Life after treatment
Hi all I thought I'd start a new thread as I've been reading through the
post on After effects from treatment. I love all of your replies they
give me comfort, relief and validation. I didn't want ...
Forum Discussion
I remember how I felt at the 1 year mark. I was exhausted...I felt like I was recovering from a marathon. I was still having herceptin and had returned to work reluctantly part time. It actually helped me mentally but I was exhausted and came home and slept an hour a day. We ate a lot of quick prepared meals. I'm now just up to full time work 17 months from diagnosis. I need a cleaner and my son's cook at least 2 days per week and I spend my weekends resting otherwise I feel overstretched. I've nowhere the physical energy I had before.
I actually enjoy working and can put in a full day there now. But my work isn't physically demanding. It did help me recover and have the feeling of normalacy again. However I chose when I was ready to return. I chose when I gradually increased hourse. It took me 6 months to get to fulltime work.
I'm constantly amazed at people who state what they would choose if they had breast cancer. I certainly never thought about it until it happened. I have, however lost many loved ones discovered too late for curative treatment. My sister was one, but the chemo and various treatments gave her 12 years...enough to see her children marry and meet her grandchildren. That made the side effects of treatment worthwhile her. I didn't ever consider not having it. Not for a second.
The mental recovery of cancer is hard. Survivorship is hard work. I too suffer anxiety and depression and have Graves disease (hyperthyroidism ) currently under treatment. I chose that I wasn't going to let cancer rule the rest of my life. I wanted to reclaim it back. F...u cancer you're not having all of me. I needed counselling to help get tbete though and lots of determination to put it at the back of my mind not the front. I don't pretend I'm not tired, or frightened of recurrence or have doubts I will ever be close to who I was before diagnosis. But...I found a me that is now happy and content and determined to reclaim my life. The life I choose though.
As to your husband, I can't really understand it other than think he just doesn't get it. I had discussions with a cancer coordinator at the hospital who spoke to my boss...as I felt initially unsupported. Counselling might be an option here. Was the pressure to work there prior to the diagnosis?
I hope in time the joy and energy returns to your life. Sometines we need to just "be" for a bit and gather that mental energy to strive forward again. Kath x
http://www.cancer.org.au/about-cancer/publications.html#jump_4
I thought these links might have some helpful tips you could leave lying aroubd the house.
I actually enjoy working and can put in a full day there now. But my work isn't physically demanding. It did help me recover and have the feeling of normalacy again. However I chose when I was ready to return. I chose when I gradually increased hourse. It took me 6 months to get to fulltime work.
I'm constantly amazed at people who state what they would choose if they had breast cancer. I certainly never thought about it until it happened. I have, however lost many loved ones discovered too late for curative treatment. My sister was one, but the chemo and various treatments gave her 12 years...enough to see her children marry and meet her grandchildren. That made the side effects of treatment worthwhile her. I didn't ever consider not having it. Not for a second.
The mental recovery of cancer is hard. Survivorship is hard work. I too suffer anxiety and depression and have Graves disease (hyperthyroidism ) currently under treatment. I chose that I wasn't going to let cancer rule the rest of my life. I wanted to reclaim it back. F...u cancer you're not having all of me. I needed counselling to help get tbete though and lots of determination to put it at the back of my mind not the front. I don't pretend I'm not tired, or frightened of recurrence or have doubts I will ever be close to who I was before diagnosis. But...I found a me that is now happy and content and determined to reclaim my life. The life I choose though.
As to your husband, I can't really understand it other than think he just doesn't get it. I had discussions with a cancer coordinator at the hospital who spoke to my boss...as I felt initially unsupported. Counselling might be an option here. Was the pressure to work there prior to the diagnosis?
I hope in time the joy and energy returns to your life. Sometines we need to just "be" for a bit and gather that mental energy to strive forward again. Kath x
http://www.cancer.org.au/about-cancer/publications.html#jump_4
I thought these links might have some helpful tips you could leave lying aroubd the house.