Breast Cancer: Dealing Day to Day

If you've been diagnosed with breast cancer, you likely will face a number of physical and emotional challenges. Though everyone has different coping strategies, knowing and accessing the resources available to you and changing your perspective may allow you to better handle the everyday difficulties you'll encounter when living with breast cancer.

1. Educate yourself about all aspects of the disease

   It is important for you to learn as much about breast cancer as possible. If you have a solid knowledge base, you will have a better understanding of information about your diagnosis, treatment and related factors. Don't be afraid to ask your physicians to explain information that is not clear. There are many books, journals and Internet sites devoted to breast cancer. By increasing your knowledge, you and your family can make decisions with confidence.

2. Use your available resources

   Dealing with breast cancer can be overwhelming for both you and your family. Your cancer care team plays a vital role before, during and after treatment. These health-care professionals are specially trained in cancer and can provide support for all aspects of your disease. Be sure to consult with your team if you have questions or concerns. In many instances, a member of the team can help you. If not, they will be able to refer you to someone who can provide the support you need.

   In addition to the healthcare professionals involved in your treatment, don't be afraid to accept help from your family, friends and peers. Many of these people sincerely want to help you through this difficult time. Accept their offers, especially when you are not feeling strong or may be experiencing side effects of your treatment. You should never feel that accepting someone's help is giving in to the disease.

3. Stay focused on your own well-being

   After you have been diagnosed with breast cancer, you will begin to feel that you are part of an exclusive group. This has its good points and bad points. On the good side, you will meet an amazing group of women who can offer you words of wisdom and unending support. The bad side, however, is that you will begin to hear stories of women who have not survived. You may begin to think, That could be me. She had the same treatment I did, and she's no longer living.

   You need to remember that every breast cancer is different and every woman is different. You must stay focused on your own well-being and believe that you are a survivor.

   Maintaining this mindset may be even harder while you are in treatment. You will see other cancer patients receiving chemotherapy or radiation who may not look well. Again, when you are receiving therapy, focus on yourself. If you are bothered by the sights and sounds surrounding you during treatment, listen to music through headphones or bring a good book to occupy your mind. Many women choose to bring a friend who can keep them positive and can serve as a distraction to the therapy.

4. Keep the lines of communication open with those in your life

   Most people in your life will not be able to relate to your situation. They also cannot read your mind. For these reasons, it is important for you to share your feelings with those who love and support you. Share your concerns, whether they are about the current treatment or your future. Let your family and friends know your hopes and fears so they can help you deal with them.

   It is very easy to become isolated, which can lead to depression. If you feel you are separating yourself from those who love you, find ways to keep them a part of your life. Pick those members who understand you the best and use them to keep you involved in life. It is natural to feel low at times, but you don't want negative feelings to overtake your life.

5. Be patient and learn to take one day at a time

   When you are diagnosed with breast cancer, it's common to want everything to be "fixed" immediately. It is frustrating to have to wait for test results, schedule doctors' appointments and delay your therapy. But you want as much accurate information as possible before you decide on your treatment plan. In many cases, women are able to seek a second opinion about their breast cancer. Once you have the opinions, you can discuss your options with your doctors and choose the treatment that is best for you.

   It can be frustrating when you receive differing opinions from the doctors you consult. One may suggest a mastectomy, while another may recommend a lumpectomy followed by radiation. You must weigh all of the information and make a decision with your physicians about your treatment plan. As the patient, your preferences are an important factor in the treatment of your breast cancer.

6. Learn to live for the future

   After your treatments are finished, you will begin to think more about your future. Every day you may think about if and when your breast cancer will return or if the cancer will appear somewhere else in your body. As time passes, you will become less fearful about a cancer recurrence and start thinking of yourself as a breast cancer survivor. You'll be surrounded by millions of other women who have the same label. They can become your family and, in many instances, your support.

   When you talk to a woman who tells you that she's a 5-year or 10-year survivor, it may help to remind yourself that you can be like that woman. Breast cancer survival has improved every year, and with ongoing research, it is hoped that this trend will continue. Breast cancer is no longer a death sentence. A woman who has been diagnosed with this cancer in its earliest stage has a 98 percent survival rate. Don't forget that you can be a part of that high percentage.