USEFUL RESOURCES

class="donate-button" > Donate

USEFUL RESOURCES

Topic: How has the Pandemic affected you as a cancer patient/survivor

Forum: All things COVID-19 or coronavirus — A place to discuss the impact of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) on you and the ones you love.

Jump to Bottom arrow down

Posted on: Sep 8, 2021 06:58PM

Posted on: Sep 8, 2021 06:58PM

trishyla wrote:

Has the Pandemic substantially impacted your life as a current or former cancer patient? Please post your stories; heartbreaking, frustrating, even uplifting.

If you post anything about treatments, cures, vaccinations, hospitalizations or deaths, please back it up with research from accepted, credible sources. Your Uncle's neighbor's third wife who posted a crazy conspiracy theory on Facebook is not a credible source.

Angry, passionate, sad are all acceptable, disrespectful is not.


Dx 8/30/2016, IDC, Left, 1cm, Stage IIA, Grade 2, 1/2 nodes, ER+/PR+, HER2- Dx 8/30/2016, IDC, Right, 1cm, Stage IA, Grade 3, 0/1 nodes, ER-/PR-, HER2- Dx 9/6/2016, IDC, Left, 1cm, Stage IIA, Grade 2, 1/2 nodes, ER+/PR+, HER2- Chemotherapy 9/28/2016 AC + T (Taxol) Surgery 4/4/2017 Lymph node removal; Mastectomy; Mastectomy (Left); Mastectomy (Right); Reconstruction (Left): DIEP flap; Reconstruction (Right): DIEP flap Chemotherapy 8/5/2017 Xeloda (capecitabine)
Log in to post a reply

Page 141 of 145 (1,447 results)

Log in to post a reply

Feb 7, 2022 03:45PM wrenn wrote:

For a long time I had thought that the pandemic had cured my hypochondriasis. Pre-pandemic I would think about checking in with my NP over any little twinge (didn't often do it but more often than the last two years). Lately I have actually worried whether I would rather die of whatever it was that I was sure was happening to me (headaches = brain mets, stomach upset = gastric mets or new primary..colon) or die of covid.

I have been really anxious. Today it is dizziness so again brain mets? I have to talk myself down which wasn't happening for much of the pandemic. I guess a more reasonable diagnosis is pandemic anxiety. *sigh

If you don't see me post for a few days I have had a stroke and am lying on my floor rotting (at least I no longer have a cat that might eat a leg or arm if his meal got missed).

Log in to post a reply

Feb 7, 2022 03:53PM serenitystat wrote:

Ottawa omicronvoy is ongoing, but similar protests around Canada have been nipped in the bud. Getting insurance companies involved will help.

In Olympic news, Canada women's hockey beat Russians while wearing KN95 masks (Layfield 95PFE-L3 KN95 Respirator Mask - have these 👍). After seeing a figure skater drop out due to becoming COVID+, it makes sense.

😷 🇨🇦💪



🌻 🇺🇦 BCO leaked our private data. 🤦🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️ . . . . . "Do not overlook the little joys!" (Hesse, 1905) 🐶Dx.11/2015.IDC.L.IIIC.10/11nodes.++- ☕️12/2015.L.Mast 🛀2/2016.4AC.12Taxol.fasted 🖼9/2016.Rads.Nodes.ChestWall.15+4boosts 🥐10/2016.Tamox(2.5y) 🌲4/2019.Exemestane 🎭12/2019.Ibrance/Xgeva 🕊
Log in to post a reply

Feb 7, 2022 03:58PM serenitystat wrote:

wrenn - I’m sorry you’re feeling so anxious. Send me an SOS if you need. Anytime.

🌻 🇺🇦 BCO leaked our private data. 🤦🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️ . . . . . "Do not overlook the little joys!" (Hesse, 1905) 🐶Dx.11/2015.IDC.L.IIIC.10/11nodes.++- ☕️12/2015.L.Mast 🛀2/2016.4AC.12Taxol.fasted 🖼9/2016.Rads.Nodes.ChestWall.15+4boosts 🥐10/2016.Tamox(2.5y) 🌲4/2019.Exemestane 🎭12/2019.Ibrance/Xgeva 🕊
Log in to post a reply

Feb 7, 2022 04:16PM sbelizabeth wrote:

Wrenn, I'm sorry. Anxiety about ANYTHING is such a dark and dragging shadow. Sending mental sunshine your direction.

