2nd anniversary coming up...

[Carme]

On Thursday it will be 2yrs since I was diagnosed with cancer...can I call myself a survivor yet? I don't feel so lucky. Argh.

[Rikki]

Hi Carme I know what you mean. I don't think I will ever feel confident enough to call myself a survivor. Congratulations to you for making two years. It is just a day at a time for all of us, enjpy them Rikki

[SILLY]

I think that you can call yourself a survivor . I puzzled over that a while ago too. Now ,I think ,I'm alive and cancer free for now so I am a survivor . This can change any time but right now this is how it is . It is over 2 years since my diagnosis and 2 years since treatment ended .

[SILLY]

I want to add that I feel that I was unlucky to have had cancer but lucky that I am still here in a not-as -badly -off -as -some state .

[Allicat]

I feel the same Silly. My 2nd anniversary of diagnosis is in one month and I count myself a survivor. Treatment is over and I'm still here. Cancer may one day come back but that doesn't stop me from being a survivor now. Lucky or unlucky? I was unlucky to get breast cancer at a relatively young age - I read that only 2% of diagnoses are in women under 35. So that was unlucky and annoying. But I was also lucky that it was diagnosed before it had spread and I came through treatment better than most. So on the whole I count myself as lucky.

[The_Rowan]

Congratulations Carmel! I've only just passes my first anniversary, and like Allycat, I was unlucky to get cancer but lucky that they found it early. My take on things is that I am cancer free at the moment, but you never know if it will return or not, so make the most of life whilst you can! Keep yourself busy just enjoying life!,

[glenys48woods]

Hi Carmel, I am going through my second ani where I had 2 lots of surgery and my story is on line if u want to have a peep. I was diagnosed in 2010 with breast cancer on the right side. I know what u are going through. I didn't have a recontruction then I didn't have kemo or radiation also. I think myself that I am cancer free. Then Rowan please hang in there as it is so strongly emotional. If u haven't had a recontruction like me I know what it is like for u. Yes it is so unlucky to get cancer. Glenys xx

[glenys48woods]

Hi Allicat, It is a shame that u had cancer at a young age if this is right for me to say this to u. I could say to u that treatment and surgery is over that we are still here. I would say that the emotional side of things are traumatic even after the second ani but not as much as the 1st one. I am trying to get used "to my friend" (my falsie breast) as my counseling put it. It is a kelo in weight. I don't wear it if I don't want too as it has been off me all day with no bra. I want to rest from it. Trying to get used of the weighty falsie as it drives me up the wall. Having no weight till I put it on me then I lose the weight when I take it off. I makes no sense of having a falsie when u want your natural ones on u. Glenys xx

[Allicat]

I had my second anniversary while I was on holiday in America. Because of the time difference the actual Melbourne-time anniversary was on the evening before. It was about 10.30am on 7 October 2010 when I was given my cancer diagnosis. I remember sitting in the waiting room beforehand with the only worry on my mind the fact that I was going to be late for work. The time difference thing made the anniversary seem a bit less relevant although I still thought about it. If I had been at work I would have been writing the date all day which I think would have been bothersome so it was good to be on holiday.