the adjustment period too!
You are NOT alone in this journey...hang in there
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