Get a sense of what you can expect from patients and caregivers who've been through cancer treatment.

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For Patients & Their Families

○ What will my next year look like?
○ What side effects will have? Will I lose my hair?
○ Can I work during treatment?

There are so many questions once you’re dealing with a diagnosis. Click here for our library of answers - directly from those who’ve already been through treatment.

Get real answers

The Caregiver Perspective

○ What type of cancer do I have?
○ What should I be asking my doctor?
○ How do I support my partner through treatment?

There are two main types of caregiver: medical (doctors, nurses) and personal (family, friends). Hear about both experiences.

My caregivers

Treatment Tips

○ How do you deal with hair loss?
○ Can we get pregnant after chemotherapy?
○ How can I ask others for support?

Here are some of the most pressing topics and the most popular advice we got from our The Patient Story community.

Hear from others

Let’s get social on Instagram

“I get asked all the time if I regret being so open about my breast cancer journey. My answer to that question is, like most everything I’ve experienced throughout this process, complicated.⁣ ⁣ I sometimes do regret sharing everything with the world. It’s super scary to be open and vulnerable. It’s nerve wracking to know that I’m putting myself out there to be judged. It gives me anxiety that I’ll misspeak or won’t be enough to encourage others. I frequently think about how easy it would’ve been to just tell my close circle, slap on a wig and call it a day.⁣ ⁣ Sounds like plenty of reasons to crawl in my shell and wish I could take it all back, right?? WRONG!!⁣ ⁣ Whenever I feel nervous, anxious or scared about sharing my journey, I remember how absolutely, overwhelmingly nervous, anxious and straight up TERRIFIED I was when I was diagnosed. I had no one else to talk to about what I was about to face. I knew no one who had gone through this. I was walking into the eye of the storm completely unprepared and I wished so desperately that I could’ve found another girl like me to be a resource and inspiration for all I had yet to face. ⁣ ⁣ That’s exactly why I do what I do. Sure, it’s awkward to talk about filling up my foobs. Yes, telling people why I had to be hospitalized and cancel my last round of chemo was extremely cringeworthy. But I’ve been given the incredible opportunity and platform to help others and to truly make a difference. No WAY would I regret that💪🏼💖"⁣ ⁣ -Alexandria Whitaker, Breast Cancer Warrior⁣ ⁣ #breastcancer #breastcancerawareness #chemotherapy #chemosucks #baldisbeautiful #selflove #whittystittycommittee #chemotherapytreatment #selfloveadvocate #breastcancerwarrior #patientshelpingpatients #thepatientstory
"🌸I think the hardest part of this cancer journey, above muscle aches 💪🏼, nausea 🤢, constipation💩, head aches🥴, weight gain🙄, fatigue😴, has been losing so much of my hair ‼️⁣ ⁣ It was already such a big deal for me to cut my hair short before my treatments started, I’ve always loved my long long hair, so seeing it slowly fall out has been terrifying! The weirdest thing is looking in the mirror and not looking like “yourself”.⁣ My hair falling gives me so much anxiety that every morning I wake up thinking I’m bald and have to look in the mirror to remind myself that I still have hair left. It’s weird🤷🏽‍♀️.⁣ ⁣ However, I am grateful that God gave me SO much hair and thick eye brows, which has allowed me to have some hair left as I approach my last treatment. 🎉 ⁣ Im praying the little I have left hangs on tight through the next few weeks. 🙏🏼🤞🏼⁣ ✨only pro + has been not having to shave at all, because yes, you lose hair EVERYWHERE lol"⁣ ⁣ -Andrea Mosley⁣ ⁣ #cancersucks #beatcancer #cancer #hodgkinslymphoma #cancerjourney #chemosucks #chemotherapy #chemotherapysideeffects #hairloss #haircut #hardship #stillthankful #baldisbeautiful #patientshelpingpatients #thepatientstory⁣
