[Becky]

Dear Darlene

All your fears are very normal for the timeframe you are in. Way back then, having had bc was the first thing I thought of when I woke up and the last thing I thought of before I went to bed. I thought how unfair that was that this was the way my life was going to be everyday. But that changes - it really does. I think we all go through this experience and come out of it in some kind of familar pattern. Of course you think of recurrence all the time. I did too. However, you will see as time goes on, this fear also diminshes. Although I still come on this board almost everyday, I really don't think about bc and recurrence continuously. I actually don't even think about recurrence at all even though I know it can still happen, even almost 7 years out. The odds are in your favor every moment that goes by.

The biggest thing I want to tell you is that what you are feeling is 100% normal. I also want to tell you that you will feel this way for awhile and then suddenly, you will realize that everything is better. And it does get better and your hair will come back and your strength will improve and treatment will be over. And your new normal will change to just normal. I promise!