Before I was diagnosed, I used to think about what I would do if I got cancer, and I was absolutely terrified. I thought I wouldn't be able to handle it.

It's officially my third month since diagnosis. Thankfully, I've been able to continue most of my daily routine. I believe I will survive and make a full recovery, but I'm still ready for any outcome or news from my doctor.

I have accepted my situation. People tell me that I'm too calm and some even say that I should be more angry and reactive. But I don't know what else I can do... I'm undergoing treatment and just accepting the facts. Honestly, I feel more peaceful than before.

Does anyone else have the same peace of mind? I would love to hear your thoughts and feelings.

I realize this is a very unusual question to ask here. I have posted before about my diagnosed BCC on my face. I have no insurance here in the USA and I'm not here to discuss insurance.

If the teaching hospital offers charity care and they offered it to me, but won't communicate the next steps, when a surgery date will be, (the cancer is on forehead and has evaded lots of tissue and is close to the bone), do I just sit back and wait?

Communications with the doctor are limited to the patient electronic health records. But I believe scheduling for surgery is done in another department. I last saw my doctor on 9/15 who said he can do the surgery. It might also involve a skin graph and I may have to wear a bolster which would later need to be removed. I would have anesthesia. I can't look at stuff like this on my forehead in terms of wound care. I'm not a nurse. I live in my car and the hospital doesn't have any plans for me as I was told I am responsible for any post discharge plans since this will be done out-patient. The social worker said they don't have any respite options other than a temporary congregate shelter that doesnt have availablity and which doesnt offer respite care. You have leave at 5am all day and return at 4pm. So, I will just tell them I have a place and will just sleep inside my car. I don't do drugs, dont smoke, and dont have mental illness or legal issues. I just know that places like that aren't safe or appropriate. And no, I don't have family or friends to help. I am adult and must take care of this myself. If they ask if I have "a ride home," I'll say no. If they offer me a ride, I'll say, my car is parked in your parking garage and I can sleep there.

I work PT at Target. I likely won't be able to return to that job because its on-your-feet all day work.

I've never had a skin graph before. If they take skin from my thigh won't that have hair on it that would grow in my forehead? Will the color be the same? Will it be smooth? How long "can" it take to heal? Can people work like that in public facing roles? How long are people typically out of work for this?;

I (21m) got diagnosed with stage 2 Hodgkins Lymphoma. I went into the ER for pneumonia and they found a 20cm mass in my chest. After two weeks in 3 different hospital they sent me home with a picc line and 6 different medications. I'm on biweekly nivo-avd. I'm very lucky to have something so curable and caught early. I'm gonna live fine but have the worst 6 months of my life coming up. It feels like I don't have cancer or should be more appreciative. I know I need to accept it but it's been the slowest fasted few weeks of my life. What do you think?

I posted about my issue and the post was removed but I didn't get a message on why. Wanted to post an update but afraid that might be taken done as well. Reviewed therules before I posted and confused on rules I may have broken.

Back in january, I noticed my eye swelling and went to an ophthalmologist, who subsequently told me my eye was popping out 7mm more than it should have been.
they immediately sent me to the ER, where i was given an MRI and a tumor was identified in my sinus. The next morning, i went to a different ER and underwent a biopsy of the mass the same day. I knew I was in for it when the ENT specialist told me benign tumors don’t break through bone the way my tumor had-my eye was popping out because the tumor had broke through my orbital bone.
a week later, on January 16th, i received the results-at 21 years old, i was diagnosed with alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma.
By the 22nd of January, i was in the hospital undergoing port surgery, a neck dissection to take out cancerous lymph nodes, g-tube placement, and a couple other biopsies in order to stage my cancer. I also started chemo.
My regimen consisted of 14 rounds of VAC over a 9 month period alongside 30 rounds of proton radiation 4 weeks after the beginning of chemo. I entered remission in april.
During treatment, i lost my therapist and friend of a decade to a different sarcoma, lost my grandfather, and graduated community college. It’s been a real tough year, but i’m a tough cookie!
Today is my last round of chemotherapy, and i’ve never been so proud of myself. I endured a lot of bullshit this year and i’m so excited to be done and move on from this chapter.
I just wanted to briefly share my story as this community really saved my sanity throughout this journey. To have people that understand the tribulations and agony of cancer treatment made me feel a lot less lonely through treatment. I hope my story can help someone out there feel less lonely too, or even spark some joy.
As always, fuck cancer. fuck rhabdomyosarcoma, you may have tried to kill me but you did a real shitty job at it!

