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Help family understand breast cancer "obsession"?

Page last modified on: September 24, 2008
Question from CW: My family has just about had it with me. I was diagnosed with DCIS, went thru mastectomy (no chemo needed) in May 2003. Now I am doing reconstruction, after a failed reconstruction last year. My family doesn't understand what they call my "obsession" with the subject of breast cancer because I am online often. Any advice?
Answer —Rosalind Kleban, L.C.S.W.: Everybody recovers at her own pace. You can't possibly recover from a situation and move on until that situation is completed. You can tell your family that it's understandable to be concerned about facing a surgery when a similar one has failed in the past. It makes sense to be a little bit more apprehensive this time around. Then, you can say, when everything is successfully completed, that will be the time to move on and put breast cancer behind you.

On Wednesday, September 15, 2004, our Ask-the-Expert Online Conference was called Family and Loved Ones. Rosalind Kleban, L.C.S.W., author Marc Silver, and moderator Marisa Weiss, M.D. answered your questions about the issues surrounding family members and caregivers living with and caring for women affected by breast cancer.

The materials presented in these conferences do not necessarily reflect the views of breastcancer.org. A qualified healthcare professional should be consulted before using any therapeutic product or regimen discussed. All readers should verify all information and data before employing any therapies described here.

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Meet the Experts

Rosalind Kleban, L.C.S.W.Rosalind Kleban, L.C.S.W. is administrative supervisor for psychosocial programs at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center's Lauder Breast Center in New York City, where she leads weekly support groups for women with early and advanced breast cancer.

Marc SilverMarc Silver is the author of Breast Cancer Husband: How to Help Your Wife (And Yourself) Through Diagnosis, Treatment, and Beyond.

Marisa Weiss, M.D. is a radiation oncologist specializing in breast cancer and the founder, president, and guiding force behind Breastcancer.org.

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