Hi everyone,
If you have missed out on what’s been going on at I Had Cancer, here is a recap. Please let us know if you have any questions, comments or requests for our team!
 
Recent Blog Posts (please email emily@ihadcancer.com to learn more)

• How to Spot a Cancer Mama Ten Miles Away - Unlike adult patients, children require 24-around-the-clock parental care in the hospital. In some cases, one parent is trying to work still, or its a single parent situation, so that leaves the “Cancer Mama” (or "Papa") to fend for herself in the jungles of the hospital.

• Is It Possible to Make Peace With Cancer Treatment? - Is it possible to come to terms with cancer treatment and everything that your body is going to have to endure? According to Jami, it was the best thing she could have done. 

Recent Dear Cancer Messages (What do you have to say to cancer? Let it out.)

• Hey cancer, You attacked me at 17 and really pissed me off! After that, you wanted another round with me at 20 years old And pissed me off even more! Then, a few years later, I find out that breast cancer is going to come for me because of my treatment! By that time, I defied you by living my life, loving, laughing, and making future plans (click here to comment)
• I was dxed with Waldenstroms 3 years ago and feel like my life has been "on hold" every since that unforgettable day. I am still having such a hard time dealing with all the "complications" I have endured. I have no "will to live" as I do not know if I will really have a future. The WM costs me my work, energy and has made me so very afraid. In addition to the fatigue, WM has "stolen" my vision and hearing and in addition, I suffer from chronic pain. I have no "quality of life" and find it difficult to get excited about what life I have. I can't find joy in even simple things and I don't want to make plans because I don't know if I have a future. I am on a lot of meds and I know they affect my reasoning ability. it is a difficult situation to find oneself in when one feels as though you have lost everything. Having your vision and hearing severely "compromised" to a point wherein you are unable to even renew your drivers license just adds to the depression. I am unable to take anti-depressants due to their effect on my vision and hearing. I don't feel the need to set goals, because I don't know what is literally "around the corner". It is really difficult to be upbeat when so much is wrong. (click here to comment)

Recent Facebook post (Don't forget to Like us on FB!)

• Cancer may make you feel like a new person - with new fears, and new anxieties. But don't let it take all of you. (I Had Cancer Facebook Page)
• Is this true for you? “I am not thankful for cancer…but I am thankful for what cancer has taught me.  (I Had Cancer Facebook Page)

Recent Discussion Questions (Ask anything you want on our discussion board.)

• Can anyone recommend a supplement for weight gain? I'm drinking boost ice cream shakes but still losing weight. And I'm not sure those boost shakes are nutritious. I have appetite but thinking of all the calories I'd need to eat is overwhelming. I'm trying to gain at least 15 lbs this month. There are weight loss pills...where are the weight gain pills? (click here to answer)
• Hi guys! I had childhood bone cancer (osteosarcoma) and finished my chemo treatment approx 13 years ago, however am still finding myself suffering from ongoing tiredness, fatigue & low immune system. Have already received many helpful responses on my post on the I had cancer facebook page (which have convinced me that I am not crazy or alone & that what I am feeling/ experiencing is in fact normal!) am just re-sharing the question here for others to share their thoughts on the ongoing issues relating to their cancer years after treatment has ended. More specifically, are there any childhood cancer survivors who have experienced late effects in adulthood? Mel (click here to answer)

If you'd like to sign up for our monthly newsletter, scroll down to the bottom right hand side of the site and enter your email address! 
 
Thanks for all of your support.
- The IHC Team

Hi everyone,
In case you’ve missed out on what’s been going on at I Had Cancer, here is a recap. Please let us know if you have any questions, comments or requests for our team!
 
Recent Blog Posts (please email emily@ihadcancer.com to learn more)

• Is It Possible to Make Peace With Cancer Treatment? - Is it possible to come to terms with cancer treatment and everything that your body is going to have to endure? According to Jami, it was the best thing she could have done. 
• For Anyone Who Can't Get Off the Couch During Cancer - Did you find yourself stuck on the couch while you were going through cancer treatment, and even afterwards? According to Christine, that could have been a good thing. Read more.. 

