HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post

europa · 07-28-2014, 06:17 AM

Hi there. I don't think of cancer every day but it does come to mind when I'm triggered. Certain things trigger it, rubbing alcohol, hospitals, if I have an unexplained pain...etc.
When I went through treatment I thought about it all the time and so I went to see a therapist who I still see today. She has helped me tremendously with my new normal. She once told me that cancer is like a huge oversized sofa in a very small room. In the beginning you think of it all the time because it's so intrusive and it takes over your life. But as you get further from treatment it shrinks and becomes a chair, then a coffee table and eventually it's a small magazine rack that you run into every once and a while. But it takes years. I would suggest you see a therapist. I saw mine once a week during treatment, now I see her every three weeks for a mental check in. Hope this helps.

07-28-2014, 06:17 AM	#4
europa Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 362	Re: Do you ever stop thinking about cancer? Hi there. I don't think of cancer every day but it does come to mind when I'm triggered. Certain things trigger it, rubbing alcohol, hospitals, if I have an unexplained pain...etc. When I went through treatment I thought about it all the time and so I went to see a therapist who I still see today. She has helped me tremendously with my new normal. She once told me that cancer is like a huge oversized sofa in a very small room. In the beginning you think of it all the time because it's so intrusive and it takes over your life. But as you get further from treatment it shrinks and becomes a chair, then a coffee table and eventually it's a small magazine rack that you run into every once and a while. But it takes years. I would suggest you see a therapist. I saw mine once a week during treatment, now I see her every three weeks for a mental check in. Hope this helps. __________________ DX 10/2011 PET Scan + MRI 10/2011 Lumpectomy 11/11/11 Stage 2B +++ ER+(10%), PR+(5%), HER2+++(1 positive node, 1 micromets to second node) AC started 12/2011 ended 1/2012 Taxol + Herceptin weekly for 12 weeks ended 4/2012 30 zaps of radiation done 6/2012 Tamoxifen 6/2012 every 3 weeks of Herceptin for another year. Metformin Trial 8/12 10/12 MRI- CLEAR 01/13 BRAIN MRI- CLEAR! 01/13 Neck MRI- CLEAR! FINISHED HERCEPTIN 1/9/2013...Woot Woot Starting Walter Reed Vaccine Trial 2/13 CT Scans + ultrasound of abdomen CLEAR-5/13 02/2015 through 11/2015 emergency D&Cs for Tamoxifen induced uterine polyps which caused uncontrollable hemorrhaging 12/2015 blood clot to left leg caused by Tamoxifen. No longer taking it. On Xarelto, a blood thinner 12/2015 Ablation to prevent hemorrhaging from potential issues with Tamoxifen residue in my system 1/2016 continuing journey without hormonal therapy. Reevaluating the option of a hysterectomy and oopherectomy. 4/1/2018 2mm stroke. Yes, stroke! No cause ever found but they believe it was a migraine that went bonkers and created a tiny clot. No deficits. I was back to normal with 24hrs. Now on baby aspirin for life. 7/27/2018 hysterectomy and oopherectomy 01/07/2019 Mastectomy and expanders put in 3/22/2019 Vtach, almost died. Cause unknown. 7/22/2019 New perky boobs put in 7/21/2020 Off of all drugs but a baby aspirin because of the stroke in 2018. www.mychemobag.org www.facebook.com/mychemobag 8 YEARS NED