It is as if you suddenly find yourself standing before an impenetrable jungle, completely disoriented. When I received my diagnosis after a routine check-up, I felt lost at first and was immediately flooded with countless questions: Where do I find the information I need right now? What are the next steps? Should I seek a second opinion? How will my health insurance handle this—what should I do next?
As if that wasn’t enough, I was also burdened by another thought—my financial security. I had not even considered the support I was entitled to until later, as I did not know that once the diagnosis was made, I needed to apply for disability insurance. How could I? This is a situation in life for which you can never be prepared or ready. Fortunately, my employer's case management team was there to support me. I received incredible assistance from my supervisor and a dear colleague, who prioritized my recovery and relieved me of my work responsibilities.
For a woman who has always been a doer, a cancer diagnosis presents a situation in which you suddenly feel lost.
Having good doctors is an enormous gift. Just as important is having someone you trust by your side and a stable environment. "Dare to ask for help—because in the beginning, you don't know ‘what, where, or how!’" This uncertainty is hard to bear.
I can only recommend to everyone: “Bring someone with you to appointments!” The sheer volume of information is so overwhelming that you can hardly process or absorb it quickly.
I also found additional resources to be incredibly valuable. For instance, the PME service, the Cancer League of Basel and Switzerland, and the relevant breast center provided excellent sources of information. This helped answer some of the pressing questions that were on my mind. One of the biggest challenges remains the urgent question: "What happens next?"
Between treatments, a vacuum often forms that is hard to endure. Staying active during this time seems almost impossible in light of the severe side effects such as pain, gastrointestinal issues, fatigue, and loss of appetite. Therefore, it was essential for me to confront myself with the question: “What can I do for myself when I feel completely drained?” It is important to remember your own needs and to ask for them. My health insurance had assigned me an internal case manager, who provided excellent guidance on difficult questions regarding potential therapies, cost coverage, and more. Instead of asking, “Why is this happening to me?”—which seems completely normal at some point—I began to ask, “What is the purpose of this happening to me?” This allows for a reassessment and rediscovery of your own situation, even if you can not sugarcoat the reality.
It is crucial to ask questions and challenge things: Why is this happening? You should always want to know: What is going on with me, and how are the treatments affecting me?
Strengthening your own resilience is vital. Energy management is a central point in this regard. Surround yourself with people and things that give you energy rather than drain it. Well-meaning advice from amateurs and pity are not helpful. For me, radically accepting the situation and being completely transparent about it with my surroundings made a huge difference.
This honest and open engagement with the diagnosis and treatment helps create clarity and prevents you from becoming the illness itself. It is about not losing yourself amidst the overwhelming situation and continually looking ahead.
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