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I Had Cancer Guidelines

We're all here for similar reasons - we've been touched by cancer in some way. It’s up to all of us to show each other that no one is alone. Your IHadCancer profile is your own place to call home during this crazy thing called cancer, we just ask that you keep these simple guidelines in mind when participating.

1. Always Be Nice. This is a place for connections and conversations – we encourage you all to talk openly but please remain considerate in all of your engagement. Don’t post obscene, hateful or objectionable content. Abuse and disrespect will not be tolerated in the IHC community and is subject to deletion and user removal at our discretion.

2. Be a Good Friend. The IHC community is a family. Please remember to be a good friend to the connections you make on IHC. Ask questions that you wish someone would ask you; if you can’t find the right words to say, send a hug, it can speak louder than words. A simple gesture goes a long way.

3. Don't Spam. This includes sending unsolicited messages of any nature, posting links to unrelated content, promoting a survey, fundraiser or product where it shouldn’t be promoted. If you aren’t sure if something is appropriate to post, e-mail us and we’ll let you know.

4. Think Before You Post. Everything you post on IHadCancer is secure, but it is up to you to monitor how much or how little information you are sharing about yourself and your experience. Please don’t share personal or identifiable information like your mailing address or your full name and don’t share other member’s information.

5. If You See Something, Say Something. We work hard to make sure these guidelines are followed closely but if you see something that doesn’t’ feel right to you, please let us know. We review every report we receive and will take anything you say to heart. We promise.

6. Be Open. Welcome newcomers and help guide them through this journey based on your own experience. Whether you are a survivor, fighter, caregiver or supporter, you have valuable information that can very well help someone else who is just beginning the cancer journey. Be open to sharing experiences and give someone else the gift of your time.

Thanks for being a part of our community. It’s up to all of us to ensure that IHadCancer remains a place for us all to call home when dealing with the ups and downs of a cancer diagnosis.

MandyHorton's picture
MandyHorton Connect

Survivor: Breast Cancer

Dear Cancer, When you came into my life you broke me. I was devastated. At 36 years old you crushed my world. I cried for days and nights on end. After about 2 weeks of going through pure hell because of you I decided it was time to stop sobbing and start fighting. At that point I was now not broken, I was mad as hell!! What gave you the right to steal my happiness, my security and my body as I knew it? I had always done the right things to help prevent you. I never abused my body yet you decided to reward me for that by ravishing me with your ugly existence. The surgeries came, followed by nasty, nasty chemo and of course the literal frying of radiation. Thanks !! These experiences were awesome. NOT !!! I grew to hate you more and more as that year of my life was stolen from me by you. I missed the activities of my three boys and all of the other things that I did in my very active life. All while I laid in a bed or on the couch trying to survive not only you but the side effects of the aggressive treatment that was working to save my life. Thanks again !! I still suffered emotionally from the trauma that you had and were putting me through on a daily basis. The "what-ifs" list was enormous and it circulated in my head almost constantly. I wondered if I would ever reach a point that you were not part of every breath that I took and every thought that I had. It seemed I never would and then by the grace of God I started to see that, yes, I could move you out of the forefront of my thoughts and once again live my life. Yes, you changed me. Forever. Physically for the worse. Mentally and spiritually for the better. You forced me to stop and realize what the truly meaningful things in life are. I learned to appreciate the blessings of each new day. The sound of the birds chirping and the wind rustling through the trees became amplified. The colors became brighter and the smells so much sweeter. LIFE really started for me once you came into my life. Although you caused me to carry on long term side effects from treatment used to eliminate you I am still grateful to be alive and I will gladly deal with those side effects rather than you!! Cancer, you broke me, you tested my faith and you forever changed who I was and who I am. As I sit here almost 3 years out from the day I heard your name uttered I can say that you changed me for the better. You broke me temporarily then I stood and fought you with a fierceness that all people do when your rear your ugly face. My faith became stronger because of your test and I am grateful to you for that. You changed who I was before you. I will never have the old me back. That is a good and bad thing. I miss the old me physically and mentally but the new me appreciates life so much more. I don't dwell on the little things that mean nothing. I focus on the big picture. Being here one more day for my children. Being able to watch them grow and see how their lives are blossoming and dreaming of where their lives will take them. I have another day to watch my husband do silly dances in the kitchen, watch silly videos together, laughing at things that only he and I find funny and sharing in our love of his peppers and my flowers. Finally, just to let you know you didn't win!! You came, we fought and I won !! You gave me so much more than you took from me and the blessings from that are amazing. Life is not guaranteed and were you ever to rear your face to me again I will fight you with the same ferocity that I did the first time. I will NEVER surrender to the disease. So thank you for changing who I was and turning me into who I am. Not many things in life change us so dramatically but for as bad as you were you are now looked upon as a trial that I faced and persevered through and I gained an outlook on life that I may have never had had it not been for you. I have risen above you and no matter what the future may hold you will never defeat me. Sincerely, One Determined Survivor
Apr 26 2016 7:26am |
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