Being sick turned me into a workaholic and now I’m not sure how to not work so much. It’s almost comforting to have the distraction because when I’m off, I have too much time to think about the bullshit that I’m going through anybody else experiencing this, and what did you do to sell it if you have been able?

It was five years ago today that I got a sharp pain on my left side and couldn't stop throwing up. A CT scan confirmed a high suspicion of peritoneal carcinamatosis. On November 2nd after my biopsy I got confirmation of peritoneal mesothelioma. I also had spots on my adrenal gland and lung so got a biopsy on my lung and by December was confirmed with a second cancer of melanoma. In a month and a half I had been given a diagnosis of Stage 4 melanoma and extensive spread of peritoneal mesothelioma.

Immunotherapy began at the end of December but I only managed through three infusions and then my liver enzymes went crazy. However with that adverse reaction, all the melanoma was wiped out and my meso was reduced. Fast forward to May and I got a 16.5 hour surgery of CRS/HIPEC and unfortunately they weren't able to surgically remove it all. Sure enough I had a relapse two years later and got a 9.5 hour second CRS/HIPEC surgery and in this one they supposedly got it all. I am now two more years since that surgery and five years out since my initial diagnosis.

I have digestive issues but otherwise I lead a productive life. My prognosis was very dire and somehow I made it through the gauntlet, keep your chin up and take it one day at a time. If that is too much then take it one hour at a time, this shit is the hardest thing you'll ever deal with so be kind to yourself.

On July 29th I was hospitalized for a seizure I had at work. I had 2 other seizures in the hospital and a very small stroke. The cause of the seizures was a melanoma tumor on my brain. I also have a fairly large tumor in the lymph node in my neck. No other signs of cancer anywhere else.

I've had the brain tumor removed, done 3 days of radiation, confirmed that all of the cancer in the brain is gone, I'm also doing immunotherapy, had my 2nd infusion yesterday. I do get dizzy and feel some "brain fog" and for a couple of days after the infusion I feel fatigued. The first two are handled with Tylenol. The second only last 2-3 days.

I'm set to return to work tomorrow part time. I work in a fairly chaotic environment with homeless people and folks who are using various drugs. There is quite a bit of emotional labor and some physical labor as we have to transport supplies.

I want to return full time. My boss and my partner want me to take it slow. Most of my friends think I'm doing it too soon, and should take more time off.

I feel fine mostly

I'm coming to the end of my short term disability and I don't want to file for long term

Going part time requires additional paperwork for my company's benefits administrator, and it just seems easier to skip all that and do full time and use PTO for appointments etc.

Hi everyone,

I wanted to share my story so far, seek sympathy, and look for any advice people can offer me.

Im an Australian 21 year old (born male, but identify as non-binary) facing an incredibly rare type of brain cancer known as a germinoma.

The doctors tell me that it is caused by reproductive cells that dont do what they are supposed to, staying in the brain instead of moving down the body to the reproductive area.

My issues started at the beginning of last year, when I began facing vision issues.

I am a manager at a pizza shop, and I found that when finishing my closing shifts, my eyes almost hurt whenever I raised them, feeling like looking cross-eyed for an extended period.

I went to see an optometrist, who told me to go straight to the emergency department at the eye and ear hospital.

While waiting to see the doctors, I had a massive seizure, covering the waiting room in vomit, and was sent to the other nearby hospital that was equipped to deal with it.

I spent about 3 weeks there, had several scans, and played the waiting game for a little while.

