The Breast Cancer Journal
Why I created this journal...
After I created the Child Health & Wellness Journal, my mom was diagnosed with cancer. And there I was, sitting in a doctor’s office with my parents and oldest sister as we ALL frantically scribbled down notes. The Oncologist gave us specifics about my mother’s breast cancer diagnosis and prognosis. She gave us treatment options in several different scenarios depending on the outcome of more tests. It was a lot of information to absorb all at once.
This wasn’t my mom’s first battle with breast cancer. She had been down this road to fight this disease decades ago — and won. Unfortunately, her old cancer records were gone. My parents had to rely on their memory of my mother’s past chemo, radiation treatments and medications. They had to remember the specifics of the type of cancer she had and the health history of relatives who have passed. It was overwhelming. Even though she had to fill out tons of paperwork prior to her appointment, she would still be asked these same questions over and over again. I panicked — shouldn’t I know all of this information too?
I was just a teenager during my mom’s previous cancer and really didn’t know all of the specifics about her cancer battle. I realized at that appointment I was hearing some of this information for the first time. Looking around at all of us scribbling down all of this important information, it was then I decided to create a journal for my mom and her breast cancer journey. And since certain breast cancers can be genetic, it seemed to me that documenting this journey - all of it - would be beneficial to us as a family. Something to refer to if my 3 sisters or I had to fight that same battle. The journal would include not just medical details but also the human experience of her journey. The relationships, the love and support from family and friends that warm the heart. The special gestures from close friends. The little things that might get her through the tough days. Her favorite book. Shows she binged watched. It’s all part of the journey.
She is fighting hard now and so is my youngest sister. Both do so with inspirational smiles. So, this journal exists for them and for those who have found themselves on a breast cancer journey. The fighters. The warriors. This book will be your historian and detail-keeper. Your symptom tracker. Helping you keep track of appointments, medication instructions, treatment days and side effects. It is all organized here for you so you can focus on the things that bring you joy in life and the people that bring you smiles and love.
I hope you find this journal to be a helpful tool and use it with my warm wishes that you will fight tough. Fight Like A Girl! Like my Mom.