Over Coming Breast Cancer 1

Being diagnosed with breast cancer is one of the most scary things a woman can learn.

We know a great deal about it because information on breast cancer is in just about every woman's magazine, along with awareness articles in papers and a staggering amount on the internet. Yet still it is a gut wrenching moment when you find you are one of the statistics.

There is though life after breast cancer. It does not have to be all doom and gloom, but it might not be life as you knew it! I have the t-shirt “I survived breast cancer” and though my path may not be the right path for you, any survival story gives hope and encouragement, so here is mine.

I felt the painful lump, and rushed off for a mammogram. (Or should that be, I felt the lump, and rushed of for a painful mammogram?) Anyway the diagnosis was that it was probably a cyst. This at least gave me some hope in the time between diagnosis and operation.

It was though a cancer, and small enough that I did not have to loose my breast. The surgeon did remove a Lymph gland as a precaution, something I don't think they now do unless necessary. The surgeon told me he thought that he had removed all the cancer and it should not return. But, yes there is always a “but” as a precaution I should have radiation treatment.

I talked this over with my husband, and we decided that I wasn't prepared to have the treatment. If the surgeon thought he had removed all the cancer, that was good enough for me. I just wanted to get on with my life. We did think though that he would try to talk me, or even bully me into having the radiation treatment. I was very surprised then when the surgeon said, “Well if you don't think it will help, then it won't!” He then went on to explain a little of the power of the mind, and how attitude plays a major part in the recovery process.

Off the hook, not a bit of it. “Even if you don't have the radiation treatment,” the surgeon said, “you must still take the Tamoxifen, especially as your family has a history of cancer.” I had read a little about this drug, and was horrified to think I would be taking it for the rest of my life! Back to discussions with hubby, (This support is invaluable, so if you don't have this sort of support in your life, get a coach) and a great deal of research. The answer for me was a resounding “No” I would try other ways to keep the cancer at bay.