waiting to feel normal

Anonymous

waiting to feel normal

Katidid193

3 weeks post bmx. when do you feel normal? still sore, tired, anxious. 2cm, 0/20 node negative, er/pr+, her2-, onco score 20, waiting to see radiologist and then will begin hormone therapy, all scans negative. all positive information but still miserable. still deciding on reconstruction. just want to feel human again.

MTwoman

Give yourself some more time Katidid. We all heal at our own pace, both body and spirit. Try to take extra good care of yourself right now. Now is the time to self-pamper! What things feel extra nice? Can you go get a mani/pedi? Retail therapy? Spending extra time with people you ? or just sitting in the sunshine? I think we've all struggled at one time or another during our treatment and recovery. Different things help us move past the misery and back into life. I'm not suggesting you rush to feel anything at any certain speed. Give yourself time to be sad, angry, or whatever else you feel. I'm just trying to help you not feel stuck in them, by interweaving moments of pleasure or joy among them. You are still early in the treatment process, only 3 weeks out of surgery. You may also be interested in connecting to others in your area through a cancer support community or a therapist at your treatment center.

I can tell you it does get easier. I won't lie, I still have significant scanxiety once a year. But other than that, bc isn't first and foremost in my mind. Give yourself some time, and permission to be in the place where you are right now, and trust that you will heal in your own time. ((hugs))

Herculesmulligan

I guess it's different for everyone, but I started feeling more like myself 4-5 weeks after my mastectomy. It comes back in little bits, and small things like sleeping on your side can come to mean a lot. Going back to work helped me a lot too, even though it was physically uncomfortable at first. At work I get to help other people fix their problems, and focusing away from my own helped . NowI'm looking forward to the day when this isn't center in our lives.....when this is just something we had to do so we did. I'm tired of cancer being the focus of my life.

MinusTwo

Katidid - it's my opinion that you will never be or feel the same as you did before treatment. It does take time like MTWoman says, but at the end you will find a NEW NORMAL.

7of9

New normal...you'll run fine and then something will spook you and set off some anxiety. You'll embrace moments and take trips you would have not done until you were 70 but be so glad you did. My counselor said it takes 2 yrs to go on back burner. I'm a year and a half out from a stupid recurrence so not sure back burner will do for me this time, but life even with check ups, scans, antihormonals will be doable. Plan a trip, buy an appliance, or hell, remodel your kitchen (planning that crap out took a year of doing). Take up an exercise routine, anything to focus elsewhere. Hang in there.