General
Once you reach "In Remission" & "Cancer Free" do you still have fear...
I would love to get the thoughts and wisdom from my fellows here on life after cancer. Once you are classified as, "in remission" and then "cancer free", what resources, activities, or actions have you taken to manage the fear of cancer returning at some point. I deeply respect and admire our fellows, partners, spouses who have survived to tell their tales of their time in the ring with cancer. I have noticed that there is an underlying energy or low lying feeling when a seemingly innocent issue occurs in the body. I find, even as a care partner, that I have that very small, in the back of my head, fear that some form of cancer has returned. I also find this fear hits me too, when something is going on with my body. I have yet to find an effective way to let go of this fear. I speak weekly with a therapist, a sponsor, and dear friends to no avail. Please share your wisdom, lessons, and possible solutions fellows.
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Care Partner
Return of the Cancer!
Sounds like a horror movie, which I guess it is. There isn't a therapist with the right words, a fellow survivor with words of wisdom, or a doctor with results good enough to take away the fear.
Every time a new pain is felt, something snaps or my energy drops the Cancer Welcome Wagon starts the Doubt Parade that marches through my head, down my heart, and ends in the pit of my stomach.
Most of the time the fear isn't for me but for those around me. My partner and caregiver, family, and friends. I know that I can handle it, that there are two outcomes, I'm ready, so I think.
Will the people around me be able to go through what they did the first time? Would they want to?
I must believe that the answer to your question is, "yes". Those who truly love and appreciate you in their lives will want to be there to support and share their healing light with you. I know, for myself, I will be there for you always, in this completely hypothetical situation, I will get to bring all my hard earned wisdom and experience so I can be better for me and you all around. Thank you for your honest and authentic response Lilmesican!
I would have to say...
This will always be a thought in the back of our heads. As we know once we're put in this bucket, the likelihood of the what if's ...is out there. I think if you take the lead in living in the present is the first step in moving past the fear.
My goodness, this is a wonderful insight and hard earned wisdom YSarrabo. Thank you so much! :-) I love having a forum where all can share wisdom, experience, and joy.
Same here my friend!
Life after Cancer is so hard especially the first 4-6 months following treatment. I felt naked and vulnerable during this time and my mental health was a low I've never experienced in my life. It gets better overtime and I think that should improve as you get further away from diagnosis/ treatment but it lives rent free in my mind and always will. Therapy helped me but most importantly not feeling sorry for myself and seeing other survivors thrive many years down the road has always been my biggest satisfaction.
Wow, thanks for sharing your experience and hope here. I look to my partner who is a cancer survivor and always feel inspired by him because he is not just living his life he is thriving. I try to use him as a basic template for my life today too. Seeing how many cancer survivors are thriving is, as you said, a true inspiration.