Well, we're all going out somehow. Having a sudden stroke at home ain't the worst I can think of, even the lying rotting on the floor part, which cracked me up.

pinkribbonandwheels.wordpress.... Dx 10/20/2011, IDC/IBC, Left, 1cm, Stage IIIB, Grade 2, 6/28 nodes, ER+/PR+, HER2- Chemotherapy 12/15/2011 Adriamycin (doxorubicin), Cytoxan (cyclophosphamide), Taxotere (docetaxel) Surgery 4/18/2012 Mastectomy; Mastectomy (Left) Radiation Therapy 5/21/2012 Breast, Lymph nodes Hormonal Therapy 7/19/2012 Femara (letrozole) Surgery 4/15/2013 Reconstruction (Left): DIEP flap; Reconstruction (Right): DIEP flap
Log in to post a reply

Feb 7, 2022 04:41PM beesie.is.out-of-office wrote:

wrenn, I'm may be on the other side of the country but I'm right there with you. (((Hugs)))


Log in to post a reply

Feb 7, 2022 05:08PM illimae wrote:

Wrenn, can you get a brain MRI to be sure? I don’t want to add to any anxiety but brain mets can be sneaky.

Diagnosed at 41 Stage IV De Novo Dx 11/16/2016, IDC, Left, 5cm, Stage IV, metastasized to bone, Grade 3, 3/13 nodes, ER+/PR-, HER2+ Chemotherapy 1/2/2017 Abraxane (albumin-bound or nab-paclitaxel) Targeted Therapy 1/2/2017 Herceptin (trastuzumab) Targeted Therapy 1/2/2017 Perjeta (pertuzumab) Surgery 6/26/2017 Lumpectomy; Lumpectomy (Left); Lymph node removal Radiation Therapy 8/10/2017 Breast, Lymph nodes Dx 10/5/2017, IDC, Left, 5cm, Stage IV, metastasized to brain, Grade 3, 3/13 nodes, ER+, HER2+ Radiation Therapy 10/20/2017 External Local Metastases 10/20/2017 Brain Radiation Therapy 4/18/2018 External Local Metastases 4/18/2018 Brain Radiation Therapy 5/23/2019 External Local Metastases 5/23/2019 Brain Surgery 1/22/2020 Radiation Therapy 2/17/2020 External Local Metastases 2/17/2020 Brain Radiation Therapy 7/20/2020 External Local Metastases 7/20/2020 Radiation therapy: Bone Radiation Therapy 12/4/2020 External Local Metastases 12/4/2020 Brain Targeted Therapy Tukysa (tucatinib) Chemotherapy Xeloda (capecitabine) Hormonal Therapy Tamoxifen pills (Nolvadex, Apo-Tamox, Tamofen, Tamone)
Log in to post a reply

Feb 7, 2022 05:40PM alicebastable wrote:

Wrenn, I'm so sorry you're going through a rough spell. Are you planning to get another cat? Would that help you in the anxious times?

Ignore treatment info (below) which is a BCO glitch. Do not enter personal information on this site since they grossly mishandled a data breach.
Log in to post a reply

Feb 7, 2022 06:27PM wrenn wrote:

Awww thank you you guys. I did a zoom meditation just now and that helped. I do have ativan but try to hold out on taking it.

I am better off than most when it comes to cancer or having to go out during a pandemic so I shouldn't even complain but it was interesting to me how I mostly figured the first year or so that I really didn't need medical care and thought of the old days when we had to pay for medical care and would put more thought into seeking it.

I am sure I am fine and just have some regular old thing that most people ignore and hearing from you guys really made a huge difference.

Illimae when it comes to MRI I really would choose being eaten by a cat. I am soooo claustrophobic. I am terrified of those. :-)

I can't have a cat because of loss of balance/neuropathy cause I would fall bending to feed or do litter duty and trip and fall too often. I am going to see if I can add a pic of Richard (former cat) He was 18 lbs so could probably consume at least a leg.

I think I will take an ativan tonight.

Log in to post a reply

Feb 7, 2022 06:29PM wrenn wrote:

Log in to post a reply

Feb 7, 2022 06:30PM - edited Feb 7, 2022 06:33PM by alicebastable

Wrenn, I've been thinking about what you said while I puttered around. It occurred to me that you're really brave to admit all of that. I have a lot of similar thoughts but I can't say them to anyone, not even my doctors. Especially my doctors. My fear of being thought a hypochondriac is worse than my fear of cancer or other medical issues. I just wait until my next scheduled appointment to bring up anything - and I usually don't bring it up, thinking that it can wait until the next 6-month or 1-year appointment, or it will go away on its own. I'll bring up a few things with my PCP, but it's usually the least scary thing on my list. I guess it's because I was raised in a house where the reaction to injuries was "Don't bleed on anything!" and to illness was "Take an aspirin and quit complaining!"

Stoicism sucks.

Edited to add, what a gorgeous cat! I'm sorry you can't have one now.

Ignore treatment info (below) which is a BCO glitch. Do not enter personal information on this site since they grossly mishandled a data breach.

Page 141 of 145 (1,447 results)

Scroll to top button