Hellomelclarity I appreciate your candour and thank you for how you thoughtfully outlined the benefits but also the legacy impacts for you of the treatment you had.
Your reflections resonate with me, I am grateful for the positive outcome of this incredible treatment I received - to be here still is a blessing. I reconcile myself to the fact that the side effects are manageable and a necessary trade off. But it doesn’t cover up the fact that there’s changes, I try not to feel troubled by what feels like a sudden lurch towards a more aged version of ourselves. Hair, skin, sight, strength, sure footedness, vigour and stamina were central to my identity, something I took for granted so now - in the blink of an eye- they are not what they used to be, it is still something I need to process! The way I turn myself around is to reflect on how soooo much better I am now, compared to when I was in the thick of treatment. There’s little things: the walks I love on the coast and conversations (now my brain is working better), I can use an electric toothbrush again and my cholesterol and liver function numbers have found their way back to normal!
I’m 3 years post diagnosis and this week received my annual “no evidence of disease” results (woot!) so I’m happy.
