Beyond breast cancer symptoms: 10 things to know after being diagnosed

10 things moms should remember after being diagnosed with breast cancer

Most, if not all, women would find their worlds turned upside down following a breast cancer diagnosis. Breast cancer symptoms do not often manifest early, which is why results come as a surprise for many women.

If you feel lost and uncertain, know that you are not alone in your breast cancer battle. To help you out, here are 10 things moms should remember after being diagnosed with breast cancer.

Learn about your situation

Education is the key to understanding the situation that you are in, and getting checked is an important first step, stresses blogger and breast cancer survivor, Patty. You need to be able to make informed decisions and choose your treatment plan wisely.

Take the time to understand your diagnosis and find out what your options are. Remember to ask your doctor all the questions that you may have.

Build your support system

Count on family and friends to be there for you during these challenging times. There are also organizations, both local and international, who are there to provide support.

Fellow breast cancer patients and survivors know exactly what you are going through, so try to reach out to them as well. Also, if you're the "praying type," recruiting prayer warriors can also help strengthen your faith in healing.

Do not be afraid to accept help

Remember that your support system is there to help you out. This may come in the form of small things at home, like your husband preparing dinner so that you can rest.

It may also be a shoulder to cry on or someone to listen. Do not be afraid to ask for help. Accepting help is most certainly not a sign of weakness, shares survivor Melissa T. Shultz on ScaryMommy.com.

Do what you need to do to cope

There are days when you have to put yourself first. Go into warrior mode to find the will to fight.

Start eating well and shift to healthier living. Enlist the people around you to join in this positive change.

Whatever you feel will make your situation easier to bear, go ahead and do it.

Your children need to understand, too

You may think that you are protecting your children by keeping the truth from them. In reality though, helping them understand what you are going through puts them in a better position to help.

This can also help lessen their fears, and encourages them to see the situation positively, as was the case for blogger and survivor Patty's children.

Forget regret

You are facing a difficult time, and none of this is your fault. There are usually no symptoms of breast cancer in the early stages, so playing the blame game will not do you any good.

Instead of wallowing in what you could have, should have, or would have done, move forward and focus on your healing.

It’s okay to say no

Days will come when all you will want is peace and quiet, so don't hesitate to say no to activities or visitors, or even conversations about cancer when you do not feel up to it.

Hold on to happiness

A positive outlook makes a huge difference, shares Patty on GraceAnatomy, her blog about battling the big C.

Find ways to make each day a happy one. Pamper yourself, do things that you love, and spend time with your husband and children.

Whether you are cancer-free or still battling cancer, a happy outlook can help make you feel stronger.

Know that you still can live your life

Schedule "cancer-free time” for yourself, when you can do ordinary things without thinking about your illness.

Do not dwell on the topic and instead continue creating memories. Just because you are living with cancer doesn’t mean that you cannot have a life worth living.

Find your new normal

Things will certainly change after you are diagnosed with breast cancer. Still, do not lose hope. Remember that breast cancer is one of the most curable of cancers, especially when detected early.

Your life may never go back to the way it was, but together, you and your family can (and should!) find a new normal and continue on with life.

10 things to remember after a breast cancer diagnosis

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Patricia de Castro-Cuyugan

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Written by

Patricia de Castro-Cuyugan

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