On the mend

Hi mjn 

re read this Dr Peter Harvey 

https://www.workingwithcancer.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/After-the-treatment-finishes-then-what.pdf

Thus sums up recovery he is a cancer doctor at my csncer unit Leeds. 
Hazel x

Thanks Hazel just off for a read Many Thanks Regards Min 

Hi Min

I know you have heard this before but it is early days. I had hoped that when my treatment finished  I would be back to normal in no time, however that is not the truth. It is a slow and steady recovery over time. It took me several months before I was feeling on top of things again both physically and mentally and then it was a matter of adjusting to the difference as it is never quite the same again.

I finished my radiotherapy in Feb 2020 and now a year on am feeling really well.

Day by day you will start to notice small differences so just push on and you will be amazed when you look back on things in a few months.

All the best.

Lyn

x

Thanks Sophie66 I am beginning to recover I know you cannot rush nature , One day at a time is the way to go I have learned All The Best Regards Min 

Hi Hazel I am not feeling up to walking outside until I am happy walking around the house with confidence. I want to get well but will take my time . I use to walk 5 miles every morning until I got told I had cancer and eventually dropped it down to 3 miles every morning and then 1 mile , So I won't be lazy but dont want to make myself ill either Thanks All The Best Regards Min 

Hi Min

I think going with what your body is telling you and exercising inside until you feel confident is a good idea. After radiotherapy the same as you there was a period of time when I did not have enough energy to walk very far. I remember pushing myself too hard too early and trying to walk my normal exercise route, got as far as the first bus stop, ran out of energy, sat down, rested and then when I got home had to have a very long rest to recover.  I also was still having regular rests during the day.

 For a short time I also developed a real fear of falling. I used to hold on to my husband’s arm when we were out even though normally I was quite confident on my feet.

Over time I was able to walk further and the fear of falling went away and now I am able to walk as far as I want to.

Unfortunately the fatigue and lack of energy is very frustrating but part of the healing process.

Like you have said previously you have to take one day at a time.

Best wishes

Lyn

x

Hi Min. I remember you being a few weeks behind me, and that’s exactly how I felt at your stage, although I was eating very sloppy Reddy Brek. There were good days and inexplicably bad days. It can get you down, but the overall trajectory is an upward one. I’m now 8 weeks post treatment and the last week in particular I’ve noticed a huge difference. Trying to eat or drink the wrong things (it was carrot cake or tea for me) can still set me back but I now recover more quickly. Don’t let it get you down too much. That radiotherapy is necessarily brutal but it does get better! 

Hi, Minmax

I was much like you, I thought I'd be recovering 4 weeks after my treatment ended. This was not the case and it was very frustrating. However, as others have said, listen to your body and try to be patient. 
Personally, I found that once I was off the pain relief I started to improve every day.

My treatment ended on the 25th of September 2020 and my mucus has not yet recovered properly but I've found that I've made excellent progress over the last couple of weeks by having sugar free chewing gum after meals. When you do start eating, chewing for 15-20 minutes should help to stimulate the saliva glands and enable you to eat more and more foods each week. Chicken is still not an option for me but I was able to have roast beef yesterday so I really believe it has helped me. I only stopped eating solids for a couple of weeks at the end of my treatment but kept eating soft foods like soup, jelly and, custard which is just as well as the NG tube would regularly stop working.

On the subject of exercise, I would go for a short walk with my wife around the block or to pick my son up from school which is a couple of KM. I was exhausted afterwards and would go to bed to rest but I think it helped me. That was about 3-4 weeks after my treatment ended so around October/November 2020 and I was still on the NG tube at the time so I was still reliant on the feeds for most of my calories.

Once I had the NG tube removed and I was eating more solids I upped my exercise regime with some very light yoga to help loosen my body as I'd become stiff due to lack of activity and that really helped me. I'd also bought some weights for use at home, and although I still can't lift as much as I used to, I am working my way back to a good level of strength.

At the start of February, I started going for a run/walk, i.e. I'd run for a bit then walk for a little bit then rinse and repeat. This helps you build up stamina and last Friday I completed a 5k run without walking. My time was still well down on what I used to run before I got cancer but, the point is I am making progress and that makes me feel good and hopefully something similar could help you too.  

The point of all that was not really to tell you what I went through but to try and give an example of something that may help you build yourself back up. Set a small target and work towards it, when you reach it, and you will! Set a new achievable target to work towards. Everyone heals at a different rate and there will be parts of your recovery that will be better than other people's and there will be areas where your body will take longer.

Keep positive and I am sure you will mend in time, good luck.

Hello Dave. Welcome to our community. Glad you dropped in with your advice. Best wishes 

Hi Dave 

Yes recovery is really baby steps. Well done on 5 k run. 
Welcome to our small friendly community 

Onwards n upwards

Hazel