Hello everyone I had breast cancer in 2014 had treatment, meds and radiotherapy and on the 18th of December 2022 I was diagnosed with lung cancer they couldn’t operate because of my copd and emphysema so I’ve had radiotherapy went for my scan with contrast in may and on the 8th of June 2023 got told my cancer is in remission. Why say remission? Why not say your lung cancer has gone? I have to have a scan every 6 months, my immune system is rock bottom I’ve had shingles now since the beginning of may and the pain is dreadful, I’ve got no energy I can’t be bothered to do anything I want to crawl away and sleep, I’m sad my depression is bad and my anxiety is too I’m on medication for this and have been for a lot of years, I feel so fed up my family and friends who I’ve told my cancer is in remission are happier than me, why? I don’t know who to turn to I’m so tired love Yvonne
Hi Yvonne Yvonne17 it’s a challenge to live with and even understand being told you are in remission when you just want to hear that your cancer is gone…..
I was diagnosed way back in 1999 with a very rare and incurable type of blood cancer (Non Hodgkin’s Lymphoma) and for the first 15ish years I was only ever told I was in partial remission….. as we knew that it would kick off 6-9 months later and the treatment had to start all over again…… but after my last main treatment back in Oct 2015 I was eventually told I was in remission (not partial) in Sep 2016 and so far so good.
So for me the word ‘remission’ obviously takes on a completely different prospective on both life and living…… I am not cured, I never will be…… but I am over the moon that we have been able to put my cancer to sleep.
No answers from me but just wanted to put my story into the ring…… over these past 24 years my families and I have focused on not letting my cancer define us…… but as a family……. we define how we live with it.
Who do you turn to?……. Talking to people face to face can be very helpful so do check to see if you have any Local Macmillan Support in your area, do also check for a local Maggie's Centre as these folks are amazing.
Macmillan have also teamed up with Bupa to offer up to 6 free counselling sessions for people struggling emotionally because they are living with cancer. Clicking on the link will give you more information about this.
……. and I am always around for a chat ((hugs))
