Hi all, I had melanoma stage 3 this year, in foot which spread to my groin lymph nodes. Had several ops and drug treatment for 3mths and then it was stopped due to heart palpitations. Last scan I was all clear and now im left in a wait and see approach. The anxiety and feeling on edge and in fear is hideous. I dont feel happy anymore and i wake up every morning in fight or flight mode. Just cant stand it. Will this ever go. I feel this is it now, a life of fear and waiting for the cancer to come back. Im 55 and feel whats the point.
Hi Abarrhgirl and welcome to this corner of the community.
Navigating the post treatment world is all about navigating steppingstone, these steps help build the ability for you to define how you live life going forward….. and importantly not to let the what if’s?…. define you.
Talking to people ‘face to face’ can be very helpful in this process 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.
In all my years the phrase that I keep in mind is “The space between the ears can be the strongest or weakest link in our journey”
About me…… have been on my cancer journey for over 25 years. I was diagnosed in 1999 age 44 with one of the rare (8 in a million) hard to treat incurable types of slow growing Low-Grade NHLs - Cutaneous T-Cell (Mycosis Fungodes a rare type of skin NHL) when our daughters were 14 and 18…… I continued to work for 12 years in a demanding teaching job and yes had various skin treatments treatments over these first 14 years then in late 2013 a second rare (4 in a million) more aggressive fast growing High-Grade NHL - Peripheral T-Cell NHL came along taking me to stage 4.
So I had some intensive treatment between late 2013 to late 2015 (chemo, radiotherapy and 2 Allograft (donor) Stem Cell Transplants)……. but we went on to see our daughters graduate, get married, set up very successful businesses and provide us with 4 beautiful granddaughters….. I turn 70 at the end of this year and I am coming up to 10 years since my last treatment.
I am living a great life and we continue to look forward to what else life has in store for us to enjoy…….. this can be done.
The most important ‘visualisation’ advise I can give is this is all like driving a car…… the future is open for you to see through the big wide front windscreen...... most challenges will pass…… and the past is only visible in the little mirrors........ if we concentrate on the little mirrors we miss the future and more importantly we will crash.
You may find it helpful to make a cuppa and have a look at this great paper…..
After Treatment Finishes - Then What?
by Dr Peter Harvey as it highlights the post treatment milestones.
Always around to chat ((hugs))
