I graduated from being a Fighter to a Survivor May 17, 2007! In March 2003, I was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive cancer called clear cell adenocarcinoma cervical cancer. I had a radical hysterectomy with lymph node removal in April 2003 at the James Cancer Hospital at the Ohio State University Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio.
Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States, causing more than 500,000 deaths each year. The chances of having cancer in a lifetime are: 45-percent for men and 41-percent for women. Almost half of all people who get cancer will die.
I want to help spread cancer awareness, knowledge, support, attitude, courage and hope to all the fighters and survivors out there in this world!
BEING A FIGHTER!
Living with cancer is hard. You may have just learned you have cancer or you may be in treatment. Either way, you’ll be experiencing a wide range of feelings, ranging from denial to hope. These feelings may change from day to day. Hearing the words, “You have cancer†can come as a big shock! You may feel numb, afraid, angry, alone, depressed, fearful, worried, etc. These are all normal feelings!!!
DENIAL - When first diagnosed with cancer, some people have a difficult time believing it’s happening to them. You may not accept the fact at first. Denial can be good and bad. It can allow you time to adjust to your diagnosis, to feel hopeful, and focus on the future.
ANGER - It is all too normal to ask, “Why me???†and be angry at the cancer, healthy friends and family, doctors, even at yourself thinking you did something to cause the cancer. Talk to you friends, family, or healthcare team about your feelings!
FEAR AND WORRY - It is scary to hear that you have cancer. You may become worried about feeling sick or looking different because of your treatments, whose going to take care of your family while you are sick, paying bills, keeping your job, and dying. Find out all you can about your cancer. Most people feel better when the know what to expect. Knowing the facts may help make you less fearful and worried. Knowing the most you can about your cancer can also help you feel more in control of the whole situation.
SADNESS and DEPRESSION - Many people with cancer experience sadness and/or depression. This is a normal response to any serious illness! Depression sometimes can lead to more serious problems. Let your healthcare provider know if you have one or more of the following signs almost every day. Depression can be treated!
1. A feeling of hopelessness or that life has no meaning
2. No interest in being with friends and family
3. No interest in hobbies and activities that you used to enjoy
4. Crying for long periods of time or several times a day
5. Sleep problems, either sleeping too much or too little
6. Changes in your energy level
7. A loss of appetite or no interest in food at all
8. Thoughts of killing yourself. This includes making plans or taking action to kill yourself, including frequent thoughts of death and dying.
GUILT - Many people with cancer feel guilt. You may blame yourself about upsetting your friends and family with your diagnosis, worry about the burden you will be physically, emotionally, and financially. Let your healthcare team know how you feel. They can provide counseling. You can also find a support group for people with cancer.
LONELINESS - Loneliness often weighs heavily on a cancer patient. You may feel distant from people and think that there is no one that understands what you are going through. Some friends and family may avoid you, not knowing what to say to you. It is hard to get them to understand that you are the same person you were before the diagnosis. You may feel less lonely if you meet other people who have cancer or have had cancer. They will know exactly what you are going through and will be able to totally understand your feelings.
HOPE - Hope is so important! There are so many reasons to be hopeful! Cancer treatments can be successful and millions of people who had cancer are alive today! We are ten and a half million strong!!! Attitude is everything! Read stories about people who have cancer or stories from survivors and let them inspire you.
BEING A SURVIVOR
While you may receive a lot of support from your friends and family, you may want to protect them from being upset by some feelings or thoughts you have. Sometimes talking to another person who has been through cancer can be very helpful! Other survivors will understand in a way that is different from your friends and family. By meeting and talking to other survivors, we can get information about their cancer, gain encouragement, be inspired by personal stories, laugh and cry with other survivors who have been through similar experiences, and realize that we are not alone in the fight and survival!
There are a lot of places you can meet other survivors. You can meet them through support groups and on the internet. The American Cancer Society web site offers the Cancer Survivors Network which provides telephone and online services for cancer survivors. On the ACS homepage, select SURVIVORS then select SUPPORT FOR SURVIVORS AND PATIENTS. The program provides online chat sessions, support grous, personal stories, etc.
Livestrong is a wonderful web site with tons of information. www.livestrong.org
Conquertogether.com
www.mycancerplace.com
Survivecancerfoundation.org
Let’s spread the word around and watch the number of cancer survivors grow from ten million to infinity!
Pink...Breast Cancer
Teal...Ovarian Cancer
Clear...Lung Cancer
Light Blue...Prostate Cancer
Black...Melanoma
Purple...Pancreatic Cancer
Orange...Leukemia
Grey...Brain Cancer
Dark Blue...Colon Cancer
Burgundy...Multiple Myeloma
Gold...Childhood Cancer
Lavender...General Cancer Awareness
Lime...Lymphoma
Teal/White...Cervical Cancer
Peach...Uterine Cancer
Kelly Green...Kidney Cancer
Burgundy and Ivory...Head and Neck Cancer
Yellow...Sarcoma/Bone Cancer
Emerald Green...Liver Cancer
Periwinkle Blue...Esophageal Cancer
Yellow...Bladder Cancer
Purple...Leiomyosarcoma
Periwinkle Blue...Stomach Cancer
Teal/Pink/Blue...Thyroid Cancer