Am I weird?

Hi Kebby  sorry that you have been diagnosed. I wouldn't worry too much about how you are dealing with your diagnosis emotionally everyone is different.

I was diagnosed in November 2022 and have just got on with it. Dealt with it one step at time. It was something I just needed to get through. There have been no tears, no anger, no emotional collapse etc.

Understandably i have had the odd day of feeling down, fed up or frustrated. But not very often. Like you I have also thought it will hit me and was a bit worried. I have got to the end of the hard core treatment and onto tablets etc and life is almost normal. And still nothing. 

Some people have said I have been "brave" but for me it is just my practical "just get on with it" character. My breast nurse said if that works for me then that's fine.

That said I am very aware of all the counselling (macmillan, through work, NHS oncology team, local cancer support group) that is available to me. If at some point I feel I need to explore how I feel about my diagnosis with a professional I will. I joke I could probably have 6 months of free counselling if I took everyone up on their offer. 

Good luck with your surgery and subsequent treatment. Take each day as it comes. And if you do need to talk to someone, don't try and be brave. Just acknowledge that is what you need, and talk. 

Thank you so much for your reply. Makes me feel less alone. 
wishing yo all the best 

Hi Kebby

l am exactly like you diagnosed last year with grade 3 cancer it had spread to lymph nodes.12 months on done the chemotherapy, radiotherapy, now on letrozole and abemeciclib tablets and six monthly bone infusion but l am still waiting to break down the only thing is,  I am so grateful it hasn’t spread and hopefully all the treatment I have had and still having will keep the cancer away. It just people handle things differently .

jayne xx

You sound like me. I thought I was in denial, when diagnosed in November, and thought ok, so whats the plan? Things just got worse as they did more scans etc. But I didn't feel emotional until I said it to family. 

Everyone is different. My emotions were mainly frustration of waiting and changing plans. 

But finally went in for a mastectomy, diep, node removal and breast adjustment on monday. I felt fine and staff were surprised. But then they took my blood pressurevandvitcwas198!!! They thought the machine was broken and tried diff ones - same result. I thought I was fine, but my body felt otherwise.

My 1st real tears were when I saw myself for 1st time in mirror without bandages. The surgeon had shown me photos of previous patients to prepare me, but I was still shocked. Even though the important thing was the cancer removal. Won't tell u what I thought of how I looked, but safe to say it is improving. Night times now I do get a "bloody hell what has happened?" Feeling. 

Like I say everyone is different. My emotions go from 100% ok to a smack in the face.

Very best of luck with your op and feel ok to feel whatever you want or not feel. There is no right and wrong. BTW today is World Cancer Day

Hi Kebby, not at all weird. I was diagnosed last February, I knew what they were going to say and like you I was ok let's do this. I've had my moments during the last year, but by and large ,I've not been too much of a mess. You deal with your situation however you choose to, don't let ay tell you how you shoukd feel. Someone said I should have dealt with my Cancer differently  and not shut myself off! I had to, I mixed with people when I was ready. People can be full of the wrong advice and usually people that have never been in our situation. Good luck with surgery..keep us posted xxx

Hi Jayne.. I too am on exactly the same medication as you, I've just had the Abemaciclib dose reduced as the diahorrea was terrible. I am finding I'm getting lots of aching muscles and joints etc  oncologist said take paracetamol,  not much help. I'm also getting really tired  I walk as much as possible to keep going. It's sometimes hard pushing through both tiredness and pain but I'm doing my best. Good luck with everything xx

So nice to know I am normal, whatever that maybe. 
sending very best wishes, thank you.

Thank you. So much support out there.

Like some of the others have said, I too am very much a “get on with it” type of person. I have had a couple of tears, but on the whole I am just trying to get through this. I started chemotherapy and immunotherapy last Saturday and it felt like an actual relief so something to be happening as I was told on 15th December it was looking like it was cancer, and this was confirmed on 21 st December. So everything felt really slow due to Christmas and new year. I am very much leaning this journey is one day at a time. 

I feel much better about how I feel knowing that others are the same.

who knows where our cancer journey will take us. Wishing you all the best