Survivorship

When you experience the physical pain of surgery, clicking the morphine button brings fast relief. But how do you escape pain in your heart, soul, and mind? Laughter. Friendship. Meditation. The steady march of time – which does, in the end, heal. The farther you get from your last day of active treatment following a mastectomy, the less intrusive the pain. Until, finally, pain – all types of cancer pain – is just a memory, fading away like summer’s flowers after autumn’s first frost. Pain. Trust me, unless you’re facing a stage IV diagnosis, it does go away. And it’s replaced by a new appreciation for so many things you used to take for granted: a full night’s sleep, a normal day at work, driving to work and actually remembering how you got there. The silver lining? You’ll find it. It’s there – right beyond the pain.

But survivorship comes at a psychological price. It's the Damocles Syndrome ...

According to Greek legend, once Damocles realized that a sword was dangling precariously over his head, he could no longer enjoy the banquet spread in front of him.

In the same way, the specter of cancer hangs over some cancer survivors. They can become emotionally paralyzed and have a hard time adjusting with the fear of a recurrence.

Given cancer’s potential to lay dormant for a while and then spread (metastasize), cancer survivors often experience ongoing fear of recurrence. Follow-up medical visits, unexplained pain, or even sights and sounds they associate with treatment can trigger bouts of anxiety and fear that are as debilitating as those that occurred during cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Survivor guilt. Although happy to be alive, cancer survivors may feel guilty that they survived while fellow patients they became friendly with during treatment or as part of a support group did not. (Early after a diagnosis of cancer, people first ask, 'Why me?' When survivors think about those who have died, they tend to ask, 'Why not me?')

Given that one in three Americans will face a cancer diagnosis at some point in their lives, living with cancer is a topic that touches all of us. If you are a survivor, you can probably relate to the anxiety cancer has introduced to your life.

There’s a sense of relief that comes with a mastectomy. The tumor is removed and it’s the first day of survivorship.

Gone are the endless doctor’s appointments. At least they won’t be as frequent now.

Life after cancer treatment is supposed to be the time of your life right? If so, then why do some cancer survivors feel so anxious about the future?

In reality, you may feel self-conscious about how treatment changed your body, nervous about follow up appointments and unsure how to restart your life since it’s been on hold. Most importantly, you may live with constant anxiety about whether the cancer will come back.
As a cancer survivor, you need encouragement while you transition back into your old life.

You are now a cancer survivor and you should be proud about that. You faced a horrific illness and while you had some difficult days, you are now able to get back to life.

After cancer, you may have a new sense of self, new ideas that you want to pursue and a better idea as to what types of things you want for your life. Maybe you took life and those around you for granted, but now you know better.

When embarking on new goals following cancer treatment, start off small and then expand on your goals. This allows you to pace yourself and set priorities easily.

Mistakes and setbacks will come whenever you’re pursuing a goal. Except them and learn from them.

Have a positive attitude and share your aspirations with supportive friends and family. Again, only the supportive ones. Not those who will discourage you.

Reward yourself as you become more and more successful. Always remember to enjoy the process.

I have learned so much as a result of my cancer diagnosis and treatment. Life is about learning. With every experience, you learn something new about yourself that you’ll use in the future.

I definitely learned some medical jargon and how to navigate the hospital. I have also learned how to navigate symptoms.

I've learned that walking helps me with my anxiety.

I've learned that talking about my experience helps others who are battling breast cancer.

I've learned so much about life in a shorter time than I did in the years before having cancer.

No longer do I fall apart at small, unimportant issues.

I may have a horrendous scar to show for it, but in the end I'm stronger.

Most importantly, I've learned just because I am a survivor doesn’t mean I don’t still need support. This can help on days when I'm feeling anxious.

To my family and friends - thank you for your support and encouragement. It means the world to me.