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What have you done to get back to "normal" after breast cancer treatments finished? How is that going so far?
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member4321 (Survivor (1 year)) - 04 / 02 / 2012
"Normal" is a moving target. In some ways, your life changes forever once you're diagnosed with and treated for breast cancer - at least mine has. But it doesn't have to consume your life. I try to incorporate it into my life. I think it's impossible to ignore, but I try not to let it define me totally.
I'm less than a year out from the end of my treatment - the intensive chemo and rads - and I'll take arimidex for at least another 4 and half years, so I have to incorporate treatment into my life. I also have to incorporate visits to the oncologist and gynecologist, as well as follow up with my primary care doctor.
Since the end of my intensive treatments, my husband and I have moved to a new home, and I did most of the packing and unpacking. Still working on the unpacking part! I've started to see more friends - going out to lunch, or dinner. I got myself a train pass so I can use public transportation without much planning. I try to get out at least every day.
I also asked my primary care doctor to prescribe physical therapy for me. After spending most of the last year on my backside, I'm a lot weaker. I've just started - first exercises to strengthen my legs (because of the bad knee) and then some rehab. This helps a lot with the tiredness and energy.
During my treatment, I wrote a lot. Then, I stopped writing - partly because I was in the process of moving, and partly because I didn't have much to say. Treatment was done, I felt pretty good. Recently though, I've come back to writing - right now I'm participating in this health advocate writing monthly challenge, where for each day in April, you write on a specific topic. I find that writing is helpful - it clears my head, and it helps me organize my thoughts.
I have noticed that I am more tired than before, and I just need to rest. I'm also a bit more scattered. It's hard to remember things sometimes,and I think that may persist for a while. So, perhaps this is my new normal. It's ok.
Many people have job issues. I can't really comment about that - I didn't work before and I'm not working now. I might do some part time work going forward, but it's not an issue for me.
I'm less than a year out from the end of my treatment - the intensive chemo and rads - and I'll take arimidex for at least another 4 and half years, so I have to incorporate treatment into my life. I also have to incorporate visits to the oncologist and gynecologist, as well as follow up with my primary care doctor.
Since the end of my intensive treatments, my husband and I have moved to a new home, and I did most of the packing and unpacking. Still working on the unpacking part! I've started to see more friends - going out to lunch, or dinner. I got myself a train pass so I can use public transportation without much planning. I try to get out at least every day.
I also asked my primary care doctor to prescribe physical therapy for me. After spending most of the last year on my backside, I'm a lot weaker. I've just started - first exercises to strengthen my legs (because of the bad knee) and then some rehab. This helps a lot with the tiredness and energy.
During my treatment, I wrote a lot. Then, I stopped writing - partly because I was in the process of moving, and partly because I didn't have much to say. Treatment was done, I felt pretty good. Recently though, I've come back to writing - right now I'm participating in this health advocate writing monthly challenge, where for each day in April, you write on a specific topic. I find that writing is helpful - it clears my head, and it helps me organize my thoughts.
I have noticed that I am more tired than before, and I just need to rest. I'm also a bit more scattered. It's hard to remember things sometimes,and I think that may persist for a while. So, perhaps this is my new normal. It's ok.
Many people have job issues. I can't really comment about that - I didn't work before and I'm not working now. I might do some part time work going forward, but it's not an issue for me.
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