If 10 is your high number I’d consider myself an 11 on the worry score. It’s a goal to work on that - I would like to learn how to procrastinate when it comes to worrying. Do I think we are wired that way at birth - maybe, and if not that then I think our early childhood experiences lead to it. I can remember many scary incidents as a child that made me strive to be the perfect, unnoticed child. 🤷🏼♀️
As far as my cancer journey, I can really only focus on the next step, it’s too much right now to look beyond that. I’ve just started radiation treatment so that’s where I am currently. I haven’t even given recurrence a thought.
I'm sorry you had many scary incidents as a child that made you strive to be the perfect, unnoticed child. That's an interesting observation/reflection. Perhaps that did lead you to becoming an "11". Do you consider yourself a perfectionist today? Just curious.
Regarding cancer, I think most of us find it hard to focus on anything beyond the next step that's in front of us. You are still in active treatment, so no wonder that's where your focus is. Once you do finish that all up, survivorship is a whole new ballgame filled with challenges all its own.
I hope radiation goes smoothy and you have few side effects. Thank you very much for reading and sharing some thoughts on Worry. I appreciate you being here. My best to you.
Your comment about having witnessed your mother’s death due to metastatic disease rang true for me. When my mother was diagnosed, I blithely continued my no-mammogram-needed-here approach to life. I wish I had been more of a worrier . . .
I hear you. There are things I wish I'd done differently, too, following my mother's experience. Always the procrastinator, I thought I had more time to figure things out. Turns out, I didn't. Thank you so much for being here and sharing. I appreciate you.
This is a great, important topic. First of all, I'm so glad you don't have pancreatic cancer and are so proactive to taking care of yourself. Not everyone is so vigilant.
My worry scale is so difficult to define. My mom is a constant worrier; she's really more of a panicker. Over small things. Over larger things. And I think I inherited my tendency to worry from her. However, I've been able to keep worry at bay for the most part. Like you, I worry about the direction this country is going. I don't want Trump as president, and I'm distraught over what's happening to women's rights. I guess, when it comes to emotions, it's difficult to distinguish worry from anxiety to being distraught.
With cancer, I was devastated and scared to death. I was convinced I would die. Worry is mild compared to downright scared in my opinion. I was scared of all the treatments. But I mainly focused on getting through them. Now my fears about cancer are less, but whenever I see doctors or get tests, I go into full-fledged panic, the kind my therapist and I work on alleviating.
I agree with you that life should not be spent worrying all the time. Creating art, writing, reading, and exercising are not just hobbies to me, but they are my salvation. Worries just seem to go away when I am involved in something important.
Yeah, pretty darn relieved here, too, that no pancreatic cancer was detected. Two cancers is more than enough!
Your comment about your mom being more of a panicker made me chuckle. I do think our tendency to worry a lot, or not so much, might be genetically linked too. Just makes sense. Your point about it being difficult to distinguish worry from anxiety and being distraught is a good one. I hadn't really thought about it like that.
I'm so sorry you still go into those full-fledged panic attacks regarding doctor appointments and tests post cancer. But I certainly understand too. Thank goodness you have a good therapist.
Like you, I'm grateful for the outlets I have that take me away from cancer worry - and other life worries too, of course.
Thank you for reading and commenting. Appreciate you being here.
Hi Nancy,
If 10 is your high number I’d consider myself an 11 on the worry score. It’s a goal to work on that - I would like to learn how to procrastinate when it comes to worrying. Do I think we are wired that way at birth - maybe, and if not that then I think our early childhood experiences lead to it. I can remember many scary incidents as a child that made me strive to be the perfect, unnoticed child. 🤷🏼♀️
As far as my cancer journey, I can really only focus on the next step, it’s too much right now to look beyond that. I’ve just started radiation treatment so that’s where I am currently. I haven’t even given recurrence a thought.
Hi Colleen,
I'm sorry you had many scary incidents as a child that made you strive to be the perfect, unnoticed child. That's an interesting observation/reflection. Perhaps that did lead you to becoming an "11". Do you consider yourself a perfectionist today? Just curious.
Regarding cancer, I think most of us find it hard to focus on anything beyond the next step that's in front of us. You are still in active treatment, so no wonder that's where your focus is. Once you do finish that all up, survivorship is a whole new ballgame filled with challenges all its own.
I hope radiation goes smoothy and you have few side effects. Thank you very much for reading and sharing some thoughts on Worry. I appreciate you being here. My best to you.
Your comment about having witnessed your mother’s death due to metastatic disease rang true for me. When my mother was diagnosed, I blithely continued my no-mammogram-needed-here approach to life. I wish I had been more of a worrier . . .
Hi Lessly,
I hear you. There are things I wish I'd done differently, too, following my mother's experience. Always the procrastinator, I thought I had more time to figure things out. Turns out, I didn't. Thank you so much for being here and sharing. I appreciate you.
Hi Nancy,
This is a great, important topic. First of all, I'm so glad you don't have pancreatic cancer and are so proactive to taking care of yourself. Not everyone is so vigilant.
My worry scale is so difficult to define. My mom is a constant worrier; she's really more of a panicker. Over small things. Over larger things. And I think I inherited my tendency to worry from her. However, I've been able to keep worry at bay for the most part. Like you, I worry about the direction this country is going. I don't want Trump as president, and I'm distraught over what's happening to women's rights. I guess, when it comes to emotions, it's difficult to distinguish worry from anxiety to being distraught.
With cancer, I was devastated and scared to death. I was convinced I would die. Worry is mild compared to downright scared in my opinion. I was scared of all the treatments. But I mainly focused on getting through them. Now my fears about cancer are less, but whenever I see doctors or get tests, I go into full-fledged panic, the kind my therapist and I work on alleviating.
I agree with you that life should not be spent worrying all the time. Creating art, writing, reading, and exercising are not just hobbies to me, but they are my salvation. Worries just seem to go away when I am involved in something important.
Hi Beth,
Yeah, pretty darn relieved here, too, that no pancreatic cancer was detected. Two cancers is more than enough!
Your comment about your mom being more of a panicker made me chuckle. I do think our tendency to worry a lot, or not so much, might be genetically linked too. Just makes sense. Your point about it being difficult to distinguish worry from anxiety and being distraught is a good one. I hadn't really thought about it like that.
I'm so sorry you still go into those full-fledged panic attacks regarding doctor appointments and tests post cancer. But I certainly understand too. Thank goodness you have a good therapist.
Like you, I'm grateful for the outlets I have that take me away from cancer worry - and other life worries too, of course.
Thank you for reading and commenting. Appreciate you being here.