This time last year, I had just finished all of my chemotherapy and radiation, and was looking forward to having hair again. Since becoming a breast cancer survivor, some of my friends have asked, "how did you get through all of your treatments and keep a positive attitude?"
Well, truthfully, after the shock and disbelief, a person has two choices. You can either take flight or fight. I chose to fight and learned to look at the positive.
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| My family and I in our July 4th finest a week before my final chemo treatment. |
10) People bring you lots of food.
9) You can nap anytime and no one blames you.
8) You can pretty much do anything you want, when you want, how you want, without getting into trouble. The 10 Commandments still hold true though.
7) You can fit into your skinny jeans again.
6) Eating fatty foods doesn't bother you anymore.
5) You gain courage to change what isn't working in your life.
4) Patience is much less when dealing with stupid actions/people.
3) Your personal relationships will either get stronger or blow apart. If they blow apart, they probably weren't good relationships to begin with and something you didn't have the courage before to change.
2) You have more empathy to others facing illnesses.
1) You want to make whatever time remains of your life fulfilling to you.
Personally being a young survivor has given me and my family the courage to simplify our lives. For example, we moved to a small town and downsized our house from 3,500 square feet to 2,450 square feet. This required us to shed furnishings that had no meaning to us. We also decided for me not to go back to work full-time and instead to develop volunteer and freelance work. It has made our marriage stronger. But one of the best things is now I have the courage not to just accept conditions, but to act for change.
Well, that's it for now. Wondering if this is helpful to anyone facing a serious illness.
The Wondering Texan
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