A nine-year breast cancer survivor and five-year melanoma survivor shares her thoughts on cancer survivorship with a side of mid-life crisis.
BY Barbara Tako
PUBLISHED June 11, 2019
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.
Right now, I am celebrating. Today I am a nine-year breast cancer survivor and a five-year melanoma survivor. In addition, I just completed my breast reconstruction procedures. I feel like I deserve to take a little breath and maybe even dare to look forward? What does looking forward look like? I am not sure. If I am fortunate to be around for the final third of my life, what do I want that life to be? Do I need therapy for a mid-life crisis instead of cancer stress?
At the time I received my first cancer diagnosis, I felt like I had been handed an early death sentence. My children were still in school! So far, and I can only say "so far," a quick death sentence has not been my case. When I was first diagnosed, I wanted to be magically transported eight to 10 years into the future, or at least five, since making the five-year mark without a recurrence is a statistically good thing. At diagnosis, I realized it was kind of sad for me to wish away so much of my life. Now that I am out here as a longer-term survivor, I am not sure what it all means. Maybe I need a fresh approach to my remaining life?
At the time I received my first cancer diagnosis, I felt like I had been handed an early death sentence. My children were still in school! So far, and I can only say "so far," a quick death sentence has not been my case. When I was first diagnosed, I wanted to be magically transported eight to 10 years into the future, or at least five, since making the five-year mark without a recurrence is a statistically good thing. At diagnosis, I realized it was kind of sad for me to wish away so much of my life. Now that I am out here as a longer-term survivor, I am not sure what it all means. Maybe I need a fresh approach to my remaining life?
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