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How did we get this cancer? What did we do wrong?
No one can answer that question for you. Is it age? Is it genetics? Is it early onset of your period, or late onset of menopause? Is is no children or later pregnancy? Did we gain weight, not exercise, and drink too many glasses of wine? Did we take Hormone Replacement Therapy? Did we ignore getting check ups? Did we eat too many fatty foods? Who knows if any of this contributed to our chances of getting this disease. Every time a new study came out suggesting a certain type of behavior increasing the risk of Breast Cancer I felt horribly guilty. Please don’t allow yourself to go there.
My uneducated opinion is that we did nothing wrong. It just happened because some cells mutated. Cancer is nothing new. It has been around for hundreds of years. My daughter offered this perspective at one point when I was saying “why me? What did I do wrong?” She said mom, one out of 7 women will get breast cancer. You got it because you are strong and so that 6 women you know don’t have to get it. Hopefully her words will help you.
IBC Trifold Brochure* (PDF)
This brochure goes over the basic myths and facts about IBC, including explaining why IBC can be ms-diagnosed. Please help spread the information! The PDF is ready to print on a regular 8.5 x 11 paper (double sided) and can be hand folded for smaller print runs, or sent directly to your local print shop exactly as is for mass distribution.
IBC Handbook For Recently Diagnosed Women* (PDF)
This is a 10 page document (single-sided, 8.5 x 11) that has been written for newly diagnosed IBC patients. Full of personal advice and loving guidance, it is aimed to fill in the blanks between doctor's visits, online information and text book definitions. Please share! The PDF is ready to print on your home printer or send to your local print shop.
* Note- These documents are not written by a doctor. While the information is accurate and intended to help aid IBC patients and raise awareness of IBC, your doctor must be your source of primary information. Stages, steps of treatment and personal diagnosis vary from person to person. Please accept this information as an account of personal history and, as always, check your dates on all information before you read it!!