Continuing Concerns and Troubles
Posted 6/12/2012
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I have had many conversations over the past few weeks with women, well past their adjuvant treatment, who are struggling emotionally. There are lots of individual reasons: a recent recurrence or death of a friend, having some kind of symptom that is concerning, anniversary reactions, reading or hearing something that was distressing. The shared experience, however, of easily feeling scared and sad is quite common. Often, we don't even know why we are feeling especially worried, and those feelings usually abate over time. It is always helpful to talk about them, and this is a place where a support group and/or "cancer buddies" are invaluable. No one else will be able to really understand, and it is almost certain that your family and friends assume that the cancer is long gone, and you don't need to every worry again. We wish that were true!
I am attaching e-mails about this from a couple of thoughtful women. I regret, hugely, that the "comments" section of this blog has been temporarily disabled, as I really would like to hear your thoughts. If you have something to say, please e-mail me at hhill@bidmc.harvard.edu, and I will include it on another day.
Hi All: Just wanted to check in with everybody to see how folks are faring mentally at this time. For some reason, with being 6 years out, I am really finding myself in a funk. I read about Sheryl Crow (now with a benign brain tumor) or hear about The Good Morning America gal, Roberts, who just got diagnosed with some rare blood disorder (which she says is a result of BC treatment 5 years ago) and I'm saying what the F?? My doctor told me that with Her2Nu positive BC typically if you're going to get a reoccurance, it can happen quickly and that an 8 year benchmark is good, so I find myself even more so now with renewed hypervigilance and low level depression and preoccupation. Is this resonating with anybody else?
I'm not great mentally either...if I ever was, lol. My own body reminds me all the time of the cancer and still can't lift without pain. I ran out of physical therapy visits again and its hard to be motivated on my own because it never seems to get better. I got a staph infection from the skin cancer I had removed and got sick and just so tired of being medically high maintenance! I feel like a hypochondriac.
I know it could be much much worse and I beat myself up alot for not being grateful I'm alive
Thanks for your honesty and I'm so glad I'm not alone
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