Recent Dear Cancer Messages (What do you have to say to cancer? Let it out.)

• Dear Cancer, thank you. Thank you for opening my eyes. Thank you for making me the strong, confident person I am today. Thank you for teaching me that it is not actually you that is the issue but how you came to be inside my body and how western medicine attempts to treat you that is. Thank you for presenting what, and who, is important to me in life and for giving me that kick in the ass I needed to realise all of this as well as my own potential. I used to hate you, oh I hated you so bad, but I now see that you were never the problem. You were just a name given for the build up of many different issues in my life that had conveniently connected and coltivated into a tumor that took up residency in my brain. Now that these issues have all been addressed I do not see us crossing paths ever again, so at this point I will bid you farewell. You were never my best roommate, but you taught me the most. Thank you. (click here to comment)
• I have leukemia leukemia doesn't have me.... so take your fatigue and pain and shove it up you’re a#$.. I laugh at you and with you. Your the reason for my podcast "laughing with cancer" so thank you and f#$% you all in the same breath... (click here to comment)

Recent Facebook post (Don't forget to Like us on FB!)

• What has been your experience with chemo brain?  (I Had Cancer Facebook Page)
• It may sound silly to some...but it's the truth for many people who have lost their hair to cancer.  (I Had Cancer Facebook Page)

Recent Discussion Questions (Ask anything you want on our discussion board.)

• I had to stop chemo because my liver wasn't tolerating it. I had 3 out of the 6 recommended treatments. I had stage 1 grade 3 triple positive breast cancer with a lumpectomy and radiation. Just wondering if anyone else had to stop chemo half way through? I wonder how much benefit I actually received from only doing three. (click here to answer)
• I'm a little nervous. My last chemo was in Feb '14. My oncologist wasn't willing to say "cancer-free" anywhere in there until a bone scan comes through clear. Because ribs were removed, he's been allowing time for the severed ribs to heal so that doesn't impact the bone scan. Apparently Ewing's is notorious for "hiding in the bones." I have a full-body bone scan tomorrow (I've never had one but it sounds long!). Next month I have another MRI to follow-up on the spots of concern that the surgeons & oncologist want to keep a close eye on. I'm not sure how I'll respond if I hear "cancer" again!! And, how hard is the bone scan? (click here to answer)

 
If you'd like to sign up for our monthly newsletter, scroll down to the bottom right hand side of the site and enter your email address! 
 
Thanks for all of your support.
- The IHC Team

Hi everyone,
In case you’ve missed out on what’s been going on at I Had Cancer, here is a recap. Please let us know if you have any questions, comments or requests for our team!
 
Recent Blog Posts (please email emily@ihadcancer.com to learn more)

• This is for Anyone Who's Ever Asked, "Why Did I Survive?" - Like many cancer survivors, Rachael has endured countless dark days and periods in which she questioned why she, so meager and lost, was able to live on, and whether she was wasting a second chance at life. Read more to find out how she found hope. 
• I Hate The Word "Remission"-  Dr. Zembroski is a Doctor Who Became a Patient and a Fellow Cancer Victor, who hates the word "remission." Read more to find out why. 
• I'm Giving Up My "Fight" With Cancer - Tiffany doesn't want to fight with cancer anymore. Read more to find out what she does instead. 

Recent Dear Cancer Messages (What do you have to say to cancer? Let it out.)

• I hate this game of hide and seek...I don't want to play anymore! (click here to comment)
• Dear Cancer, I will not allow you to take my from my son! Stop trying! (click here to comment)
• You've been a shadow, always keeping me on my toes. You were close to consuming me but I escaped from your grasp and have no intentions of ever letting you come close to me ever again. You've taught me a lesson in having a better perspective of my life, of never taking it for granted and to cherish every single day. I'm learning to accept, to move forward, which means keeping you behind me. You might have been a part of my life once upon a time, but that time is over. I kicked you out seven years ago, soon going on eight, and I couldn't be happier. (click here to comment)

Recent Facebook post (Don't forget to Like us on FB!)

