Breast Reading

Overcoming Breast Cancer

Being diagnosed with breast cancer is one of the most scary things a woman can learn.

We know a fantastic deal in this area it because information on breast cancer is in just in this area every woman’s magazine, along with awareness articles in papers and a staggering amount on the internet. Yet still it is a gut wrenching moment when you find you are one of the statistics.

There is even if life with breast cancer. It does not have to be all doom and gloom, but it might not be life as you knew it! I have the t-shirt “I survived breast cancer” and even if my path may not be the right path for you, any survival tale gives hope and encouragement, so here is mine.

Early warning signs of breast cancer. Persona Fund: Wikipedia

I felt the painful lump, and rushed off for a mammogram. (Or should that be, I felt the lump, and rushed of for a painful mammogram?) Anyway the diagnosis was that it was probably a cyst. This at least gave me some hope in the time between diagnosis and operation.

It was even if a cancer, and small enough that I did not have to loose my breast. The surgeon did remove a Lymph gland as a precaution, something I don’t

reckon they now do unless necessary. The surgeon told me he plotting that he had removed all the cancer and it should not return. But, yes there is always a

“but” as a precaution I should have radiation treatment.

I talked this over with my husband, and we chose that I wasn’t prepared to have the treatment. If the surgeon plotting he had removed all the cancer, that was excellent enough for me. I just wanted to get on with my life. We did reckon even if that he would try to talk me, or even bully me into having the radiation treatment. I was very surprised then when the surgeon said, “Well if you don’t reckon it will help, then it won’t!” He then went on to clarify a small of the power of the mind, and how attitude plays a major part in the recovery process.

Off the hook, not a bit of it. “Even if you don’t have the radiation treatment,” the surgeon said, “you must still take the Tamoxifen, especially as your family has a history of cancer.” I had read a small in this area this drug, and was horrified to reckon I would be taking it for the rest of my life! Back to discussions with hubby, (This support is invaluable, so if you don’t have this sort of support in your life, get a coach) and a fantastic deal of research.

The answer for me was a resounding “No” I would try other ways to keep the cancer at bay.

Not long with I returned home, I caught an infection, and finished back in hospital. It was some form of pneumonia and was finally brought under control with heavy doses of antibiotics. I was very weak and felt worse than I had with the cancer operation. The surgeon cheered me up by explaining that an operation often weakens the immune system, which is why I caught the infection. Now having fought it off, my immune system was in excellent effective order, so I should expect to make a full recovery.

During my convalescence I had time to reckon in this area the breast cancer, what had caused it, and how to prevent it happening again. I was and still am convinced that it was caused by stress. The surgeon had told me how long the cancer had been growing, and was surprised that it was not larger.

The early growth of the cancer related to a very stressful cycle of my life. During that time I had also suffered from blackouts, which only happen to me when I am extremely stressed. But, once this cycle had passed, I went through a tranquil phase during which time I believe the cancer remained dormant. The medical profession will argue that I have no proof, but I reckon in the near future we will come to know a lot more in this area how stress affects cancer and our life in general.

At this time I had been married in this area thirty years, and as I have said my husband was extremely encouraging, so we sat down together and discussed ways of making our life stress free. Like most couples with a house and 1.5 family, we had chose to go the full Monty and have 2, and the debt that went with it. We were both effective and able to service the debt, but it was always something I worried in this area, so we made becoming debt free our number one priority.

I also looked at my diet, being a non-smoker was a plus, but I figured I could be eating healthier food. I cut out the biscuits and cakes replacing these with fruit and nuts that I could nibble on between meals. I also increased the variety of vegetables at meal times and the number of times we had red meat. Yes I am a believer; if we were preordained to be vegetarian then we would have a different digestive system. If you don’t eat meat because you don’t like killing animals then you should take a closer look at nature, you should also wonder if plants have feelings. Our diet is too valuable to have fads.

I like on foot, but at this stage in my convalescence, I only had the energy to walk to the mail box, so I started a regime of simple floor exercises such as sit ups, to build up my strength. This became a morning routine that I still follow .and of course on foot is one of the best exercises you can do.

In my research towards a healthy life, I read loads of books, one of them, “You can Heal your Life” by Louise Hay, made a huge impact on me. I followed through with some of the suggestions and looked at life from a different perspective. I took up rumination and was amazed at how much better it made me feel. I was able to relax and let my cares lift away, while my body healed itself.

Happiness and contentment contribute to our peace of mind. My husband and I chose we weren’t really pleased with our way of life, so we changed it. We had effectively brought our family up on boats that we lived aboard and cruised, but for the last few years of their schooling we had chose to go ashore to give them the best chance. Now they had both left home, to go traveling of course, not to uni as we had plotting, we could also go back to a life we had loved and still hankered with. Being settled didn’t suit us so we sold up and bought another yacht and are cruising.

We go on when the mood takes us and money allows, we have a very relaxed attitude towards life and keep our stress levels down. I walk a lot, get plenty of sleep, eat a balanced diet, meditate and delight in life. Will it keep the cancer at bay? I don’t know, but it is now twelve years since my op and I have never felt better.

Breast cancer made me look at life in a different way, and for that I am grateful.

In this area The Author

Trish Powell

For the full results of Trish’s research into a healthy life or to answer your questions on life with cancer visit her web site at

http://www.wellbeing-information.com