I found the busier I am the less time I have to obsess about what might happen to me, and the more support I get from friends and colleagues at the voluntary work I am involved in. They seem to think it’s really impressive that I like to have a laugh and not to think about cancer for the full time I am working. I do one morning a week at Battle Museum as a volunteer on Monday from 10 to 1.15 pm and you never quite know who will come in but it’s great fun for me as I love history and greeting people who come from all over England and Europe to learn about the Battle of Hastings.
I am not saying my full attention is on what I am doing as I do tend to dwell on gloom when I have to take my meds, but overall I have decided worrying doesn’t make your life any longer, it just makes it less joyous. I may have cancer but it doesn’t have me.
The first time I had cancer I worked through radiotherapy which got increasingly painful as my skin burnt, but no one except me knew this, and I was very glad they didn’t as being at work was great for having positive memories each day, and earning money of course, which paid for my mortgage which I was able to pay off early as I realised I would pay less the more overpayments I made. I was mortgage free by 2005 or so. I do feel tired but I am now 68 so I think Age must come into it.