Stories about life after cancer treatment

"I always have to make a note of where the toilets are, when out and about, as my muscles are damaged and I now don’t have particularly good control in the bowel department. 

I do, however, have an excellent colorectal physiotherapist, who is helping me in this department and I am noticing a slow improvement.

Despite the side-effects, three years after treatment I lead a full life. I juggle work and family life, and still find time to have fun with friends. I think being honest about the challenges has helped me make the necessary adaptations."

"It’s something that really isn’t understood or appreciated by anyone outside of the cancer community. Even some family and friends don’t fully understand. They see you as you and that the hair’s grown back and you’re back at work.

They don’t understand that it’s not the same. You don’t have the same energy, the same drive and get up and go. It really is a battle within yourself.

They don’t understand the side effects that have happened since. Everything is that extra 10% harder." 

“At first my main and only goals were pain management and nutrition. I had to eat a high calorie diet to try to increase my weight. I needed to build up my strength and stamina. The physios, and the doctors set realistic goals and targets.

Extreme fatigue and concentration were an issue as well as my physical health being extremely poor. I decided to focus on exercise, seeing it as almost another medicine.

Everything was a progression, upping the effort I needed to put in, building up my strength and stamina. It wasn’t easy but I saw this as part of my medical recovery. A side effect of the exercise was that my mental health improved too.”

"There is a definite attitude among cancer patients to be the best they can be, like you MUST do a 100-mile ultra-marathon once you’re well again! I feel this pressure to overachieve and come out the other side a champion a bit overwhelming.

I’m trying to do a few things but cut myself some slack at the same time. Your body needs to recover. But I am aware that exercise can really help the recovery process, you’ve got to find a balance."

 "I know I’ve just finished my three-month check-up and feel quite relaxed again, to get on and do things, but then when I have a couple of weeks before a scan coming-up and appointments, anxiety starts to build again.

I think I’m still the same [after cancer], because I always try and take a positive outlook on things. I do feel like I should pat myself on the back a bit, because it’s made me more aware of what I wish to do for myself going forward.

What the cancer has allowed me to do is say I can’t do this today, or don’t want to do this today. It’s given me the confidence to say no when I need to. Instead of wearing myself out and trying to do everything to please everybody."

"I am just coming up to a year since my treatments ended, the cancer has gone but life has changed. I think that when the treatments end, there is time where you can begin to try to process it all. The endless trips to hospital have stopped and now it is just once every twelve weeks. You sort of almost forget it until the letter drops through the letterbox. Then the feelings come back. What if it’s back?

You begin to think that every twinge is a sign. The fears that you try to hold back can return for a while. I find it hard not to panic but it’s like having a constant reminder. Although the cancer has gone the effects of it are not over. Life must again move on." 

Tag: LIFST