Hi Everyone,
I am still experiencing a variety of emotions since being diagnosed with stage 1 melanoma 18 months ago, this has been hightened since being discharged from dermatology and will no longer have any follow up/ surveillance appointments. While stage 1 melanoma may not be as serious as more advanced melanomas and I should be grateful for the good outcome, I find myself feeling, sad, angry, lost, anxious, guilty. Additionally I am finding myself thinking I can’t be bothered with the skin care advice given by the dermatology staff. I really don’t know why I am feeling all these different emotions, I feel like that I should be over these emotions. Has anyone else encountered this as well? And what strategies did you have to cope?
Hi WALKER777
I'm sorry to read how you're currently feeling but it's not unusual after treatment has finished. I think we all feel a bit like we've been set adrift when follow-up appointments have finished. You probably expected to feel elated that you'd been discharged so are surprised to find that's not how you feel at all.
You might find this booklet from Macmillan about your feelings when treatment has finished helpful. Another great article is After Treatment Finishes Then What?
I was determined that cancer was not going to define who I was, so I stuck to the advice I'd been given about being safe in the sun and went about my 'normal' life. I'm not saying I didn't worry about it coming back or that I didn't get annoyed with not being able to be carefree outside, but I gradually accepted things and eventually got to a point where I no longer thought about melanoma all the time. I'm sure you'll get there to.
Anne
"Never regret a day in your life, good days give you happiness, bad days give you experience"
