Hello

FormerMember
FormerMember
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Hi

I'm Deb 55 year old.  Wife  mother and recently a nanna.  Work in the civil service but after 30+ years and breast cancer I'm wondering if it's too late to change that.  I've had cervical cancer and now breast cancer that has spread to the lymph nodes.  My surgeon operated and believes he's got it all but still going down the chemo route which starts in a little under 2 weeks.  

My claim to fame, I love to dance, strictly style and have had the honour and honour  of dancing with Pasha Kovalev.  I've met Ian Waite, Vincent Simon Natalie Lowe, Amy Dowden before she was famous in fact her Twin taught me to dance and we go to the same dance school.   That thought makes me smile through the darkest hours.

I try my best to stay stro g but do think I've become cancer with De bie, not Debbie with cancer.  It's all people talk to me about.  My family are so protective of me it's smothering, I appreciate that they care and only try to help but I really can go to the Dr's on my own.  Anyone else feeling smothered? 

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember

    Hi Deb. I’m new too. I was diagnosed with bc June 2020 whilst working on an nhs dementia unit ( which was completely covid positive) at the height of a pandemic!! So I went from that to having to shield in the extremely clinically vulnerable group. But I’ve had my lumpectomy( 2 positive nodes) followed by chemo and radiotherapy. ( all finished in March 2021) I am back at work part time after a very different year. I am told it’s just yearly check ups and ten tears on letrozole.  But I can’t help feeling apprehensive at times.  My family are the opposite of smothering now. They seem to think I’m back to my old self and the past year can be swept away.  
    I enjoy my job in the nhs. I love my grown up kids. But I am wondering if I need to re boot my life somehow as it seems to now be standing still ….,,,.

    I also kept it a bit quiet from lots of people for a while which did have pros and cons   But yes I hate getting strange comments and am prob glad I kept it to my self and closest for a while  although it was a bit awkward returning to work  people wondered why I’d chosen to cut my hair short !! and I have now told folk why  which is a relief  

    however a year ago I was where you are now and I guess I’m proof that things do move forward. 

  • I told all of my friends and family they couldn’t come with me because of Covid restrictions which by and large hadn’t been a lie! I get lifts back and forth to chemo but don’t let them in with me! It is hard because it takes over your whole life as you know being down the road before with cervical cancer, what a crock of you’ve had. But yes, covid has been my excuse for space on many an occasion xx