• Our thoughts are with Brittany's loved ones.  (I Had Cancer Facebook Page)
• Don't waste time being stressed. (I Had Cancer Facebook Page)
• For some cancer patients, thinning hair and weight loss is the norm. But for others, there are no outwardly signs of suffering, which can make it very difficult when people say things like: "but you don't LOOK sick..." (I Had Cancer Facebook Page)

Recent Discussion Questions (Ask anything you want on our discussion board.)

• Has anyone had surgery behind their leg for melanoma and does it still give you pain because the muscle was cut?  (click here to answer)
• Has anyone experienced eye tearing? Is it a side effect from chemo? My oncologist reduced one of my poisons last treatment yet still tearing. She said I'll need to have something done to my eyes but she didn't tell me this would happen as a side effect. Feeling confused. I see her on Tuesday for bloodwork, if all normal Ill be celebrating my LAST chemo on Wednesday. (click here to answer)

If you'd like to sign up for our monthly newsletter, scroll down to the bottom right hand side of the site and enter your email address! 
 
Thanks for all of your support.
- The IHC Team

Hi everyone,
Here is a recap of what has been going on with I Had Cancer recently. Please let us know if you have any questions, comments or requests for our team!
 
Recent Blog Posts (please email emily@ihadcancer.com to learn more)

• 4 Tips For a Chemotherapy Education Visit - Before you start chemotherapy, make sure you are prepared for what is about to happen. Read more for some tips that can help you prepare. 

• Yes, Mammograms Save Lives. But Maybe Not Yours. - It's good to be aware and it's good to get mammograms. But for Uzma, that wasn't enough. It was her gut feeling and a self exam that helped her locate the 7cm mass in her armpit. 

 
 

Recent Dear Cancer Messages (What do you have to say to cancer? Let it out.)

• One year ago you tried to take my life. 6 days prior I had just had my baby girl, and the day before a birthday. Little did you know I would fight you. It took almost everything in me to keep going, but there is no one greater and more powerful than God and with one snuff of a hand, you were kicked to the curb. You may come back again one day, and I will fight you again with everything I have. You have tried to rob me of my future, but The Lord has provided me with a new road map. I see life in different bold colors now, I welcome the sun and the fresh air and rain. I am excited with birthdays, as it reminds me I am getting older and still alive. What you have done cancer is reminded me to SURRENDER ALL to God alone. I have learned to not sweat the small stuff, live life for today and give all my worries to God. I love much much more and am that much louder. So thank you for what you have taught me, but you can go now - PERMANENTLY!!! (click here to comment)
• Cancer, As much as you'd like to see me stay down, I'm sorry but you picked a fight with the wrong girl. You are going DOWN!!! I refuse to be bullied by you. Sure you took my hair and loss my shape, added bills to the pile but you will NEVER take me out so give up now and go back to where you came from and DIE!!!! (click here to comment)

Recent Facebook post (Don't forget to Like us on FB!)

• What makes a good doctor? We're getting ready to speak to a few hundred medical students next week and we want to know what YOU want us to share with them. If you want us to share your anonymous experience, fill out this quick 10 question survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/XMMHNPZ #DearDoctor        (I Had Cancer Facebook Page)
• Another case of pinkwashing. What do you think of this? Baker Hughes is selling 1,000 pink-painted drill bits as a “reminder of the importance of supporting research, treatment, screening and education to help find the cures for this disease." (I Had Cancer Facebook Page)

Recent Discussion Questions (Ask anything you want on our discussion board.)

