To ALL - Please Remember Our Focus

[margiermc]

Hi, I went back to work, felt good to be in a normal world.
Last Monday was the last vaccine in Washington, got
very emotional about health screening, not just for me but
for my daughter and other young family members.

I just felt - what will they say next, no treatment to later stages?
Got, scared. We all have our own personal faith and political
opinion. And, yes - we do need to keep this post focus on what we all have and are going through her2 breast cancer disease.

It did get political - with government panel guidelines, all over the news, and some like myself had an urge to say something, letting others aware - about possible insurance problems, but there are other places to take action/advocacy groups etc.

There are many organizations that have online petitions, Komen is one of them - that will combat this head on - and that is a good place to vent/or take action that will hopefully show a voice in how a breast cancer survivor feels in front of the political arena.

As for me,
I am doing well, working, cooking, exercising and decorating for the holidays.
Wish all good healthy holidays!

Forgive me, I was scared, tired and emotional.
Margie

dcis
liver met 10 wk treatment TCH
NED
Vaccine

[Christine MH-UK]

Hi Joe,

One strategy that has worked well for the only other chatroom I post in has been to have a separate 'hot issues and current events' section for people who are interested in the political issues or controversies of the day. People are heavily interested activism go to that part and people who are just interested in giving or receiving emotional support don't.

This has been a really lovely, supportive website, and it would be nice to get that atmosphere back.

Best wishes,

Christine MH

[PinkGirl]

Well said Christine. I too miss the former atmosphere of the
message boards.

[Debbie L.]

>>Well said Christine. I too miss the former atmosphere of the message boards.

If the atmosphere has changed, then I will accept a good share of personal responsibility for that.

It has always been my nature to question. Learning more about breast cancer, after my own experience with same, has honed my interest in the science of breast cancer. And as I learned how few answers we (yet) possess - it also honed my interest in questioning.

Working through the issues of mortality/survivorship has brought this formerly-shy and reticent person out of the shyness-closet. I believe that having an understanding of the science, and of the controversies, is an important part of breast cancer advocacy and support. And that, having acquired some understanding myself, it is my duty to stand by it and to express it.

But I am able and willing to accept that polite debate of science conundrums, and of controversy, is an unwelcome intrusion into this already-comfortable and content group.

I can't say that I'll be able to leave this group altogether. I've become attached -- to many of the people, and to the HER2-specific science. I am pretty sure I'll still lurk. But I can say that I'll stop posting, and that you can return to your "former atmosphere" in peace.

Warm regards,
Debbie Laxague