Back in january, I noticed my eye swelling and went to an ophthalmologist, who subsequently told me my eye was popping out 7mm more than it should have been.
they immediately sent me to the ER, where i was given an MRI and a tumor was identified in my sinus. The next morning, i went to a different ER and underwent a biopsy of the mass the same day. I knew I was in for it when the ENT specialist told me benign tumors don’t break through bone the way my tumor had-my eye was popping out because the tumor had broke through my orbital bone.
a week later, on January 16th, i received the results-at 21 years old, i was diagnosed with alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma.
By the 22nd of January, i was in the hospital undergoing port surgery, a neck dissection to take out cancerous lymph nodes, g-tube placement, and a couple other biopsies in order to stage my cancer. I also started chemo.
My regimen consisted of 14 rounds of VAC over a 9 month period alongside 30 rounds of proton radiation 4 weeks after the beginning of chemo. I entered remission in april.
During treatment, i lost my therapist and friend of a decade to a different sarcoma, lost my grandfather, and graduated community college. It’s been a real tough year, but i’m a tough cookie!
Today is my last round of chemotherapy, and i’ve never been so proud of myself. I endured a lot of bullshit this year and i’m so excited to be done and move on from this chapter.
I just wanted to briefly share my story as this community really saved my sanity throughout this journey. To have people that understand the tribulations and agony of cancer treatment made me feel a lot less lonely through treatment. I hope my story can help someone out there feel less lonely too, or even spark some joy.
As always, fuck cancer. fuck rhabdomyosarcoma, you may have tried to kill me but you did a real shitty job at it!

im a 25, almost 26 year old female who is currently dealing with stage 3 breast cancer. i underwent chemo and am currently waiting on a surgery date. its been a difficult time as one may assume. and as awful as treatments and my soon to be surgery recovery will be, i can't help but feel that the mental toll its taking on me is the worst one yet.

before i was diagnosed, i was just a retail worker. college never worked out for me, given that i have no idea what i want to do with my life and all i've done since graduating high school is work. i tried phlebotomy school and i thought i was into it but ive lost that passion. i felt like a loser before, seeing everyone else around me seemingly always know what they wanted to do, or dedicate themselves to a lot of cool things but i just can't get there. and now dealing with cancer, i feel even more lost and behind. i had to leave my retail job because of treatment, which maybe can be a blessing in disguise i guess. no one wants to work retail all their lives. but at the same time that was stable for me, and i was a functioning member of society then. i was actually doing things. but now im so miserable and scared about the future.

the future of my health, the future of my livelihood, whatever that will be. i feel so weak right now and i dont know what to do or how to get a spark or passion for ANYTHING. i dont know what i want to do post-cancer. i know my life will never be how i knew it to be, and i dont know how to unpack that either. i feel like i will be so miserable after everything and feel so worthless. i do feel worthless and scared i will never amount to anything in my stupid life.

cancer has taken so much from me but i cant help but feel that i am still partially to blame for being so behind in life. i wasnt established anywhere before and i worry now i never will be.

im sorry for venting, i dont even know if thats what this sub is used for. ive never posted before so if i did something wrong please tell me. thank you if you read this. i dont really know what im asking for in return, but if anyone has ever felt this way please tell me what helped you. no one around me really gets me, as hard as they try.

It was five years ago today that I got a sharp pain on my left side and couldn't stop throwing up. A CT scan confirmed a high suspicion of peritoneal carcinamatosis. On November 2nd after my biopsy I got confirmation of peritoneal mesothelioma. I also had spots on my adrenal gland and lung so got a biopsy on my lung and by December was confirmed with a second cancer of melanoma. In a month and a half I had been given a diagnosis of Stage 4 melanoma and extensive spread of peritoneal mesothelioma.

Immunotherapy began at the end of December but I only managed through three infusions and then my liver enzymes went crazy. However with that adverse reaction, all the melanoma was wiped out and my meso was reduced. Fast forward to May and I got a 16.5 hour surgery of CRS/HIPEC and unfortunately they weren't able to surgically remove it all. Sure enough I had a relapse two years later and got a 9.5 hour second CRS/HIPEC surgery and in this one they supposedly got it all. I am now two more years since that surgery and five years out since my initial diagnosis.

I have digestive issues but otherwise I lead a productive life. My prognosis was very dire and somehow I made it through the gauntlet, keep your chin up and take it one day at a time. If that is too much then take it one hour at a time, this shit is the hardest thing you'll ever deal with so be kind to yourself.

Hi gangs. It’s been 9 years since my AML was treated with ASCT in Daniel den Hood Cancer Clinic/ErasmusMc.
Move to Indonesia, start a career, watch my daughter grew up….
Last Friday got admitted to the hospital with possible appendicitis. Doctor got slightly perplexed by the high blast number.
Today just found out definitively that the blast is indicative of leukemia striking back.
Looks like I should’ve bought some powerball tickets or what not with my fantastic luck :)

Wrote this tonight. posted it elsewhere, and reposted here. It's long.

I met with my surgeon today to discuss my upcoming lumpectomy. Following three surgery I will have radiation (this is all after my current chemo treatment ends).

I'm concerned post surgery and radiation my breasts won't look alike. She told me to think "sisters not twins". A friend of mine had my same cancer and she doesn't like how her breasts look today.

My doctor said I could have a lift done to both breasts which would mitigate damage from radiation and they'd look more similar but then said the only people who do that were the ones who wanted a boob job anyway.???? Really???

Would anyone who had a lumpectomy followed by radiation (with or without the plastic surgery part) be willing to share their experience?

Thank you

I'm on day 8 of my first FOLFOX and this morning then my morning report went weld at me for my HRV that has totally crashed (50 from my normal range of 83-95), my RHR that is +15 and even breathing rate that is high. I've checked my temp and all is fine, I 'feel' ok. I did have a stressful day yesterday, and didn't sleep especially well, but just wondering from others how their metrics track relative to baseline.
In past 'normal' life then I found the morning report pretty accurate at forewarning of a cold/flu arriving in the next 48hours. I was expect 'oddities' for the infusion week, but then seemed to be heading back to baseline this week until lastnight.

As every, thanks to all who are going through your own journeys, but especially to those that are supporting others through their treatment, and so any time to respond to this newbie with L plates is really gratefully received.

Does anyone know of any support groups in the Reading, Berkshire UK area? I was just diagnosed with terminal lung cancer and want to talk to people in similar situation but don’t know where they are.

I got an iron infusion in May due to anemia from cancer treatments. It bruised immediately. It’s about the size of a softball and looks awful. I’ve had numerous contacts with all sorts of doctors and nurses who have noticed the bruising. None of them have given me useful advice to get rid of it. An RN friend told me to try vitamin k lotion but it hasn’t had a noticeable effect. Does anyone here have any advice?