Coping with the 'new normal'
Hi all I'm grateful that I've gotten through invasive treatment and life has kind of gone back to normal, although I'm still working out my 'new normal'. I finished rads 6 week ago and have been o...
Forum Discussion
Hey @rose,
What you're describing is absolutely and completely normal. I like to call this bit "limbo land". You kind of just float along not really knowing what to do or where to go. Your days are no longer filled with treatment and appointments and you have no goal posts to chase. Just get through the surgery, next goal get through chemo, next just get through rads, then you're done and feel well, plain out lost.
Everyone assumes that once treatment is done you get better right? i would have probably thought that way too I guess. They just don't know that the hardest part comes after the treatment.
You will find a lot of us have posted very similar things after treatment ends.
Your head is still swimming trying to work out what the hell just happened and it does take a long time for most people to get through. The first year is the hardest and then surprisingly the shit can just show up whenever it wants down the track. The spaces between "cloudy fog of doom" get further apart as you go along. Not helpful now obviously but it will improve.
The next time someone says you should be thankful for anything ask them if they would be thankful to get cancer and have their life turned upside down? That will stop them dead in their tracks guaranteed. You're thankful they got it and you were treated but that's about it at this stage. All normal lovely.
The big long term projects and goals seem insurmountable and so far away when you're in limbo land. Everyday things and conversations at work seem trivial and some boarder on the ridiculous after what you have been through. This improves also and you no longer want to slap someone if they complain they got a skinny latte instead of a cappucino.
Looking too far into the future is difficult somedays and big goals, well you just don't have the will power....yet.
Just get through today and that will be fine. Then you do the same tomorrow. That in itself is a huge achievement.
Look after you lovely.
Everyone is here for you, we all get it. Deep breaths.
xoxoxo
What you're describing is absolutely and completely normal. I like to call this bit "limbo land". You kind of just float along not really knowing what to do or where to go. Your days are no longer filled with treatment and appointments and you have no goal posts to chase. Just get through the surgery, next goal get through chemo, next just get through rads, then you're done and feel well, plain out lost.
Everyone assumes that once treatment is done you get better right? i would have probably thought that way too I guess. They just don't know that the hardest part comes after the treatment.
You will find a lot of us have posted very similar things after treatment ends.
Your head is still swimming trying to work out what the hell just happened and it does take a long time for most people to get through. The first year is the hardest and then surprisingly the shit can just show up whenever it wants down the track. The spaces between "cloudy fog of doom" get further apart as you go along. Not helpful now obviously but it will improve.
The next time someone says you should be thankful for anything ask them if they would be thankful to get cancer and have their life turned upside down? That will stop them dead in their tracks guaranteed. You're thankful they got it and you were treated but that's about it at this stage. All normal lovely.
The big long term projects and goals seem insurmountable and so far away when you're in limbo land. Everyday things and conversations at work seem trivial and some boarder on the ridiculous after what you have been through. This improves also and you no longer want to slap someone if they complain they got a skinny latte instead of a cappucino.
Looking too far into the future is difficult somedays and big goals, well you just don't have the will power....yet.
Just get through today and that will be fine. Then you do the same tomorrow. That in itself is a huge achievement.
Look after you lovely.
Everyone is here for you, we all get it. Deep breaths.
xoxoxo