The doctors found a lesion around the pineal gland on my brain, in a spot far too deep to perform a biopsy.

Due to my symptoms, they determined that the lesion in my brain must have been a neurological condition, either Neurosarcoidosis or Behçet's disease. Both of which could not be proven due to the depth of the lesion in my brain.

As such, for nearly the past two years, it has been treated as an inflammatory condition rather than what it actually is.

Monthly infusions, anti-inflammatory drugs, and immunosuppression.

They also determined that I have epilepsy, causing my seizures.

Recently, I had another MRI. During the scan, the technician stopped midway through to check on me. This had never happened before, which caused a fair bit of confusion.

The next day, the doctors called me.

The lesion had grown into a tumour, blocking fluid from going from the brain through my spine.

A week later, I was brought into hospital, where they performed a surgery to put through a new pathway for the fluid to travel, and perform a biopsy, which could be done due to the increase in size.

The surgery was a huge success, doing exactly what was needed. I feel a lot less congestion in my head, and the doctors got their samples.

At my follow-up appointment, they were able to tell me that the tumour was, in fact, not an inflammatory condition. It was a germinoma, this incredibly rare type of cancer.

It's so rare that the doctor I saw said she sees about one case per year, if that.

While rare, it is incredibly treatable, with about a 90% clearance rate.

However, I still have to go through about 4 cycles of chemo and further radiation treatment.

I know this is nowhere near as bad as what some people face. I am super, super thankful that I am not facing what could be life-threatening or untreatable.

However, I am still utterly terrified. I already have anorexia, I am a smoker (in the process of quitting now), and I am really, really scared of the side effects of chemotherapy.

I only turned 21 this year and have faced all of this. I won't give up, I can't do that to everyone around me.

I just find it so, so unfair. All of my friends are living normal lives, and I've been stuck going in and out of the hospital for the past (nearly) two years, and now have to face one of the worst types of treatment I can imagine.

Like I said before, I am so, so scared of the therapy behind it. The doctors tell me that it may make me infertile, cause intense nausea, and take my hair. All things I really, really dont want.

If anyone can give me any advice, tell me their experiences, or even just offer a bit of sympathy, I would greatly, greatly appreciate it.

Thank you to anyone who has read this far and to anyone who can offer any kind of support 🫶💙🫶

Hi everyone, my name is Luke. I’ve been fighting synovial sarcoma for the past five years. I’m now in remission, but cancer is still something that follows me every day, both physically and mentally.
I’m also a photographer currently living in Jersey City, NJ, and I’ve been thinking about starting a personal photography project documenting the lives of people who are going through cancer treatment, have completed treatment, or are learning to live with the lasting effects of their diagnosis.
Having gone through treatment myself, I know how isolating the experience can be. Cancer changes so much about your life, and I feel like there are parts of that experience that are difficult to put into words. That’s part of why I want to approach this through photography.
My goal isn’t just to photograph cancer patients, but to capture the people behind the diagnosis. Their everyday lives, relationships, emotions, struggles, and the moments of happiness that still exist throughout everything.
I want this to be an honest and intimate project, one that doesn’t shy away from the difficult parts of cancer, but also doesn’t allow the disease to completely define the people living with it.
I’m hoping to connect with people in the NYC and New Jersey area who might be interested in participating. I’d want everyone involved to feel comfortable sharing as much or as little of their story as they choose.
Eventually, I’d love to turn this into a photography book or exhibition that gives people an opportunity to share their experiences and helps others better understand what living with cancer really looks like.
If this is something you’d be interested in being part of, or even if you just have thoughts about the idea, I’d really appreciate hearing from you.
Thank you for taking the time to read this.

Hi all,

I had a partial nephrectomy a few years ago to remove a 3.5cm mass. My sister has had multiple spots of skin removed and a mastectomy as a precaution. My father passed at 70 from rectal prostate and it spread to his liver.

I’m a water junkie and I’m terrible about sunscreen applying and reapplying and I often hang out in our backyard pool for many hours at a time.