• I read the comments below and wish that we were all sitting and drinking coffee together so we could chat and laugh and cry and I could give each and every one of you a hug! I am an 18 year survivor of cancer. It has been incredibly hard but I have seen miracles and blessings. I have begun sharing my story on beautifullifewithcancer.com and I am overwhelmed with the community that has formed there. I would love if you would visit my site. I would love to discuss any questions that you have. I am new to ihadcancer.com but I am falling in love with the community here. (click here to answer)
• I'm new to this site, but looking to connect and share experiences with others who can relate to MFH and / or UPS with Osseous Met Disease (click here to answer)

If you'd like to sign up for our monthly newsletter, scroll down to the bottom right hand side of the site and enter your email address! 
 
Thanks for all of your support.
- The IHC Team

Hi everyone,
Here is a recap of what has been going on with I Had Cancer recently. Please let us know if you have any questions, comments or requests for our team!
 
Recent Blog Posts (please email emily@ihadcancer.com to learn more)

• Yes, Mammograms Save Lives. But Maybe Not Yours. - It's good to be aware and it's good to get mammograms. But for Uzma, that wasn't enough. It was her gut feeling and a self exam that helped her locate the 7cm mass in her armpit. 

• Nobody Told Me That Life After Cancer Would Be Hard | Cancer Mamas - After cancer treatment ends, a lot of people expect life to go back to "normal." But when Emily's son finished treatment, she found herself more stressed and anxious than ever before. Read more to find out how she coped. 

Recent Dear Cancer Messages (What do you have to say to cancer? Let it out.)

• Dear cancer,let's fight...and I'm sure I will win. (click here to comment)
• Dear cancer, why'd did you choose me? I worked so hard to get to where I am today. I worked so hard to keep a near perfect GPA even though I took 30 credit hours and worked full time. I worked so hard to be in my doctors program. I loved my white coat. I loved spending every day with my best friend in class. I was so happy we got to do this together. Man. I really had the life before you came along. I was 22, in my doctors program and going to be graduating holding a bachelors, masters, and doctors at 25. Why did you take that away from me? I want my old life back so much. Why didn't you warn me earlier? Why did you wait till stage 4 to give me symptoms? It's a real pain to get rid of you. Ya know. The nausea, pain, depression, etc. man you really suck. Why are you in my life? Why does my mother cry every time she sees me? Why are you doing this to my family? The doctor tells me you'll be gone by January 23rd, the day before my birthday. He tells me that I'll be able to resume my doctors program in January. He tells me you're weak. You're nothing. That I'm young and strong. That I'll beat you and I'll rid you from my body. I'm tired of letting you tear me and my family down. Now we rise up against you. We fight. I fight. And you die. I may never be the same, but I will always be stronger than you. (click here to comment)

Recent Facebook post (Don't forget to Like us on FB!)

• Brittany is a 29-year-old who is suffering from stage 4 glioblastoma, the deadliest form of brain cancer. She has chosen to die with less pain and less suffering, and thanks to death-with-dignity act in Oregon, she is able to. What do you think about the death-with-dignity act? Let's talk about this important issue. ‪#‎braincancerawareness ‪#‎deathwithdignity (I Had Cancer Facebook Page)
• "There are those who fight to the end and don't find their way back, And yes there are those who take victory. But none the less, there have been WAY TOO MANY who have lost their battle to a horrible enemy, but to those families who lost loved ones I promise you that they fought a courageous battle..." - Amber, breast cancer survivor (I Had Cancer Facebook Page)

Recent Discussion Questions (Ask anything you want on our discussion board.)

• Anyone on here have Carcinoma Sarcoma ( Ovarian Stage III c )? Would be interested in visiting with you. Also anyone with OVCA in Nebraska area..Lincoln specifically. We don't have a support group here..interested in forming one. Pat (click here to answer)
• Did anyone not get any or very little support from their family? My mother helped my wife and I out with taking care of our son and she was checking in on me. My sister and my in-laws checked in me frequently. I had aunts and uncles who I never heard from. One lives behind me and I never got so much as a card from anyone. I guess I don't know how to move on from this? (click here to answer)

 
If you'd like to sign up for our monthly newsletter, scroll down to the bottom right hand side of the site and enter your email address! 
 
Thanks for all of your support.
- The IHC Team