Now Ye're Talking - To A Cancer Survivor

How did you cope with telling people? If you could give advice to family and friends of people who have just been diagnosed, what would you say to them? How can they be the best support?

When you first received the news how did you react? Was there any time for you to feel sorry for yourself or does something takeover where you decide its here now lets fight it

[Deleted User] wrote: »

What was the first thing you did upon receiving the news of your being cancer free?

Nothing much really, I was still an inpatient and knew I had at least 2 more rounds of chemo coming up. I was quite happy (obviously) but couldn't celebrate too much.

Lux23 wrote: »

How did you cope with telling people? If you could give advice to family and friends of people who have just been diagnosed, what would you say to them? How can they be the best support?

I didn't really have to tell many people. I had my girlfriend and mam ring friends and family so that part wasn't too hard.

And advice wise, be positive! Keep their spirits up and just keep thinking of the future. Never let them doubt themselves. Once you start doubting then you start losing faith and it can lead to a very bad place mentally.

Iang87 wrote: »

When you first received the news how did you react? Was there any time for you to feel sorry for yourself or does something takeover where you decide its here now lets fight it

Crying and disbelief. The first few days were a blur, as I had so many infections I was on every anti you can think of (antibiotics, antiviral, antibacterial). Then I had to go and have some sperm froze, then right after that's done the chemo starts.

I probably cried for 5 minutes then I was just in disbelief and shock. Its all a bit crazy and hectic for the first 3 days.

After them first few days I had come to terms with it and wasn't feeling too down. I'm the sort of person that can just get over things, the WiFi password was the first thing I asked for after been shown to my room.

DeltaWhite wrote: »

So happy for you to be cancer free such a great thing to hear!

My dad was just diagnosed with cancer last week and although we aren't sure yet how serious it is, I am finding it so hard to be normal around him. Do you have any advice on how you wished people acted/behaved around you or any advice for me on how to try not lose it in front of my Dad in the coming weeks.

Everyone is different and all cancers are different. You just have to keep strong, easier said than done I know. One piece of advice is try not get emotional and cry around him, he will feel that's his fault and it could get him down. I know I got upset if anyone was crying over me, felt like they didn't think it would end well and it puts doubts in your mind.

its great to hear of someone beating such a horrible illness, good luck for the future!!

How did you know/find out you were ill? was it something gradual and not quite right? i ask because i always wonder about getting aches and pains, tiredness etc checked out and think that id know if there was something really wrong.

I'm really pleased that your leukaemia is in remission. And long may it continue.

Was your stem-cell transplant from yourself or another donor?
If it was another donor, did it take long to find a match? Do you think about the donor?


If anyone donates blood, please consider bone marrow donation.
If you don't give blood, please consider it!

I think that the word ' cancer' is so powerful, ballistic even, that it is difficult to discuss it without using hushed tones or some form of quasi reverence.

Once you knew you had it, did you become more matter of fact and were you ever able to laugh about it, take the mick out of yourself?

LUZ wrote: »

its great to hear of someone beating such a horrible illness, good luck for the future!!

How did you know/find out you were ill? was it something gradual and not quite right? i ask because i always wonder about getting aches and pains, tiredness etc checked out and think that id know if there was something really wrong.

Google ! I diagnosed myself! The symptoms for my type of leukaemia are the same as the mumps, they were the 2 possibilities. Leukaemia or the mumps! I was never wishing to have the mumps more in my life lol.

I was initially diagnosed by my gp with a viral infection! Then 2 days later went to hospital and was joking with the nurse in triage that it was either the mumps or leukaemia, and then when I start getting a lot of blood taken and doctors looking after me I kind of knew.

9/10 times even if google says that your symptoms are cancer, it will be something very minor. I just happened to be that 1/10!

Frito wrote: »

I'm really pleased that your leukaemia is in remission. And long may it continue.

Was your stem-cell transplant from yourself or another donor?
If it was another donor, did it take long to find a match? Do you think about the donor?


If anyone donates blood, please consider bone marrow donation.
If you don't give blood, please consider it!

It was actually my sister . There is a 1 in 4 chance a sibling will match and my 1 and only sister was luckily a match

She was a full blood and bone marrow match. I think there are 5 markers in blood that have to match and 12 in bone marrow, she matched all 5 and 12 markers! So I was very lucky.

I still got GvHD (Graft versus host disease). Its basically where my sisters cells see me as a foreign body and attack me. It mainly attacks the skin, mouth and gut/liver. I had it of the skin, which cleared up with the help of steroids. Then I got it of the mouth, which is basically just having a dry mouth and a sensitivity to spicy foods. Again everyone is different and some people can get sores and ulcers in their mouths.

I've actually got chronic gvh of the mouth. So it can come and go for life. If I get a flare up I just use an oral steroid mouth wash and it clears up.

And I agree, everyone that can should give blood and sign onto the bone marrow registry!

Its a simple procedure that has no lasting effects on the donor but can save a life!

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Do you feel as a survivor any different to people who gave up on the treatment?

I think of Glen Hansard who speaks of how he wrote the song "song of hope" for a friend who "did the chemo.... got sick.... did the chemo.... got sick.... did the chemo... got sick..... and thought to himself 'F the chemo'"

From the "well" person perspective I can imagine what it must be like to be diagnosed "well" a few times only to get sick again.... that they might simply declare "F it.... come what may..." From someone like you who actually did get well.... do you have a differnt perspective. Or is it a case that you know your OWN chances.... and sometimes you just have to call it?

I see people on Facebook sharing stuff about natural cancer treatments and stuff. That chemo is just a poison on the body. Yes its hard on the body, but one bad to combat another! It worked for me and I know it works. It comes with some horrible side effects which can affect me in later life (a higher risk of another cancer).

I just have to think, I'm here now and won't be going anywhere soon! I have chemo to partly thank for that. If I do get another cancer it will more than likely be very later in life 60+, and at the rate cancer treatments are advancing I'm very optimistic by then it will be a non issue!

I pm a guy on boarda who has been through what I have (a bone marrow transplant), after many relapses of another cancer (lymphoma) had a bone marrow transplant and it was all good for 2+ years. But unfortunately, he recently messaged me saying it was back and its now more chemo for him.

Everyone is different, for every success story there is someone struggling with relapse after relapse.

If I know someone has gone through cancer I have a new found respect for them. Its a tough road, and getting it young, it then hangs over you for the rest of your life. I just look at the bright side of life and get on with things