HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - rewrite breast cancer awareness message the way YOU want it to read

NEDenise · 10-03-2011, 06:43 AM

Okay...
This was hard! It brought up a lot of things I don't have answers for...Like: I certainly don't want my open letter to give the impression that it's "my fault" I have cancer. Because, I don't believe that for one second! Not even half a second!! I'm not sure it's anyone's fault, but I know I didn't make it happen!!

But in the spirit of "don't make the perfect the enemy of the good"...
Here's what I came up with in answer to Nora's challenge.
It's in the form of a letter to my friend.
My hope is to remind my friend that she has to be her own advocate...
and that her first line of defense (until we have a vaccine or a cure) is to be vigilant...
and that she has to be be willing to be a "pain" until she gets what she needs.

October 2012
My Dear Friend,
It’s October again…time to be “aware” of Breast Cancer.
Trust me…Cancer is out there every day…not just in October.
Breast cancer is a silent predator.
There’s no one sure way to evade it.
Use all the weapons in your arsenal, because it will.
Cancer will hide while it stalks you.
So protect yourself!
~ Have that annual mammogram. Every year! It doesn’t always catch cancer, but it sometimes does. Why risk it?

~ Do your monthly BSE. Every month! Or have your partner do it for you! Could be the most enjoyable way to detect cancer…way better than a biopsy!

~ Listen to your body. All the time! She may be trying to tell you something!
. If you don’t feel “right”, keep insisting until your doctor figures out why.
. Pain is not normal…ever!
. Overwhelming fatigue is not your lot in life!

Listen when your body talks…it’s her life too!
I wrote this poem for you…to remind you to take care of yourself.

With love,
Your Friend

Only one body to last a lifetime.
Cancer waits silently
To attack.
Only I can protect me
Because only I know my body.
Every bump, every sensation,
Reminds me to care for this one body...so it lasts a lifetime.

10-03-2011, 06:43 AM	#9
NEDenise Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Philly Suburbs Posts: 1,709	Re: rewrite breast cancer awareness message the way YOU want it to read Okay... This was hard! It brought up a lot of things I don't have answers for...Like: I certainly don't want my open letter to give the impression that it's "my fault" I have cancer. Because, I don't believe that for one second! Not even half a second!! I'm not sure it's anyone's fault, but I know I didn't make it happen!! But in the spirit of "don't make the perfect the enemy of the good"... Here's what I came up with in answer to Nora's challenge. It's in the form of a letter to my friend. My hope is to remind my friend that she has to be her own advocate... and that her first line of defense (until we have a vaccine or a cure) is to be vigilant... and that she has to be be willing to be a "pain" until she gets what she needs. October 2012 My Dear Friend, It’s October again…time to be “aware” of Breast Cancer. Trust me…Cancer is out there every day…not just in October. Breast cancer is a silent predator. There’s no one sure way to evade it. Use all the weapons in your arsenal, because it will. Cancer will hide while it stalks you. So protect yourself! ~ Have that annual mammogram. Every year! It doesn’t always catch cancer, but it sometimes does. Why risk it? ~ Do your monthly BSE. Every month! Or have your partner do it for you! Could be the most enjoyable way to detect cancer…way better than a biopsy! ~ Listen to your body. All the time! She may be trying to tell you something! . If you don’t feel “right”, keep insisting until your doctor figures out why. . Pain is not normal…ever! . Overwhelming fatigue is not your lot in life! Listen when your body talks…it’s her life too! I wrote this poem for you…to remind you to take care of yourself. With love, Your Friend Only one body to last a lifetime. Cancer waits silently To attack. Only I can protect me Because only I know my body. Every bump, every sensation, Reminds me to care for this one body...so it lasts a lifetime. __________________ 1/11-needle biopsy 2/11-Lumpectomy/axillary node dissection - Stage 3c, ER/PR-14/17 nodes 3/11 - Post-op staph infection,cellulitis, lymphedema,seroma,ARRRGH! 4/12/11-A/C x 4, then T/H x 4, H only,Q3 weeks 8/26/11 finished Taxol!!! 10/7/11 mastectomy/DIEP recon 11/11 radiation x28 1/12/12 1st CANCER-VERSARY! 1/12 Low EF/Herceptin "Holiday" :( 2/12 EF up - Back on Herceptin, heart meds 4/2/1212 surgery to repair separated incision from DIEP recon 6/8/12 Return to work :) 6/17/12 Fall, shatter wrist,surgery to repair/insert plate :( 7/10/12 last Herceptin 7/23/12 Brain Mets %$&#! 3cm and 1cm 8/10/12 Gamma knife surgery, LOTS of steroids;start H/Tykerb 8/23/12 Back to work 12/20/12 Injure back-3 weeks in wheel chair 1/12/13 2nd CANCER-VERSARY! 1/14/13 herniate disk in back - surgery to repair 1/27/13 Radiation necrosis - edema in brain - back on steroids - but not back to work - off balance, poor cordination in right arm 5/3/13 Start Avastin to shrink necrosis 5/10/13 begin weaning steroids 6/18/13 Brain MRI - Avastin seems to be working! 6/20/13 quarterly CT - chest, abdomen, pelvis - All Clear! 7/5/13 finally off steroids!! 7/7/13 joined the ranks of the CHEMO NINJAS I am now Tekuto Ki Ariku cancer assassin! 7/13/13 Symptoms return - back on steroids 7/26/13 Back on Avastin - try again! 8/26/13 Not ready to return to classroom yet :( But I CAN walk without holding onto things! :) 9/9/13 Brain MRI - fingers crossed “ Life is a grindstone, and whether it grinds you down or polishes you up is for you, and you alone, to decide. ” – Cavett Robert