BREAST CANCER SURVIVAL STRATEGIES - Part 1

How did you feel when you first discovered the lump in your breast?  

• Shock: "It couldn't happen to me!"
• Panic: "It's bound to be cancer! I'm going to die."
• Denial: "It's probably nothing. It will go away if I ignore it."

After visiting your doctor and whilst awaiting the outpatient appointment, what were you thinking... 

• "What have I done to deserve this? Why me?"
• "I'll have to go through painful tests and cancer treatment is so dreadful. I can't cope with this!"
• "Typical of my rotten luck. I'm sure to be riddled with cancer and die a painful death"

Own up, but don't blame yourself. These thoughts and feelings are a normal reaction to the fear that the word CANCER triggers in all of us.

STRATEGY 1.   ALLOW AND ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR FEELINGS 

Upon receiving a diagnosis of breast cancer, thoughts and feelings run riot and it is hard to stay positive and see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Going through the battery of tests and procedures is scary, and emotions can become overwhelming when we feel out of touch with our bodies and powerless over what seems to be happening to us.

There are lots of frightening media images and stories about breast cancer, as it tends to be bad news and celebrity gossip that makes the headlines. Many cancer myths abound rather than accurate survival rates.

STRATEGY 2.     KNOWLEDGE IS POWER

The first step in my strategy to regain power over my health and welbeing was to gather as much information as I could. This was especially important as I was being treated in a foreign country where I was still far from fluent in the language.

The internet is a wonderful tool and I quickly searched for information under the following headings: 

1. 
   
   Medical treatment for breast cancer: types of surgey and reconstruction options, chemotherapy, radiotherapy (plus prognosis and side-effects)
   
   
   
2. 
   
   Scuba diving after breast cancer: professional opinion and experiences of other women
   
   
   
3. 
   
   Self help survival strategies for strengthening my inner resources (both emotional and physical) to fight the disease and cope with the challenging medical treatment process
   
   
   

 STRATEGY 3.    THE IMPORTANCE OF GOALS

It really helps if you have a goal to look forward to, so that you can visualise beyond the confines of that dark tunnel. My goal was to get back to scuba diving a.s.a.p. It is my passion and I had invested a lot of time, effort and hard cash to realise my dream of diving daily as a volunteer leading marine conservation projects.

I was not about to let breast cancer stand in my way and determined that I would be back underwater in the shortest possible timescale! In fact I was so focused on this goal that the possibility of dying hardly crossed my mind. I didn't feel ill and was fairly fit, apart from carrying a few extra pounds, and through my research I had discovered a number of self help breast cancer survival strategies that I planned to utilise to the fullest.

I told myself:  "At least it's a small lump, so my prognosis should be good" and enjoyed a great farewell party on board  the dive boat with my buddies, following a night dive,  and went for a wonderful dive on the morning of my surgery at our local Marine Reserve, the famous Medes Islands.

Next instalment coming soon...

Before I go, another question for you.

How many of you can pinpoint a number of stresses in the 2 or 3 years leading up to your diagnosis, that became emotionally overwhelming, making you feel helpless and wanting to escape? Does this ring a bell with anyone? I'm looking for patterns here. Let me know by replying to this post.