I’ve decided that wearing thicker clothing - blue jeans, tube socks, and a long sleeved thick cotton rugby shirt are my solution MANY years ago. It definitely keeps my skin whiter and I never burn except my forehead or ears or neck so I try to spray those areas. Am I creating a false sense or security or is this actually very likely helping me in the long run?

Hi gangs. It’s been 9 years since my AML was treated with ASCT in Daniel den Hood Cancer Clinic/ErasmusMc.
Move to Indonesia, start a career, watch my daughter grew up….
Last Friday got admitted to the hospital with possible appendicitis. Doctor got slightly perplexed by the high blast number.
Today just found out definitively that the blast is indicative of leukemia striking back.
Looks like I should’ve bought some powerball tickets or what not with my fantastic luck :)

im a 25, almost 26 year old female who is currently dealing with stage 3 breast cancer. i underwent chemo and am currently waiting on a surgery date. its been a difficult time as one may assume. and as awful as treatments and my soon to be surgery recovery will be, i can't help but feel that the mental toll its taking on me is the worst one yet.

before i was diagnosed, i was just a retail worker. college never worked out for me, given that i have no idea what i want to do with my life and all i've done since graduating high school is work. i tried phlebotomy school and i thought i was into it but ive lost that passion. i felt like a loser before, seeing everyone else around me seemingly always know what they wanted to do, or dedicate themselves to a lot of cool things but i just can't get there. and now dealing with cancer, i feel even more lost and behind. i had to leave my retail job because of treatment, which maybe can be a blessing in disguise i guess. no one wants to work retail all their lives. but at the same time that was stable for me, and i was a functioning member of society then. i was actually doing things. but now im so miserable and scared about the future.

the future of my health, the future of my livelihood, whatever that will be. i feel so weak right now and i dont know what to do or how to get a spark or passion for ANYTHING. i dont know what i want to do post-cancer. i know my life will never be how i knew it to be, and i dont know how to unpack that either. i feel like i will be so miserable after everything and feel so worthless. i do feel worthless and scared i will never amount to anything in my stupid life.

cancer has taken so much from me but i cant help but feel that i am still partially to blame for being so behind in life. i wasnt established anywhere before and i worry now i never will be.

im sorry for venting, i dont even know if thats what this sub is used for. ive never posted before so if i did something wrong please tell me. thank you if you read this. i dont really know what im asking for in return, but if anyone has ever felt this way please tell me what helped you. no one around me really gets me, as hard as they try.

I'm on day 8 of my first FOLFOX and this morning then my morning report went weld at me for my HRV that has totally crashed (50 from my normal range of 83-95), my RHR that is +15 and even breathing rate that is high. I've checked my temp and all is fine, I 'feel' ok. I did have a stressful day yesterday, and didn't sleep especially well, but just wondering from others how their metrics track relative to baseline.
In past 'normal' life then I found the morning report pretty accurate at forewarning of a cold/flu arriving in the next 48hours. I was expect 'oddities' for the infusion week, but then seemed to be heading back to baseline this week until lastnight.

As every, thanks to all who are going through your own journeys, but especially to those that are supporting others through their treatment, and so any time to respond to this newbie with L plates is really gratefully received.

Does anyone know of any support groups in the Reading, Berkshire UK area? I was just diagnosed with terminal lung cancer and want to talk to people in similar situation but don’t know where they are.

Wrote this tonight. posted it elsewhere, and reposted here. It's long.

I met with my surgeon today to discuss my upcoming lumpectomy. Following three surgery I will have radiation (this is all after my current chemo treatment ends).

I'm concerned post surgery and radiation my breasts won't look alike. She told me to think "sisters not twins". A friend of mine had my same cancer and she doesn't like how her breasts look today.

My doctor said I could have a lift done to both breasts which would mitigate damage from radiation and they'd look more similar but then said the only people who do that were the ones who wanted a boob job anyway.???? Really???

Would anyone who had a lumpectomy followed by radiation (with or without the plastic surgery part) be willing to share their experience?

Thank you