“What part of the cancer experience are you in?” Holly asked across the reception table. “The part where I’m getting off of Tamoxifen,” the other wedding guest answered. “Tamoxifen!” Holly gasped. “I only lasted seven weeks on Tamoxifen. My husband said I was a completely different person. I didn’t want that to be my childrens’ memory of me.”
When describing her Tamoxifen experience to Grace, another breast cancer survivor, one patient said the only emotion she could experience while on the drug was sadness. “No, it’s not sadness,” Grace answered. “It’s hopelessness.” With a gasp of realization came the answer, “You’re right!”
Yet another survivor reported, “I wanted to complete my entire Tamoxifen regimen, but my work performance was affected. I couldn’t focus and experienced frequent hot flashes. I had to stop taking it in order to keep my job.”
So why Tamoxifen? Why this hurtful drug? Because it helps! Oncologists counsel that Tamoxifen reduces the risk of recurrence by 40-50%. Still another survivor’s husband urged her to view the Tamoxifen as part of the cancer, and to persevere through it. While Tamoxifen can impact your life, it can also make your life longer, benefitting your life.
Post-surgical drains provoke the same question: Why?! These devices can certainly painfully impact not just your day-to-day life, but also the moment-to-moment of post-surgical days. While they are uncomfortable and scary, post-surgical drains are widely used by surgeons to prevent infection and promote healing. Some things that hurt help us. And beautifully, the KILI Medical Drain Carrier brings comfort, security and safety to endure the hurt that helps.
