I was pleased and excited to hear that WSW has begun a "Young Women's Support Group" to address the special and unique needs ot the "under 45" breast cancer survivors. Although we share with all our 'sisters' the struggles of survivorship, we do have some uniqueness.
I clearly remember feeling supported by other women fighting breast cancer at the time I was diagnosed, but being just 33, I wanted to connect with survivors my own age. I had a 16 month old daughter and was five months pregnant with my second child when I was diagnosed and began treatment. The issues I faced that year were so immense, and many were due to my age and stage of life. My cancer was extremely aggressive I was told my prognosis was six months to live without treatment, and that I could hope for two years with treatment. The diagnosis of Inflammatory breast cancer was rare and there were few survivors nationwide that had lived to five years. So there I was, a young mom, facing this horrible news. The tears still well up in my eyes today, 11 years later when I recall the intensity of that year. I remember attending playground with my daughters and listening to the young moms talking about issues with breastfeeding, nap times, pre-school issues, getting weight back to pre-pregnancy, and all kinds of normal issues. But I felt so abnormal. My left breast was gone, I had no hair, I couldn't nurse my baby, my sex drive and hormones were gone, it hurt to walk, and just trying to have the energy to care for my children was an incredible challenge. The bone marrow transplant, the high dose chemo and radiation schedule created a huge challenge in arranging care for my children and support for my husband.
Decisions and concerns that year included: Do I abort the pregnancy? What treatment plan should I follow? Could I harvest eggs for a possible future pregnancy? Will I be sterile? Will I be in menopause following treatment? How do I write my will and advance directives? Who will care for my children while my husband continues to work? Will my sex drive ever return? Will I be sexually attractive to my husband? Should I have reconstruction? Will the side effects ever get better? Do the hot flashes ever stop? Will I ever be able to read or concentrate again? What funeral arrangements should I plan? Should I give up practicing as a social worker? Is my career over? How can we survive financially without my income? Can I get life insurance and health insurance after this diagnosis and losing employment? Will I live long enough for my daughters to have a memory of me?
So many questions are raised when young women are diagnosed. The emotional roller coaster bring many highs and lows. The good news is that we can all get through it together! We can support one another! All your questions can be answered. You can connect in many ways with other survivors, either by support groups or via the internet. Connecting with other survivors can bring you strength and encouragement and research indicated that support groups contribute to longevity.
From our April 2006 Newsletter |
