I confess I have never been too keen on the term survivorship, in relation to cancer. Lots of people do survive, and in the main, because they have had treatment. One could easily apply the word just to life itself - we survive loss, heartache, disappointments and so forth. And sometimes those are experiences that scar and sometimes they are experiences that mould.
I finished treatment (mastectomy, chemo, herceptin and 10 years of hormonal therapy) with lymphoedema, peripheral neuropathy and an arrhythmia. Mostly these have caused little dificulty, until lately. Exacerbated by a leg injury, I have now got some mobility problems. I am also 14 years older!! And if my experience is anything to go by, one's body simply doesn't bounce back the way it did when I was younger - even when I was in my 60s!
Before breast cancer, I was accustomed - indeed never thought about it - to be healthy. I was accustomed to a body that did what I wanted. Comments on BCNA have reminded me how many people experience cancer as yet one more bodily malfunction to cope with. And whose remnants of that experience will be much worse than mine. So yes, treatment may come at a cost, but I'd be wary of putting anyone off treatment because of the potential longer term outcomes. At least some of mine are the result of living longer - and possibly one of the most rewarding and interesting periods of my life.
Hi Afraser it's been a long time, good to see you here and to be reminded of your story. My post is about honesty and awareness, absolutely not about putting anyone off treatment. I just feel that this isn't talked about in any capacity. I agree too I am 10 years older, however my heart failure diagnosis last year is not of natural progression at 57 according to my specialists and at 58 a cataract isn't natural. My specialist also said that this particular one is drug induced.
This post is for all of the people that are experiencing things that nobody talks about after treatment for no other reason but to be seen and heard. I would never have known I would have had these things down the track. It's knowing youre not alone that it is a whole other life beyond treatment. It's about honesty and just maybe more disclosure, so that people know theyre not going mad, that these things are real.
Melinda
