Breast Cancer Support

legaljen1969

Welcome to the discussions regarding breast cancer. This forum "WhatNext" was created years ago and then sort of fell into a "deep sleep" for almost a year.

This forum can offer a lot of support and community as you navigate your journey with breast cancer. All of us have different paths, and I am here to tell you that every journey is important. YOUR journey is YOUR journey.

Using the "journey" analogy- some experiences are a quick trail run- an easy path and you just follow the directional signs (doctors orders, maybe a quick simple procedure, and some medication for a few years) and you can get back to life. For others, the news may feel like you are being called to scale Mount Everest and you haven't ever even considered "hiking" before.

Some of us have been down the path you take. I can assure you that someone here has at least some experience with the path you are taking. Let us help you and be your trail guide- whether you just need a little direction from the "locals" or you need a well trained sherpa to get you to your destination.

The last thing I will say is that those of us who have been down this path already know that this is capital "C" club that NO-ONE wants to join. We have all heard that word and experienced the phenomenon of "Charlie Brown's Teacher" where you hear "cancer" and everything else that day sounds like "Wah wah wah......blah blah blah." You know there are words coming out of the doctor but it's like drinking water from a firehose and you have so many questions and so many thoughts.

The best advice my doctor gave me is to try to resist the urge to go on a blitz research session to find out "everything" you can about cancer. Everyone's journey is a bit different so try to digest this all one bite at the time. Don't try to eat the whole thing at once.

I hope some of our veteran kind hearts will return to help guide you along the way. I hope some of us can rekindle the bonds we had. I think you will find this to be a friendly place to kick back and realize that we can all walk together. You are NEVER alone.

MarcieB

Yay! this site is back! Jen said it all so well - this is a difficult time and it is wonderful to have a place to come to ask questions and compare notes. It is a privilege to help newcomers through the maze of bewilderment we often find ourselves in while navigating this disease and all its various treatment options. Hopefully some others who frequented this site will show up and we can catch up with each other after all this time.

banditwalker

Heyyyy, MarcieB! I was finally able to sign in, after what seems like a year or so of the new site not recognizing me. I'm going to try to learn how to navigate this new site but as of now I don't see any names on the posts to know who they are from. Good to see your name in print again. Looks like we can now add emojis and upload images. So far I think Greg would approve.

legaljen1969

Hi Banditwalker. I have been around for awhile too. I think we met in the former life of WhatNext.

MarcieB

I am just checking to see if anyone else has found us? I don't think we are being notified when there is anything new on this site the way we used to? I am encouraged to see Banditwalker (btw, Bandiwalker, is "Bandit" your dog?)I would love to have conversations like we used to, but I wish I knew how to make that happen. For the record - I just had a check-up and everything is good. My doctor thinks I am doing great, so, I'll take it!

legaljen1969

Marcie, glad to see your doctor thinks you're doing great. I too would take that news and run with it. Mine thinks I am doing well too so there ya go.

hscancer

Hello everyone, I'm from way back, too. Happy to know that this site is back. I am doing well.

Rustysmom

Hi Ladies, I found an e-mail in my spam folder saying that this site was back up. So nice to see some familiar names and faces and glad to hear that you are all doing well. Hopefully, if they are sending out notifications to previous users, we will start seeing more log on.

legaljen1969

Hi folks. I am not nearly as active here as I wish I could be. Just have too much "life" happening- struggles with my father's health, helping my brother work his way through last stages of a divorce and separation, trying to get my elderly employer through the last matters he needs to deal with. He's 83 and needs to retire. His health is declining and he won't give up. I mean, there is something to say for not "giving up" but he really deserves a peaceful life to focus on himself and his family and just enjoy his days.

No big news from me. I have a half year follow up appointment with the oncologist in early August. The one I was seeing has left the practice group to move to Oregon. I will really miss him. I hear good things about his replacement, but I am just SO resistant to change. The plus to this "change" is that the new practitioner's office is closer to home so I won't have to do an hour round trip for visits. The downside is I had really worked up a rapport with my former oncologist.

Anyhow, I am still here kicking around.