Cancer Treatment Delays and the Art of Patience

Two-time cancer survivor discusses the art of waiting, be it for treatments, rechecks or test results.

BY Barbara Tako

PUBLISHED January 22, 2018

Barbara Tako is a breast cancer survivor (2010), melanoma survivor (2014) and author of Cancer Survivorship Coping Tools–We'll Get You Through This. She is a cancer coping advocate, speaker and published writer for television, radio and other venues across the country. She lives, survives, and thrives in Minnesota with her husband, children and dog. See more at www.cancersurvivorshipcopingtools.com,or www.clutterclearingchoices.com.

Patience. The art of waiting. What? I have to wait? How long? I am not a patient person and we are not a patient society. We want everything yesterday, or at the very least, right now. Even when we have been reassured that there is time before treatment decisions need to be finalized or time to get everything scheduled, we just are not comfortable waiting. We want to resolve our impatience, get answers, begin or complete treatment, or do whatever is required to know results or to move forward. What we are not taught is that life is still happening while we wait, and that lots of life gets lived while waiting. I want to get better at waiting well.

My breast cancer and melanoma treatments, with all of the biopsies and additional surgeries, comprise part of my practice to date in the art of waiting. Still, I have this lump of fear and stress in the middle of my chest as I wait for my prophylactic double mastectomy scheduled for a few months from now. For me, it is a long wait. I will practice my patience. I will work on it. Life is still happening right now, and I am determined to enjoy it, darn it!

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