Breast Cancer is Life Changing

Breast cancer often changes a woman’s perspective on life.  After breast cancer, you may see things differently than they did before you were diagnosed with cancer.  Regardless of how cancer may change you, it’s important to continue to pay attention to your physical and mental well-being.  Anxiety about cancer returning is common, but that anxiety will decrease as the time passes.
Health needs of cancer survivors differ from person to person but there are certain things that all cancer survivors can do to foster good health.  These include:  Eat a healthy diet.  Exercise.  Rest. ( In addition to being active, it’s important to rest.)  Take one day at a time.  Communicate.  You should continue to communicate with your health care team.  And you should let people help you. You may still feel emotionally and physically exhausted when your treatments are over.  Talk about these feelings with your doctor, nurse, or social worker.  It will also help to talk about them with your family and friends.  You can tap into a network of help through support groups, counselors, clergy, and other spiritual leaders.  Always remember that your cancer journey does not end just because the cancer has been removed.  Your looks may be a concern for you or your scar may bother you.  Feelings of anger and grief are natural, and you may be affected by them. How do you cope with body changes?  Mourn your losses.  They are real, and you have a right to grieve.  Try to focus on the ways that coping with cancer has made you stronger, wiser, and more realistic.  If you find that your skin has changed from radiation, ask your doctor about ways you can care for it. Look for new ways to enhance your appearance.   A new haircut, hair color, makeup, or clothing may help.  If you choose to wear a breast form (prosthesis), make sure it fits you well. Your health insurance plan may pay for it.
It’s a personal choice of whether you work through treatment for breast cancer or if you decide to take some time off.  If you’ve decided to continue working, talk with your doctor about it.   Your doctor may be able to schedule treatments around your working hours or give you suggestions on dealing with work stress while in treatment.  Be sure to ask your doctor if any of your treatments have side effects that could affect your daily routine
Sometimes, people undergoing breast cancer treatment experience thinking and memory problems, and sometimes cognitive effects such as memory less and lack of concentration may be factors also.  If you’re finding that it’s hard to stay focused or you’re forgetting important things, it may be helpful to keep a work journal with important information such as meetings and appointments, and a to-do list.
If you have health insurance, it’s also a good idea to keep track of certain medical information.  You may want to write down the dates of doctor’s visits and any hospitalizations, as well as names and dosages of medications.  Keep copies of insurance claims and correspondence, in case any questions come up about what’s covered.  Keep all of this information in a safe place with the rest of your medical records and any financial or legal information.