A young person shares her cancer journey.

My life with cancer began when I was diagnosed with stage III colon cancer in August 2014. I’ve since had 24 chemotherapy treatments, six surgeries, 50 gained pounds, seemingly endless conversations about my bowels, and a recurrence that was diagnosed in January 2016.

The depression surprised me. I expected the movie version of this disease – the one where I’m declared cancer free and then off I go to tackle the world’s problems. Instead, I was unmotivated, fatigued, and thinking about my cancer constantly. On the outside, though, I masked it all with positivity. With time and guidance, I am working towards acceptance of my diagnosis and how that plays against the life I thought I would be experiencing.At my initial diagnosis, I was 32 years old and just seven weeks out from my wedding. Within eight weeks, I had changed jobs, preserved embryos, started chemo, and celebrated love of all kinds with the most joyous wedding. Life moved so quickly during those first six months of treatment; I didn’t have time to reflect on what I was experiencing or how it was affecting me. I was a high-fiving, optimistic young adult with cancer, doing what I could to think of anything else. It worked for a while, but once I ended treatment I couldn’t find my way back to myself. That is when I sought counseling and was connected with Karen Fasciano, PsyD, director of Dana-Farber’s Young Adult Program (YAP).

Read Full Article: Dancing through a Cancer Diagnosis – Insight

	Read Full Article: Dancing through a Cancer Diagnosis – Insight