The power of positive thinking

[julia.w]

I totally freaked out last week. I was at the doctor's and it happened to be exactly twelve months since my diagnosis. When I mentioned this to him he said "Things were looking pretty grim for you this time last year, we weren't sure whether it would be your last Christmas..." Well, I was stunned. He had been telling me all these positive stories about other patients who had survived 20 years, 30 years and so on, and I had pinned my hopes onto these stories, believing that I would be fine once I had some treatment. My head's still spinning to think that he had actually thought I was so much sicker than he had ever let on. Thank goodness that I didn't know this before now or I don't know how I would ever have come this far. There certainly is a lot to the power of positive thinking

[Sailor]

Hi Julia.w I had a similar experience. I still have the piece of paper my specialist gave me when recommending the specific treatment where he wrote that there was a 95% probability that I would still be around and cancer free in fifteen years. Well, the cancer recurred four years later and with ongoing treatment there is a good chance that I will make the fifteen years, but I am not cancer free. However, the reality came when after six years I received a call from an interstate specialist who wanted to know about the experimental treatment I had when the cancer recurred. That person finished off the conversation with the statement "You are still around six years later with that particular tumour - that's my good news story for this week!" I guess that they are trying to insulate us from some of the shock and trying to give us hope. The problem is that all the research shows that positive thinking doesn't prolong things and it is very easy to get trapped into always putting a positive spin on things and denying the negatives. Fantastic that you have come through so far. Cheers Sailor An incorrectly identified mark is a hazard, not an aid, to navigation. Alton B. Moody

[bella]

hi Julia just popped in to say hi I try to stay positive as you know but sometimes its hard to stay positive with so many negative people around us maybe if we give ourselves 10 years and after that another ten and so on etc etc I forgot about this site after going on the phone connect and think that helps a lot to give us some hope love our little chats still taking my seaweed will try anything if I think it will help regards isabelle

[julia.w]

Hi Isabelle It's great that you try to think positively. I think it really helps you to feel better. Try not to let others drag you down, just because they are miserable doesn't mean you have to join them. It's good that you're trying alternate therapies. I think juicing is good, I did it when I was first diagnosed but haven't for a while, but I think I'll start up again. It's good to talk to you each fortnight, talk again soon. Julia xx