Emotional side of breast cancer

[Jackie07]

I was always very, very upbeat when I was diagnosed with cancer (brain tumor, breast cancer) and while undergoing treatment. I was always very, very depressed when I lost my job a year after the diagnosis.

There were emotions that I was not aware of. Sometimes a very small matter or incident could trigger tears. I have always been a cry baby since I was little - being born premature and the youngest of six and teased all time by my elder, jealous siblings. (once my life-long brain tumor was diagnosed when I was 30, all my sins were forgiven and all my siblings showed their unconditional love...)

And it is natural. It doesn't matter that I had gone through the trial and triumphed each time. It doesn't matter that I had been prepared for the unexpected (or, shall we say, the expected - blame my memory problem from the brain tumor surgeries.) There are just so many hurdles we have to 'jump' over in our life.

And that makes life interesting and worth fighting for - I got my fighting spirit from my Mother who fleed China with her two young children when the commuist took over. She reunited with my father in Taiwan and raised 6 children through Typhoons and earthquakes. She fought and won the battle of non-hogekins lymphoma 13 years ago.

I've set goals to become a math teacher. I think having a new goal is important after any life-changing experience. There's a Chinese saying, "the boat 'naturally' straightens itself when it approaches the bridge." We don't need to worry too much in anticipating life's hurdles. It will come, and we will go through it.