Thank you @Jalea for sharing your story, it gives me a better idea of what I’m in for...I’m finding that the better prepared I am, the stronger I feel, even though I also know that everyone’s experience is different... I too struggle with the mixed emotions, on a good day I’m feeling grateful I don’t need chemo, feel guilty like you as it doesn’t feel like ‘I have cancer’...on a bad day I’m  so angry that I need radiation and drugs that muck up my hormone system... and that I’ll be worried about the cancer returning for the rest of my life.... And if one more person says ‘but you look so well’ .... arghhh (I haven’t started treatment!! And I should be looking well, shouldn’t I???) Anyway, thanks again for sharing your experience- sounds like I’m on a similar path to yours. take care Nic   ... View more

Hi Jalea I’m where you are at when you wrote this back in December... start radiotherapy beginning of April, also good prognosis but worried about it coming back and having to live with it in the back of my mind for the rest of my life... it also feels trivial given the good prognosis, and feeling this way makes me feel guilty as it could already be so, so much worse... did you find a way to manage? How did you respond to treatment and are you on any medication? I’ll start on tamoxifen after radio... hope you are doing ok, N ... View more

Hi, sorry for delayed reply....I went back to work and pretended it wasn’t happening....found out last week that I am up for 20 treatments of radiotherapy including five sessions that are a ‘boost’ targeting the tumour bed...went in for the planning meeting today... I wasn’t prepared for it mentally, totally fine with the medical stuff, but walking into the ‘Cancer centre,’, past the Cancer Council car, waiting in the radiotherapy waiting area, with the complimentary tea and coffee and the jigsaw puzzles, and the sick looking ladies with scarves, was really confrontational ....so I just sat there with tears in my eyes waiting for my name to be called.... The rest of the session was ok...the tattooing didn’t hurt, the breathing through the snorkel thing uncomfortable etc... even had a good chat with the ladies doing all the positioning etc....but I have been sad all day...this IS real,  no matter how hard you try to distract yourself.... With other stuff happening at home, I’m over being strong right now....I showed my tears to my kids, something I didn’t want to do..... I start radiotherapy on 2nd April. Hope you are doing ok and things are moving along.... How did you go with your oncologist? How are you coping? take care N ... View more

Thank you so much for sharing your story - it has given me comfort and also some perspective and a reality check as I’m taking the first steps on my cancer journey...  Thanks again, Nic   ... View more