Festivities During Breast Cancer Treatment

A dear aunt travelled across the country to come to my wedding years ago. She was recovering from radiation treatment for breast cancer. She was lively and engaged, but it was clear that there were times when she was fatigued. During those times she would slip away and we would find her lying on a couch or bed quietly resting. I was grateful that she came, but at the time I didn’t realize the extraordinary effort it took for her to attend the wedding. Holidays and major life events still come with the same family expectations when someone is battling breast cancer. Just this past weekend Easter dinner or Passover had to be prepared for family gatherings in homes all over the nation. In many of those homes were women battling breast cancer and trying to push past their physical stress to be a part of the celebration. In the minds of many of those women was the “what if” question of this being the last holiday they get to spend with family. For my aunt, it was the last family wedding she got to attend. How do we manage all the big celebrations and family expectations during treatment for breast cancer? My answer is – anyway you can. Only you can know what it means to you. Being pressured by loved ones doesn’t help; the choice and means has to be yours alone. Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, Memorial Day, July 4th, weddings, showers… the list is exhaustive. Some women really do just say “no!” Others waffle between family commitment and a real desire to stay awa...
Source: Life with Breast Cancer - Category: Cancer Authors: Tags: Breast Cancer Source Type: blogs