New here & very anxious

Hi Bexbuttons and welcome to group.

I’m sorry you’ve had one cancer diagnosis and are now faced with another, and I understand how scary this is-I had a recurrence of my cervical cancer rather than a new type of cancer, but it was a very frightening time nonetheless.

The biggest piece advice I received was to take one day a time and even take things in shorter chunks than that, as you are still waiting for more information. Do you know how long you’re likely to be waiting for your mri? Once the results are in, the next step would be for everything to go to the multi disciplinary team to decide on the way forward and the best treatment plan for you. 

This limbo period of waiting is very difficult, and the best thing for me was to try and keep busy and try to stay distracted. Things like binge watching box sets, using mindfulness and relaxation techniques from apps on my phone-anything to avoid sitting brooding and imaging all sorts. Our minds are very powerful things, and we can spent a lot of time thinking about what if, which isn’t helpful for us. Especially try not focus on not being there for your daughter because it will upset you more. 

I focused my mind on getting treatment to help me, and on being well again. It’s hard to be positive all the time, I understand that, but it is something to aim for. There will be a treatment plan for you, and you will hopefully be less anxious once you receive this. When I received my first cancer diagnosis,I felt it give me back a little bit of control to get going with my treatment and I hope you’ll feel this too. 

It is an overwhelming thing to be diagnosed again with cancer, but you are in the system, getting things checked and you will hopefully know more soon. Please keep posting in the group to ask questions, share your worries and there will be support here for you. You will not be alone, which will I hope will something comforting for you.

Sarah xx

Hi Sarah

thank you so much for replying ️

I’m having my MRI on Tuesday so hopefully it won’t be to much of a wait, it just feels like it’s taking forever.

I’m taking it day by day & felt positive this morning then my mind gets the better of me & im thinking all sorts. 

Im working as I think I need the normality of it, will try some relaxation techniques, anything to get rid of this anxious feeling.

I will keep posting, I hope your doing well.

thanks 

Bex xxx

Hi Bex

I totally understand how you feel, I was 48 and had a 6 year old...my thoughts were same as yours..

Mine was a 2x4cm tumour in the lower portion of my vagina.

My advice would be...try to stay calm, you cant change the outcome and.as Sarah said, its a case of taking each day as it comes, its a roller coaster of tests and scans until the treatment starts..

I am now 5 years NED and my son is 11 years old...

With regards to the treatment, I was able to take my son to school and pick him up all throughout my treatment, being a fulltime working mum, it was the sunshine on a tishy situation being able to do the school run.

Shelley x

Hi Shelley

Thank you for replying, I had mri yesterday so one step closer to knowing the treatment plan. So glad you should still do the school run, it’s the small things that matter.

take care

Bex xxx

Just had a call from the hospital, MRI scan shows 7cm mass at the top of by Virgina & lymph node are enlarged, they have booked me in for a CT scan to check my chest on Tuesday, I am terrified x

Hi Bexbuttons 

The results were back quickly so that’s good, but it’s been a shock for you to have those results. The CT scan is easier in my opinion than the mri-it does not take as long.

It’s standard to have a CT scan as part of building a complete picture but I understand it’s all very scary. But it will give extra  information and then the treatment plan can be put in place and you can get started. It’s difficult to keep the anxiety under control for now, I honestly completely get that. But you just need to try and keep a lid on your anxiety while you wait because you can’t change anything or what will happen and it’s difficult to maintain a high level of anxiety. It is exhausting for you. 

Sarah xx

Thanks Sarah, really trying to stay positive, hopefully it won’t have spread to my lungs & treatment will start soon. So lovely of you to reply I really appreciate it. Hope your well.

thanks 

Bex x

I’m just out of hospital myself, so not quite firing on all cylinders but improving. This wasn’t my cancer-I had a different issue- but I had plenty of anxiety, and scans etc. so I get how scary things are. I just had to say I couldn’t do anything about what was happening so I did my best to keep as calm as I could. But it was still hard! 

Sarah xx

Glad your improving take it easy. I’m going to do some decorating tomorrow to keep my mind busy x

Hi Bex, 

Really sorry that the news wasn't better, but, it's step closer to starting treatment, one positive is that there isn't bowl or bladder involvement. Is it a PET CT scan?  This is to determine if the cancer has spread (its pretty standard before working out a treatment plan), the radioactive stuff they inject detects any cancerous cells...

My lymph nodes were enlarged, but it just turned out that they were just doing their job trying to fight off the "infection"..but they targeted them when I had radiotherapy to just be sure!

Good luck for tomorrow...sending hugs!

Shell x