Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month or Cancer Awareness Month. But what should you be aware of?

Be aware of what a cancer SCREEN is.

SCREEN:

Self-exam: Do a self-breast exam monthly or more often. Often this is the first step in detecting breast cancer.

Cancer: If you feel a lump that you think might be cancer, you should call your healthcare provider right away.

Review: Your physician will order some tests to see if you have cancer and then will review the test results with you.

Evaluate: From there you can evaluate your options based on your diagnosis.

Engage: Next you will engage in a treatment plan.

Notice: If you notice any new signs or symptoms, report them to your healthcare team right away.

SCREEN:

Self-exam

Cancer

Review

Evaluate

Engage

Notice

Be aware that going through cancer treatment requires CARE.

CARE:

Cancer care team: Your cancer care team consists of many people including your oncologist, doctors, nurses, medical technicians, medical assistants, and of course, you.

Appointments: You will have many appointments, especially at the beginning of your cancer journey.

Resilience: You need to be resilient to adapt to unexpected schedule changes and the disruption in your life that cancer brings.

Endurance: Cancer is not a sprint; it is a journey that requires endurance, not just of yourself, but of your supporters as well.

CARE:

Cancer Care Team

Appointments

Resilience

Endurance

 Be aware that you will need SUPPORT.

SUPPORT:

Supporters: Having a group of supporters makes the unbearable bearable.

Unity: You will need to unite and work together with your cancer care team and your supporters who all have your best interest in mind, even when they may seem to be overbearing.

Perseverance: Perseverance is proving to yourself that you have what it takes to go through cancer treatments by putting one foot in front of the other. When you don’t have the strength to take the next step, lean on your supporters. They are there to help you. Let them help.

Patience: Patience is not easy to practice when you are waiting for test results, going through treatments, and tolerating the side effects of treatments.

Optimism: Keep an open mind to traditional as well as alternative treatments. Perhaps you might want to enroll in clinical and research studies.

Rest: Take time each day to rest. Rest is important to maintain your stamina to go through cancer treatments.

Tenacity: Tenacity means to keep going until you reach your goal. Keep going, I’m rooting for you!

SUPPORT:

Supporters

Unity

Perseverance

Patience

Optimism

Rest

Tenacity

Be aware that you need to BREATHE.

BREATHE:

Believe: Believe in yourself that you have what it takes to get through cancer.

                Believe in your supporters.

                Believe in your cancer care team.

Reflect: Reflect on all you have to be grateful for.

Exhale: Exhale by practicing breathing exercises. Taking deep breaths brings more oxygen into your lungs and calms anxiety.

Accept: Accept where you are and continue pushing forward.

Trust: Trust your instincts. If you have any unusual lumps, bumps, bleeding, pain, or skin changes, tell your doctor right away.

Hope: Hope for the day when you can put cancer treatments behind you.

Embrace: Embrace the fact that you have cancer.

                   Embrace the plan that you and your cancer care team have developed to get you through cancer.

                    Embrace those who are supporting your every day.

BREATHE:

Believe

Reflect

Exhale

Accept

Trust

Hope

Embrace

Be aware that you will have BAD DAYS.

BAD DAYS:

Bloated: Chemotherapy can cause many side effects including changes in your appetite and feeling bloated.

Achy: You will possibly feel achy and tired during your cancer treatments.

Disheartened: Even with the best of attitudes, you may find yourself disheartened at times, especially if your treatments drag on for a long time.

Done: You may get to the point where you feel you are done and cannot take one more treatment.

             Or you may be done with treatments. Yay!!

Angry: At times you may feel angry.

             Angry that you have cancer.

             Angry that you can’t do the things you want to do.

             Angry that your progress is not what you hoped it would be.

Yearn: It is normal to yearn for the days when you didn’t have cancer.

             It is normal to yearn for the days when you no longer have cancer.

Sad: It is okay to feel sad. Cancer is a big blow to your body, your mind, and your emotions.

BAD DAYS:

Bloated

Achy

Disheartened

Done

Angry

Yearn

Sad

Be aware that you are still YOU.

YOU:

Yourself: Even though you are going through cancer, continue to be yourself. Have fun with your friends and do the things you enjoy doing.

Original: You are an original. Don’t feel like you must be what you are not. If you are tired, don’t push yourself; take time to rest. If you are feeling emotional, give in to your emotions instead of trying to ignore them. They will only come back stronger if you don’t deal with them.

Unique: You are unique. And that is what we all love about you.

YOU:

Yourself

 Original

 Unique

The next time you think of cancer awareness, think of:

SCREEN

CARE

SUPPORT

BREATHE

BAD DAYS

YOU

Wishing you all the best,

Kelly

 Are your cancer screenings up to date?

Yes, I am a nurse. No, I am not your nurse. The medical topics discussed in this, or any article on this site, are intended to be issues for you to discuss with your medical team if you feel they apply to you. None of the information you are about to read in this article is treatment advice for you from me. I do not have that authority.