spring break & rest

jphilpo
jphilpo Member Posts: 177
in Breast Cancer #1
I am a teacher and am dealing with chronic fatigue from anemia and terrible bone & joint pain from frmara and tamoxifen. I am trying to cope with both, but it has been so hard. Last night, the sadness for "what used to be" set in and I had a little pity party for myself .

Thanks to you all who are honest enough to say that "after treatment" is not always a wonderful experience! I am so grateful and relieved that I don't have cancer, but pain is a never ending issue for me. My onc. put me on 1/2 hydrocodone at night so I can get relief and sleep. It has truly helped! The days are harder, but I manage and then sleep when I get home.

As always, I look to the future and hope that this too shall pass,

Jean

Comments

  • disneyfan2008
    disneyfan2008 Member Posts: 6,583 Member
    #2
    so sorry you are going through this
    I hope you have quiet and peaceful springbreak...

    Denise
  • sea60
    sea60 Member Posts: 2,613
    #3
    Jean, I'm sorry about the pain.
    I know the party you threw for yourself as I know I've been there too. It really is a grieving process having to say goodbye to the way you used to be BEFORE cancer. It's no surprise the treatment is really tough on your body and you have to get used to a new way of life.

    I'm glad the hydrocodone is helping!

    Also, thank you for what you do. I have a great respect for those who devote their life teaching! Kudos to you.

    Hugs,

    Sylvia
  • joannstar
    joannstar Member Posts: 403 Member
    #4
    I understand completely
    I am just more than 1/2 through with rads and expected to be feeling better now that chemo is done and I am "cancer free" but...I seem to only be able to stay positive for about 24 hours at a time. Every other day I'm there joining your party.
    My sister told me that her friend who went through our journey said to prepare to give a full year to the battle...I guess for me that means another 4 months.
    I asked my doctor for ambien and take a 12.5mg with 2 benedryls at night to get about 7 hours sleep. This works better than hydrocodone which causes constipation for me.
    Yeah, I know this too shall pass, but I didn't think that it would take so long.
    Good luck and if it helps, know that you have plenty of guests at your party!
    JoAnn
  • Gabe N Abby Mom
    Gabe N Abby Mom Member Posts: 2,413
    #5
    Hester Hill said in her
    Hester Hill said in her book, After Breast Cancer, that the recovery usually takes about the same amount of time as all the treatments. So if you spent a year in treatment, it'll take about a year to recover. I'm still in treatment so I don't know yet. But I'm praying that spring break gives you the relief you need, and then summer break isn't too far after that.

    I have two kids in school, 9th grade and 4th grade. We've had some amazingly wonderful teachers, and I spend time volunteering. I have a great deal of respect for what you do. It's a demanding job under 'normal' circumstances, then add in budget constraints and aches/pains...girl you've really got my admiration now. So thank you, for your determination and willpower. Thank you for the care and attention you give to our children.

    I hope you are feeling refreshed after spring break.

    Hugs,

    Linda
  • laughs_a_lot
    laughs_a_lot Member Posts: 1,368 Member
    #6
    lavish yourself
    Just consider this as God's way of giving you some time to be extra good to yourself. Rest and enjoy what you usually have no time for durring your work schedule.
  • lizzie17
    lizzie17 Member Posts: 548
    #7
    spring break
    I also am a teacher and with the arimidex and everything, I am so fatigued all of the time-- I give 100% at work, and then after that each day and weekends---I am "toast".

    On our week long Thanksgiving break, I opted to stay home and not even travel to be with my daughters. I did feel a lot more rested, but unfortunately I couldn't store it up. So...I hope you start feeling better and the rest helps you out.
    Are you near retirement by any chance?
  • PinkPearl
    PinkPearl Member Posts: 280
    #8
    Enjoy spring break
    Those spring break days were heaven to me when I was teaching and if I were teaching now that I am dealing with b/c, well, they would be even better if that is possible. Rest, relax, nap and let the body catch up. Do some fun things too! You deserve some fun! Teaching is so stressful, when I look back on it, I can't imagine how I did it. I admire you and I am sure you are wonderful as a teacher too. I know you are a compassionate teacher because you know how hard life can be.
  • LadyParvati
    LadyParvati Member Posts: 328
    #9
    Hang in there, Jean--most of
    Hang in there, Jean--most of this WILL pass. You won't "get back to normal;" instead, you'll need to start creating a new normal for yourself. I've decided that having cancer is like getting married or divorced--life is never the same as it was before one married or before one divorced. All we can do is work to try to make our new lives approach a "normal" we can live with and be reasonably happy with.

    Not sure I'm making sense, but hopefully you'll get what I'm trying to say. I hope the pain decreases over time so that you can begin to enjoy the days more and feel less like you're just managing to get through them until you can go home and take that hydrocodone.

    Hugs, Sandy
  • jphilpo
    jphilpo Member Posts: 177
    #10
    lizzie17 said:

    spring break
    I also am a teacher and with the arimidex and everything, I am so fatigued all of the time-- I give 100% at work, and then after that each day and weekends---I am "toast".

    On our week long Thanksgiving break, I opted to stay home and not even travel to be with my daughters. I did feel a lot more rested, but unfortunately I couldn't store it up. So...I hope you start feeling better and the rest helps you out.
    Are you near retirement by any chance?

    I am 56, so I have a while until I retire. I appreciate so much the kinds words. It really does help build up the morale. I went to a family function yesterday and smiled my way through it. I then came home and slept for 2 hours! What a life! But I know it could be worse and I am grateful for good health.

    Hugs back to you all!,
    Jean

Discussion Boards