"A poem about surviving chemo⁣ ⁣ 'I met the red devil⁣ He kissed my blue veins⁣ ⁣ I know him in my body⁣ Devouring pieces of me⁣ ⁣ When I close my eyes⁣ I can still breathe ⁣ His chemical stench⁣ Burned into my memory⁣ ⁣ He tastes of the blade from the surgeon's knife⁣ ⁣ He tastes of tears from my mother's eyes⁣ ⁣ He tastes of a battle I would rather not fight⁣ ⁣ Lurking luminescent at the crossroads⁣ Where life meets death⁣ The border of where being can no longer be⁣ He's broken women stronger than I⁣ ⁣ Oh, my red metallic Kool aid⁣ I dare not disagree⁣ For you fight the angel of death ⁣ And bring her to her knees '"⁣ ⁣ -Caitlin James⁣ ⁣ #breastcancerart #reddevil #adriamycin #chemo #chemosucks #art #artwork #painting #poetry #arttherapy #warriorwoman #wearesurvivors #breastcancerawareness #youngbreastcancer #cancerthriver #cancersurvivor #womanartist #patientshelpingpatients #thepatientstory⁣
"16 down, 1 to go, and boy does it feel real right now.⁣ ⁣ In just 3 more weeks, no more treatments at the hospital.⁣ ⁣ No more seeing my nurse on a regular basis.⁣ ⁣ No more chats with others getting treatment.⁣ ⁣ No more in-patient hospital bracelets.⁣ ⁣ No more being a cancer patient.⁣ ⁣ I should be grateful for this, but I also have a sense of indescribable dread. Cancer has defined my life for over a year, and now suddenly it will all be over in one swoop. The last step will be removing Penny my Port next month.⁣ ⁣ WTF actually happened to me?"⁣ -Lior Feigin ⁣ #PostCancerThoughts #PostCancerLife #LifeAfterCancer #CancerSurvivor #BreastCancer #BiologicalTreatment #BreastCancerSurvivor #PostChemo #RealLife #BioTreatment #Herceptin #Portacath #Port #PennyForYourPort #BCSM #BreastCancerAwareness #baldisbeautiful #chemotherapy #patientshelpingpatients #thepatientstory
"Oh how easy it is to show all of the good stuff on the ‘gram, and how hard it is to show.... well... THIS. 🤦‍♀️ I get a lot of positive feedback for being so open, real and willing to share all sides of my experiences - so I felt it was important to show a picture of my very current situation, even though it makes me very uncomfortable. 😐 This is as REAL as it gets friends! No makeup, no hair, heavily medicated, terrible hospital lighting, post cry, frustrated and angry, not feeling good, and straight up GRUMPY. Things are not always peachy and I’m happy to share that, so I can always be equally happy to share when things are PEACHY! 🍑 So let’s just say positivity was not exactly winning at this very moment… 🤷‍♀️ ➡️ "⁣ ⁣ -Lindsy Matthews⁣ ⁣ #ifyoudontlovemeatmyworst #youdontdeservemeatmybest ⁣ #positivemindset #cancer #breastcancer #chemo #chemotherapy #chemohair #cancertreatment #positivevibes #healingvibes #heal #healthiswealth #healthymindset #healthylifestyle #gethealthy #cancermotivation #cancerjourney #patientshelpingpatients #thepatientstory
“I’ve been cancer free for three years, today.⁣ ⁣ And in those three years there is rarely an hour that goes by where I don’t think or worry about cancer. Maybe it’s the cumulative 326 days of chemotherapy that’s become routine over the past five years. Maybe it’s seeing the infants and toddlers receiving treatment right next to me on a weekly basis. Whatever it is - to say that it’s been life changing is an understatement…And forever will be. .⁣ ⁣ Coming in such close contact with your own mortality changes both nothing, and everything. My imagined future and personal identity collapsed. There was a time where I lived my life six weeks at a time - trying to make the best use of my time between scans. But to say ‘cancer lives with ME’ and not ‘I live with CANCER’ - and truly embrace it - is easier said than done. The tricky part of illness is that, as you go through it, your values are constantly changing. You try to figure out what matters to you, and then you keep figuring it out. I told myself “I can’t go on…” but it was always followed up with “I’ll go on.”⁣ ⁣ As much as cancer has taken its toll, both physically and mentally, I can say with certainty I would not have made it this far on my own. I am forever grateful to those who helped me beat the odds along the way (you know who you are). ⁣ ⁣ I realize the tone of this little tidbit hasn’t been all that heartwarming. But I hope to continue to inspire nonetheless. As the late Stuart Scott said, “You beat cancer by how you live, why you live, and the manner in which you live.”⁣ ⁣ All that any of us can do is try to live as best we can. With a smile, or smirk perhaps....."⁣ ⁣ -Alex Berlin⁣ ⁣ #cancersurvivor #patientshelpingpatients #thepatientstory #ewingssarcoma #sarcomaawareness #sarcomasurvivor #ewingssarcomasurvivor #chemosucks #chemotherapy

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NOTE: Information on ThePatientStory.com is not medical advice. It's shared by our cancer community members.