Breast cancer and melanoma survivor reflects on recovering from her cancer experiences.
BY Barbara Tako
PUBLISHED July 04, 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.
Sometimes you get to a point where the worst is over, even if it is just that the scary unknown now became known, like after your first chemotherapy treatment. Still, it is difficult for me to recognize and appreciate the moments in time where it became true that the worst really was behind me. Cancer treatment and recovery is a gradual and spikey process. It is not a smooth steady curve.
After surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation, I was exhausted, fearful and foggy (chemo brain). I was also firmly entrenched and in residence in Cancerland. I frequently did self-checks for breast cancer's possible return and studied my skin in fear of a new melanoma. Due to improved genetic testing, I am currently recovering, years later, from the pain of a double mastectomy with reconstruction. I am still a work in progress there.
After surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation, I was exhausted, fearful and foggy (chemo brain). I was also firmly entrenched and in residence in Cancerland. I frequently did self-checks for breast cancer's possible return and studied my skin in fear of a new melanoma. Due to improved genetic testing, I am currently recovering, years later, from the pain of a double mastectomy with reconstruction. I am still a work in progress there.
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