Will My Life Ever Return to Normal After Breast Cancer?

Oct. 1, 2007— -- Question asked by Connie Lexvold, Seven-Year Breast Cancer Survivor: I'm Connie Lexvold, a breast cancer survivor, and one of the questions I continue to ask myself is, "will my life ever return to normal?" I know that seems like a simple question but its surprisingly how often we feel that our life never returns to normal and we just want to be grounded again.

Answer from Karleen Habin, R.N.: Connie, I think that's a great question, and I pick up on the word "grounded" that you ask in your question.

I think we're all looking for stability in our lives. We're all looking for what that "normal" is -- or what it used to be. I was speaking with one of my colleagues the other day, and I had to laugh! She said, "Karleen, the only place that we find "normal" in on the washing machine"-- and I had to actually laugh out loud. She's so right -- that whenever there is a critical illness, or something difficult happens in our lives, it does take time for it to become "normal" again.

So, I encourage you to find resources, either through personal counseling or through support groups or through an opportunity to write about your experience, to help you to find that grounded-ness that you are seeking.