Post Chemo & What I Know for Sure

natly15

I know that we need to be easy on ourselves. We are all so very different. We may be getting the same chemo, but we may not be getting the same side effects. We all rebound differently and that is so important to remember. I was certainly one to tell everyone be easy on yourself, yo've been thru so much, but I didn't heed my own advice.

Now I know I should have just gone with my fatigue, for me it was extreme. I should not have emotionally fought it. I was comparing myself to others who had seemed to rebound so much quicker. Oh I knapped and took it easy, but had a difficult time justifying it in my little chemo brain. I wanted to do more but my body would just not allow it, and I hated having to deal with the fatigue. Just go with it, should have been my Mantra.

It was one year this past March 30, 2011 that I completed 8 1/2 rounds of chemo. That 1/2 chemo is not the norm, but then is there a norm when it comes to cancer? I had a terrible reaction at one of my infusions so the chemo had to be stopped on that particular day. On June 15, 2011 it will be one year that I completed 33 rounds of radiation, and yes it has taken me this long to start feeling like myself again. I'm not nearly as fatigued but I still do not have the energy I once had Pre-BC. Some of it is age of course, I'm now 68, was 66 when diagnosed.

Cancer treatment is not easy but as so many tell us it is definitely doable, but of course my Onc told me that before I even started chemo. A few months ago I started juicing and joined the gym this past January to start building up stamina. I'm feeling so much better today, and I enjoy almost every waking moment. I try to participate in as much as my body allows.

I've learned to go with the flow; be easy on yourself; if your body requires a 3 hour daily nap and 10 hours sleep at nite so be it. Dont fight it, accept it as a part of the process. In the long run, we are ultimately responsible for taking care of our bodies and doing whatever is necessary for our individual needs to heal. Dont compare yourself to anothers recovery, the only one you can compare your recovery to is, YOUR recovery.

I promise all you gals in active treatment, be it chemo, surgery, rads or whatever, it does get better each at our own pace. I'll be getting all my follow up scans next month and after I get the all clear, my Onc assures me he will then remove my port which has been a God send. Hugs to all my pink warriors and survivors.

Texasgirl10

Excellent Advice
This is an EXCELLENT post and I for one needed to read this tonight. I am glad that you are starting to feel better and I hope that you continue to feel better and stronger with each day.

Hugs and God Bless,

Dawne

New Flower

Texasgirl10 said:

Excellent Advice
This is an EXCELLENT post and I for one needed to read this tonight. I am glad that you are starting to feel better and I hope that you continue to feel better and stronger with each day.

Hugs and God Bless,

Dawne

Natly Thank you
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. It is not easy to come to conclusions of your own pace and destiny. Thanks for reminding us to be gentle and take care of ourselves. We do need to be reminded.
Big hug
New Flower

Hippiechick58

New Flower said:

Natly Thank you
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. It is not easy to come to conclusions of your own pace and destiny. Thanks for reminding us to be gentle and take care of ourselves. We do need to be reminded.
Big hug
New Flower

Thank you, Natly, for
Thank you, Natly, for passing on your wisdom. I needed to hear those words this morning. You are a power of example to me! Good luck with your scans.

Peace,
Dianne

carkris

Hippiechick58 said:

Thank you, Natly, for
Thank you, Natly, for passing on your wisdom. I needed to hear those words this morning. You are a power of example to me! Good luck with your scans.

Peace,
Dianne

Natly thank you you are such
Natly thank you you are such a love!

Boppy_of_6

carkris said:

Natly thank you you are such
Natly thank you you are such a love!

Thank you
Thank you for this post. Why do we always think other people need to rest and take it easy but we should just carry on as if we are fine. I know I hid a lot of my pain and emotions during tx. Thanks again. God Bless
(((hugs))) Janice

cahjah75

Natly
Thank you for stating the obvious. We don't let ourselves slow down and yet we really need to. I started watching my granddaughters immediately upon finishing rads. I'm tired and know that my body has not had time to recuperate. When I don't have the girls overnight I sleep in as much as possible. I'm one that needs 9 hours of sleep at night. I would take naps whenever possible too. I'm also dealing with a lot of arthritis pain while taking Arimidex.

Dr Oz (it's on right now on the east coast) has a female dr on and they're talking about getting mammos and breast cancer. She says to ask radiologist if you have dense breast because 35% of bc is missed. She is showing an ultrasound machine that is used in addition to mammo. She's also talking about a breast specific gamma imaging that identifies 2nd cancers within the same breast that has bc that is usually not detected.

I wish they would come up with a cure! In the mean time thanks for sharing your wisdom in telling us that we are all different and all react differently. We need to take the time for ourselves to heal.
{{hugs}} Char

poplolly

I totally agree!! Keep on
I totally agree!! Keep on truckin'....

missrenee

poplolly said:

I totally agree!! Keep on
I totally agree!! Keep on truckin'....

Oh, Natly, you are spot-on
I just went to a seminar taught by a triple-board certified Harvard trained psychiatrist for cancer survivors. She basically said the same thing--we are all too hard on ourselves and expect way too much too soon. We need to pat ourselves on the back more and just say, "I'm doing the absolute best I can--and that's more than good enough."

Thank you for your inciteful, thoughtful post.

Hugs, Renee

Lighthouse_7

missrenee said:

Oh, Natly, you are spot-on
I just went to a seminar taught by a triple-board certified Harvard trained psychiatrist for cancer survivors. She basically said the same thing--we are all too hard on ourselves and expect way too much too soon. We need to pat ourselves on the back more and just say, "I'm doing the absolute best I can--and that's more than good enough."

Thank you for your inciteful, thoughtful post.

Hugs, Renee

Thanks Natly!
Wonderful
Thanks Natly!
Wonderful post.
Hugs,
Wanda

aysemari

Great Post!
I agree 100%. I too wish I would have spent less time being frustrated and more
time soothing and healing myself. I think it is that social stigma that goes around
with Armstrong and all. I just kept thinking if I really push myself I can do anything.
But too many times I ended on my derriere utterly exhausted.

Hugs,
Ayse

Jean 0609

Amen Natly!
Well said. Thank you. You know I ♥ you. I am one of those that needs a lot of sleep at night.

Glad to hear that you are walking. I know we all wished that we were back to our pre-cancer normal.

xoxo,
Jean

BioAdoptMom

This is a very encouraging
This is a very encouraging post to those of us who are just starting, and a great reminder to us all to go with the flow! Sooooooooo glad you joined a gym and are enjoying life! You go girl!

Nancy