In remission from cancer.finding it tough at times.
Hi Diamond104fe6f and a warm welcome to this corner of the Community.
I am Mike and I help out around our various Lymphoma groups.
The post Lymphoma treatment journey can be hard at times. I don’t have Hodgkin's Lymphoma but for some context about me. I was officially diagnosed way back in 1999 at 44…… although I now realise I had most likely been living with with my rare (8 in a million) incurable but treatable type of T-Cell Low-grade non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
I eventually reached Stage 4a in late 2013 when a second, also rare (4 in a million) type of aggressive T-Cell High-grade non-Hodgkin lymphoma) was then presenting so although my Lymphoma ‘type’ is different I most definitely appreciate the challenges of this journey rather well.
Unfortunately the final 1/3rd (first 1/3rd is the diagnosis and the middle 1/3rd being treatment) can be as hard, even harder but time brings healing.
You don’t say how far out from treatment you are but the fatigue accumulates during treatment so it can take some time to recover.
My Consultant told me that going through the trepayment process is like doing a boxing match and a marathon every day over the months of treatments and this was done without any training.
Think doing the London Marathon without any training and you had to finish it as your life depended on it……. this is the journey you have been on so it most likely will take much longer than you would think to get back to some normality.
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.
As Pete Tenterden has highlighted…… do check out Lymphoma Action.
Lymphoma Action is the main UK Lymphoma Specific Charity who have lots of good reliable information, videos..... basically all things Lymphoma....... pre, during and post treatment.
If you are in the UK do look at their various Support Platforms…
I highly recommend these groups as this will widen your support base and there is nothing better than ‘talking’ with others who have walked or are walking the same journey…… with one monthly online group where you can actually chat with others navigating the post treatment life.
Their Closed FB group alone has over 5900 members and unfortunately you would most likely bump into me on there also ;)
They also run the very good Lymphoma Focused Live your Life Course that is a peer-led self-management course.
The LA helpline is open every week day from 10 till 3 on 0808 808 5555. This is a safe place to talk things through and get support.
