Good news but strange feelings after treatment

I finished treatment last year and felt the same. It felt a bit of an anticlimax really. It took some time for me to get back to almost normal. I felt tired for a long time when I wanted to feel normal. Now of course everything has stopped again. One of the regulars here posted the link to a piece about the feelings afterwards which I found was all very true. Maybe they will post it again.

Hi, yes, I can totally relate to what you are saying! During my own treatment, I felt a great sense of purpose in it, because it was as if I and the treatment, nurses and my friends - as well as God - were all fighting my cancer, side by side, like a little army! The chemo treatments and appointments kept me busy and I even managed to get to church (except for the low immunity weeks that i had - 1 out of every 3) and carried on helping in my friend's charity shop - small and well ventilated so I went there in low immunity weeks, as well as 'good' weeks - a calculated risk that I got away with, hehe(!) ****** Then, Covid-19 lockdown hit, just 3 weeks after my treatment ended; I had planned an end-of-chemo meal out, with family and friends to celebrate and was looking forward to another one for the all-clear, which I was looking forward to (my mid-treatment scan was excellent, so I had slightly cautiously high hopes! I did get the all-clear, around 7 weeks after the end of treatment,  so I was itching to have outings in nature with friends and relatives, sociable picnics,  celebratory meals with people, etc(!) and I couldn't even work in the charity shop, which I find sociable, fun and rewarding! (It's for children with brain and other cancers). I was very frustrated and it definitely felt anti-climactic, like you say! Even church is closed and we have to do it on YouTube(!), but I just felt I had to get out and about, so although I and my family avoided shops to protect me from Covid, we still went on lots of walks and now us shielders are allowed to do more, I can pop in to see my friend at the charity shop for chats, although it's still not yet allowed that us volunteers can join in again (due to Covid restrictions on shop sizes), the lockdown has helped a lot of people appreciate a simpler, slower life but I am definitely looking forward to more socialising and celebrating! 

Thanks Londoner12, kickcancersbutt. I feel bad for the close family and friends who helped me through treatment and who want to celebrate my good results with me that I’m not more up for it. It is good that things are slowly returning to normal in the wider world and I’m really looking forward to a time when I don’t have to shield anymore. That will be worth a drink or two! Stay safe!

Hi , it is all frustrating but as you say, things are opening up more so you will get some normality, but what is normal post treatments?

At times, I see living the post cancer journey like living in a parallel universe - you can see your old life but regardless what you do you can not get back on that same path.

Following my many years of treatment and now nearly 5 years into my post treatment life, a situation I was unwillingly put into. It did actually make me review life and everything that we once thought important.

So some things from our old life are still in our lives but various aspects of our old life that were once seen as important were put in the bin and we don’t miss them.

You may want to have a look at this great paper as it dies highlight the post treatment milestones.

Hi , sorry to hear that you feel robbed of celebrating the end of your treatment with your family and friends but this will come.

It is a challenge for those who are part of a Church Community as the carpet was taken away from under our feet rather quickly but this is also true for many many people who have lost their social/support networks..... but this will return again.

If you are interested we do have our Religion, spirituality and prayer group where people of Faith support each other during and after treatment.

((Hugs))

Hi ABC1971, yes I totally understand how you are feeling, life is on hold again, I'm in a similar position to you.   You find yourself a cancer survivor and just restarting your life again, then Covid brings back all those fears of germs and bugs that you're been told to avoid at all costs.  Tired of feeling tired and tired of feeling scared - bring on a vaccine ASAP!  I am planning to start exercising as soon as my body allows, this for me will be my self help remedy, along with talking to you all.  So yes, feeling the same way...

Thanks Mike-that’s an interesting paper as you say.

Hi Julia67. I hope you are able to begin exercising soon. I’ve been building up again and it’s made me feel a lot better. I had my first maintenance treatment session last Friday and that has brought the tiredness back, though not as much as during chemo. I’ve also just started back at work so a degree of normality is returning and positive things are happening!