Be flexible, embrace comfort and have compassion for yourself. After diagnosis and during treatment, I redesigned my routines, habits and relationships. I took countless relaxing baths, slept as much as possible, wore very comfortable clothes and simplified my family’s activities.
When side effects made it difficult to read books, I discovered that watching Wheel of Fortune (a show I didn’t normally care for) was the right amount of visual/mental stimulation instead.
Sometimes I did feel like a different person. Also, I didn’t always feel strong or hopeful, especially after many weeks of treatment. However, I prevailed, and my life is still on the same track it was before I knew I had cancer. I picked up where I left off, plus I gained a deeper compassion for myself and others, and I am far more brave than I was before.
— Holly Carstensen of Vancouver. Diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer in August 2012.
