a lot to learn

I'm new to this site and after posting my first message about my cancer...I began to read other more heartwrenching tales.

Forgive me for whining when there are so many sisters out there in so much more pain than I. Thank you for your indulgence and understanding.

Hi Jeannemarie!!

I just read your original post, and my dear, you are not whining at all, and athough yes there are some very heartwrenching stories here, cancer is cancer, regardless of where it is, and whether its stage I, II, III or IV, when we hear those words, its devastating none the less.

I am so glad you posted, and you will get so much support, information sharing and hugs through your surgery and recovery. Please know that we are all here for you, and I hope you will post often. This is just the best bunch of women you will ever find, and we all gain strength from each other.

Luckily we are a small group, and we get to know each other fairly well, and have a very strong support bond here. We all know what you are going through and can relate so well to all the feelings and emotions that go along with a cancer diagnosis.

I wish you the very best with your surgery Jeannemarie! Stage I is very often all taken care of with surgery, and I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers that this is the case for you!!

Big hugs to you!
Maria

Maria...you are an angel.
Thank you for the kind words and you are also in my thoughts.

s Jeannemarie

I am so glad you decided to post here. Hearing you have cancer is just the scariest moment!!! I read your original post. Don't ever belittle your own diagnosis.

It sounds like your support system is set. Sisters and sons are the best.
I have three sisters and two sons so I know where you are coming from. And now you have a whole other group of sisters to support and encourage you.
A better bunch would be hard to find. Please feel free to share with us whatever is on your mind. We truly understand!!!

Best wishes with your surgery. You are in my thoughts and prayers.

karenann

jeannemarie, you can whine any time you want or need to . Thats what we are here for. We all have our days... good ones and bad ones. On the good ones we support others and on the bad ones we take support from the other girls. Thank Heaven that we have our bad days at different times

You can complain as much as you need to ,this is your diagnosis, your fear and your pain. Dont ever apologize for that. Please remember we are all here for you, along this path. love always xx

Complain and whine all you want......you need to , in order to "let it go". Once you have done that, you instantly begin o feel better, and the support from others start to pour in, and then everything will be all right
HUGS

Welcome to HysterSisters and Cancer Concerns.
I will be 51 next month and also went through this without a DH.
However I got lot's of wonderful support from my mom, son, daughter-in-law, and other family and friends.
The support (and information) I received here at HS was always loving and unconditional. These are truly in disguise.
We have all walked a mile (or two) in those shoes, some of us still are, and no one has forgotten how difficult some days can be.
I had Endometrial Cancer, Grade 1. It may sound strange to you right now, but I am now grateful for that little lesion.
I had suffered years of heavy bleeding and sometimes severe anemia. I thought all that was normal and I just had to live with it. Aside for sometimes treating the anemia, I never had a doctor look beyond that, until this Dec.
During my diagnosis they also found 3 ovarian cysts, a large fibroid and Carcinoma in Situ of the vulva. During surgery they found a large pelvic mass, lot's adhesions, adenmyosis (sp), Carcinoma in Situ of the Cervix, infection in my fallopian tube and pelvic area. And that's all I can remember. Whew!
Boy am I glad that is all gone. And they got it all with surgery. I do not need any further treatment.
My surgery and recovery have all gone very smoothly.
I can tell you I feel fantastic. I feel the best I have felt in a very long time. I even came back from the hospital 10 pounds lighter.
It feels good to know I can continue to feel good every day of the month. I no longer have to count the days until PMS or flooding starts, or fight the fatigue that comes with anemia.
I know this is scary. It sounds as if, for you, as it was for many of us, this is the first major surgery to deal with. As others have said, make sure you are comfortable with your doctor/surgeon/hospital. Take comfort in the fact that we live in a time that this can be diagnosed early and save our lives.
Come here often. We're always here for you.
You are going to do just fine.

Thank you Shelley.

So happy to hear of your recovery and return to better health.
I am trying to be hopeful and I know that in many respects I am so lucky. For some wacky reason I just can't seem to get a hold of my positive nature just yet. This shoe is certainly on the other foot!

I guess it's the first time I've ever been victimized by something that I couldn't get away from. I mean I will take charge of this situation but you know what I mean? I've mastered so many things when I put my mind to it (weight issues, cigs, divorce). And I guess this is just one more challenge. So onward and upward.

Thanks again all of you. I'm still learning how to manuever around this website so if I don't thank you individually it's because I'm still learning how to do this.

I know just what you mean. Believe me I had many a tearful day and kept trying to find somewhere to go to get away from "it".
I too had always been able to leave a job, boyfriend, situation that I didn't like. Or change something within myself that I didn't like. Yep, this little devil follows you around.
I don't believe in trying to be positive. Just honor your feelings whatever they happen to be at any given point in time.
This is definitely a roller coaster ride. Some days will be better than others. There is naturally alot of grief, shock, sadness, fear that comes up when we first get this diagnosis. We are all very human. This is a vulnerable time. Vulnerable is not a place I previously let myself go to very often. You were right. There is much to learn on this journey.
Keep reading as knowledge certainly brings comfort.
More
Shelley

xoxoxoxoxoxoxo.