3 YEARS LATER AND HOW I HAVE CHANGED
Having just had October return and gone through my 3rd year since I had Cancer removed and treated, I felt compelled to go on-line again. To touch on a subject of how having had this and survived ha...
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We have all been there, Bel, and it can be very disheartening..
If it's any help at all, it's taken me about the same time as you to realise that we don't necessarily get our old life back, but we can sure as hell carve out a new one we like!!
I worked full time through surgery, chemo, lymphoedema, heart problems and funny feet, all about proving I could do it. It was good for me too, with all that going on , I needed to feel in control. But after the hair grew back, and my feet improved, and I had got used to the compression garment, and so forth, I began to get - not sad, but also not very content. A good counselor for a few months helped. At 68 (you have a ways to go!), I cut back to a 4 day working week and a new job, with new challenges, revived lunches with friends, reduced my interaction with unhappy staff who wanted me to carry their problems, rediscovered cinema, convinced myself my husband and I could travel overseas again and in short got a new life. It's not vastly different from my old one, but it's calmer, happier, and I have fun. At 70, I intend to work at least for another 3 years all being well, but also have to find more time for my new grandson.
Take heart, and keep doing at least one thing a day that makes you happy. Singing and painting sound like terrific options to me. Then three or four.........cancer is a bugger, so don't keep company with it (mentally) any more than you have to.
Best wishes, happy Christmas.