breast cancer support groups- vent

[OakLeaf]

Marni, that's awful about the first person you talked to - I'm so glad you found someone you can connect with.

Are there resources you can draw on for caregivers for your FIL while you're going through this process? It seems to me (as I said before w/r/t your sisters) that so often people's reaction is "Oh, you're sick, poor me!" - so on top of that, having formal caregiving responsibility not only is a huge emotional drain that you don't need now, you physically won't be able to do it for a period of time after your surgery. I know home care services have been cut to the bone in most states and I doubt Texas is an exception, but maybe your support person can connect you with an agency.

[hebe]

I'm so sorry that you had such a bad experience finding support. I guess that cancer is indiscriminate in who fights it, and you do need to have more in common than cancer with people who are meant to offer support. The woman that you're talking to now sounds a much better match however. I hope your Little Red Rding Hood ride goes well, sending you many positive vibes from here.

[jobob]

That's really sad to hear, Marni, on top of everything else you're going through.

I'm curious, have Livestrong or Susan G. Komen or the Breast Cancer Fund provided you with any sort of help or referrals?

The reason why I'm asking is because so many of us here have done fundraising for these organizations or have donated to others' fundraising efforts, have taken part in rides and other events benefiting these organizations, and/or have donated large amounts of our time supporting such events.

It would be gratifying if our work and $$ actually helps out one of our own ...

[ny biker]

They're also both completely non-denominational. I've never seen any religious references in anything from them.

[KnottedYet]

How far away is Austin?
Contact information http://teamsurvivor.org/doc.aspx?34
Their direct website: http://www.teamsurvivoraustin.org/

Team Survivor was huge for me, surrounded by other athletic women who'd gone through the same cancer mind-f*ck. I'll always be deeply indebted to the wonderful women of Team Survivor.

[channlluv]

{{{Marni}}}

You can always vent and dither here, too. Some of us here have been through various cancers, if not exactly what you're going through. But regardless, you always have our love and support.

Roxy

[MomOnBike]

I want a go at this. I'm a very nice, sympathetic woman who has had a lumpectomy (x2). (How am I doing so far?)

I want to reassure you that you will soon be recovered and able to attend wrenching classes, care for any new bikes that somehow follow you home, and then take them to group and charity rides very soon (and ride the wheels off lots of women without your, ahem, experience).

More seriously, it is annoying that you were paired with someone who made all sorts of wrong assumptions about you. I'd have let my inner snotty teenager loose upon her, and maybe tried to feel bad about it the next day. Maybe.

It sounds like you finally did find a group that works for you. Here's hoping that it actually does work. Don't forget to come here when you need to vent, or any other time, for that matter.