Hi all, I had a lumpectomy about 9 weeks ago and after a ridiculous wait for oncotype score, I’m now booked in for radiotherapy. This is my first post here and it was initially going to be about the frustrations and anxiety of cancer diagnosis and treatment. However, instead, I wanted to share something positive to come out of all this and wondered if anyone else has felt it too?
I’m 54 and over the last 13 years have been a single parent to 2 boys. I work full time. During those years both boys had significant, long term illnesses (thankfully better now). I’ve been made redundant, and my lovely dad died.
I developed a tremor and insomnia and for the last few years have been so tired that i found it very difficult to maintain friendships. I’d literally work, eat, tidy and go to bed each day.
The anxiety of my cancer diagnosis was off the charts and I stopped work straight away. However, over the last few months, having that time off work has allowed me to recognise my stress, or burnout, and concentrate on mental rest and recovery. Yes, waiting for surgery and results has been unbelievably stressful but having the time to concentrate on my own recovery has felt like a blessing at times.
Is this a weird take on things? (Probably!)
PS my tremor is getting better and I’m using CBT to address my sleep. It’s definitely improving. Lots of love and strength to all xxxx
@pilotbex Not weird at all! I’m a firm believer in things happening for a reason and that often good can come from bad, if you are open enough to allow this.
About 10-12 or so years ago my lovely husband had a breakdown. He was in a very responsible, stressful job. He was seen by a Community Psychiatric nurse and one of the first things she said was ‘you won’t believe me now but this is the best thing could have happened to you’. Well she was absolutely right! He had 11 months off work, then returned in a different role, and retired 2 years later. He did quite a lot of mindfulness online etc.
Since then we just pootle about like a couple of loonies (he’s 66 now and I’m 64) spend a lot of time eating cake in cafes, going to the cinema, walking and looking after our grandaughter one day a week. He was forced to look at his life and to change it for the better. You now have an opportunity to do that for yourself, and you have the time to decide how you can do things differently. Apart from anything I don’t know how I’d have managed since I was diagnosed if he was still working!
Here’s a photo I took yesterday of him and our grandaughter. It brought tears to my eyes as it says everything about that’s good in our lives now.
Ahh Pat! Such wise words and what a beautiful photo. Pootling around like a pair of loonies is definitely where I want to be in life. Much love to you both xxx
