Harsh anniversary

[nontacitare]

This week marked the one-year anniversary of my cancer diagnosis. In many ways I'm lucky. I'm finished with treatment and as far as I know I'm cancer-free. The cough that had me worried turned out to be allergies. It's still frustrating living with my parents and scary not having a job, but I'm sure something will come through

Comments

[ns_kumiho]

*hugs*

[nontacitare]

Thank you.

[wishesofastar]

Take care; sorry I wasn't feeling up to the trip today. By the way, why is soy bad?

[nontacitare]

sorry I wasn't feeling up to the trip today

I wasn't either; I caught a virus on Friday. Something is going around.

By the way, why is soy bad?

Here's the tricky thing. Soy is actually good at protecting against certain cancers; but is implicated in estrogen-receptor positive breast cancer. My breast cancer was estrogen-receptor negative, and the jury's still out on whether soy is a danger to people like me. My surgeon was adamant that I could never so much as glance at soy again if I didn't want a recurrence, while my oncologist said the occasional soy burger won't kill me, as long as it's not a weekly occurence. Prior to my breast cancer, one third of my protein came from soy.

[wishesofastar]

aah, ok. So you missed the ritual as well? Hope it was well attended.

[nontacitare]

Yeah, I was pretty disappointed about missing it. But health (and not contaminating others) comes first. Sorry you had to miss it too.

[elvensunhame]

Hey!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 45 is not old!!!!!!!!! grin Harumph. 85 maybe!

[nontacitare]

Culturally, anyone younger than a baby boomer is young. ;-)

Medically, it's a different story. At 39, I was feeling pretty old until I got breast cancer. Suddenly, I was the youngest person in the waiting room. I was told flat out by my first doctor that if I were older I wouldn't need chemo, but because I was so young they didn't want to take chances. I was also eligible to join the Young Survivors Coalition (women in their 20s and 30s with breast cancer.)

Breast cancer, broadly speaking, is divided into two groups - premenopausal (under the age of 45) and post-menopausal. (For my male readers, most women go through menopause in their mid-50s. Menopause before the age of 45 is considered medically premature.) Premenopausal and post-menopausal breast cancers typically have different causes and different cures.

Cancer in general, very broadly speaking, can also be categorized by age. 20 and under is pediatric, 20 - 40 is young adult, and then there are middle age and geriatric cancers. Different people are susceptible to

[quiet_spike]

Those sound like some valuable lessons. I'm sorry you learned them the way you did.

Take care of yourself.

[nontacitare]

I'm sorry you learned them the way you did.

Me too. ;-)

I'm glad to hear you're settling in well in Yellow Springs. Take care.

[nicosomething]

Since you have medical verification that you are young, I suggest you celebrate by going out and buying a toy.

[nontacitare]

Good point.