Finding Home Again: Breast Cancer Survivorship & Big Transitions

Breast cancer survivorship isn’t a straight line. It’s full of follow-up appointments, unanswered questions, and new beginnings you never expected. This past season has been one of the biggest transitions of my life: moving back to Ontario, grieving my grandmother’s passing, helping my daughter start at a new school, supporting my husband in his new role, and rebuilding my medical care team from the ground up.

Grief, Change, and New Beginnings

Our move came faster than we planned. When my grandmother passed away, everything accelerated—packing, planning, saying rushed goodbyes. It was emotional, exhausting, and strangely clarifying.

Now, in Oakville, I’m beginning to settle. My daughter is adjusting to her new school, my husband is stepping into his new work, and I finally feel like I have a little space to write again. This blog is part of that space: a way to share what breast cancer survivorship looks like while I’m still in the middle of it.

Meeting a New Oncology Team

One of the hardest parts of moving during survivorship is starting fresh with doctors who don’t yet know your story. This week I’ll be meeting my new oncology team for the first time. Blood tests, scans, and long conversations—it’s all ahead.

To prepare, I’ve gathered:

• Treatment summaries (chemo, radiation, targeted therapy, surgeries)

• Pathology and reconstruction notes

• A list of medications and supplements

• Notes on symptoms and side effects

• A page of questions

  
  

Some of the most important questions I’ll be asking include:

• What will my surveillance schedule look like here?

• How can I best manage long-term side effects such as fatigue, hot flashes, or joint pain?

• What supports exist locally for lymphedema prevention, bone health, or heart monitoring?

  
  

For anyone in a similar place, Breastcancer.org has a helpful overview of follow-up care after treatment.

Waiting to Meet My New Family Doctor

Another piece of survivorship is finding the right family doctor. That appointment is still ahead, but I know it will be just as important as oncology follow-ups. A family physician helps bridge the gap between cancer-specific care and everyday health—covering issues like hormone changes, bone density, sleep, and overall wellbeing.

If you’re preparing to meet a new doctor, the Canadian Cancer Society has resources on life after treatment that can help guide your questions.

Life in Transition, Breast Cancer Survivorship

Right now, my story is still unfolding. I haven’t been given a clean bill of health yet—I’m still in the middle of tests, scans, and waiting for results. But this is survivorship too: learning to live with the unknown while still moving forward.

Finding home again isn’t only about a new city or a new house. It’s about learning how to root yourself in uncertainty, trust new care teams, and keep believing in healing while the future is still unwritten.

Final Thoughts

If you’re navigating breast cancer survivorship, moving during treatment follow-ups, or starting fresh with new doctors, know that you’re not alone. Advocate for yourself, keep asking questions, and give yourself grace in the middle of transitions.

I’d love to hear from you: what questions have you asked your own care team that gave you peace of mind? Share them in the comments or message me directly—they may help someone else who’s walking this road too.

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Because survivorship isn’t about closing a chapter. It’s about learning how to live with cancer as part of your story, even as you keep writing new ones.