Hi j.ireland .  I had breast cancer in 2012/13 and had lumpectomy, chemo and radiotherapy.  Then tamoxifen.  When I was told I also felt calm and said to oncologist I will be alright.  I don't know if it our body's way of dealing with it.  I just wanted to start my treatment and get on with it.  I never cried until two years after treatment.  Like Bungle says there is no right or wrong way we all deal with it in our own way.  I now have secondary cancer which is incurable and in the beginning was very stressed about it.  Now I feel strangely calm and enjoy each day and the small things in life.  I would say go with however you feel.  Good luck with your treatment.

Lee x

Thank you so much for reaching out to me and sharing your experience with me. It is odd to share your feelings like this with perfect strangers about your deepest feelings but somehow it works because i think on a base level we all know that we really are all in this together. I have the same attitude as you. I just realized how precious every moment is, that I never came to this world to stay and moving on after this is as natural and as beautiful as birth. I thought at first my calmness was just denial. But now I am sure it is just the maturity that comes with accepting our own mortality. If you ever need a friend to chat to please dont think twice about reaching out to me. Thanks again for taking the time to reply xx

Thank you so much for reaching out to me and sharing your experience with me. It is odd to share your feelings like this with perfect strangers about your deepest feelings but somehow it works because i think on a base level we all know that we really are all in this together. I have the same attitude as you. I just realized how precious every moment is, that I never came to this world to stay and moving on after this is as natural and as beautiful as birth. I thought at first my calmness was just denial. But now I am sure it is just the maturity that comes with accepting our own mortality. If you ever need a friend to chat to please dont think twice about reaching out to me. Thanks again for taking the time to reply xx

Hello and welcome. 

Thank you, what a lovely supportive group of people you all are here! I guess we all join the club reluctantly but there is nothing like a crisis to put everything into perspective :) How are you? 

Good. I’m still awaiting the results from a MRI scan I had two and a half weeks earlier. I will email today to find out for sure but I don’t think I will have bad news. 

Hi j.ireland before I was diagnosed with cancer I used to get very stressed and had CBT and different types of therapy.  Now I still get stressed but certainly not nearly as much as I used to.  I do try and live in the moment.  Cancer can be all consuming and it is nice to do things that can make you forget for a while.  I do clinical hypnotherapy and Tai Chi once a week and really enjoy them.  I also have four dogs which I walk in the woods every day.  I had to take medical retirement from work and now just do what I want to do every day.  Do you know what your treatment plan is yet?  There is also a breast cancer forum on the Macmillan website which is full of supportive people with same cancer as us.

Lee x

Hi Lee, that is amazing, I have been doing qigong for years and I have started yoga. I have also been going on long walks, it is a lot more pleasant this time of year with this beautiful weather (I'm in Essex) I am also in CBT therapy for anxiety but I think that can go now. For the last 30 years I have been afraid of living, not dying! I feel amazing now. Sounds strange to say a cancer diagnosis can give you a new lease on life but that is what its done for me. Because now I see life is just life and its not forever. We need to enjoy every moment! I do not know what my treatment plan is yet. They did tell me it is cancer but until May 22nd they wont be able to tell me what type of cancer or what stage but they did say an operation is likely. I have decided to take it in my stride, 30 years of panic attacks got me nowhere. It is what it is and whatever happens I know I will be ok :) 

Hi BCP I hope everything goes well with the MRI results. The worst part is the waiting 

 Definitely. I emailed earlier to ask what was going on. 

I have a rule, I have whatsapp for friends and family, phone and email for everything else. After 5pm my phone and email are turned off. I don't let anything interfere with a good nights sleep! Sitting there worried until midnight is something I have done many many times and I decided unless it is urgent it will wait for tomorrow. It doesnt even get space in my head until 9am the next morning. I just place my attention on something else, exercise, cleaning, reading or just relaxing with a good movie. Whatever it is they are going to read off their computer screen can wait until tomorrow. Treat yourself to a nice evening :) xx