Facing Cancer Recurrence, PTSD & Acknowledging Mental Health

Posted by Merry, Alumni Mentor @merpreb, Dec 6, 2018

It's extremely difficult to face the fact of recurring cancers. After treatments we try and get away from it all and live our life. Then along comes another CT scan or PET scan and POW, you have to face another cancer. My reaction was developing PTSD.

You can read what I wrote in my blog: https://my20yearscancer.com/blog/
How do we cope? How do we react? What do we do?
How have you all reacted to another cancer? Or the possibility of another one? Has your "already compromised" mental health been able to deal with it? How? Or not?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Cancer: Managing Symptoms Support Group.

bjh369 | @bjh369 | Jan 7, 2019

Surgery 9-27-2018 then diagnosis 10-8-2018 then 11-1-2018 radiation and first round of temozolomide which is chemo for brain cancer. I am to have a MRI with contrast January 17th, 2019 to see if any new tumors are setting up house in my brain. If MRI looks good l will go on double temozolomide for 5 days with three weeks off. Then end of February I will try the new Optune device to try to get a couple more years. So we shall see.

Merry, Alumni Mentor | @merpreb | Jan 7, 2019

@bjh369 I am very sorry, you've had a rough time. How are you feeling? Is this a recurrence?

susu2 | @susu2 | Jan 7, 2019

Could I suggest an alternative way to post replies? I am not online constantly all day and so when I look for replies to something I have posted it is confusing to see a reply to someone else’s post when it does not say to whom you are replying. Could that be added to the heading? I am interested in a lot of what is discussed but I don’t read every post that comes into my mailbox and therefore having to go back to what post is being answered IS TIME CONSUMING. I am trying to make my time more useful. Thanks!

Merry, Alumni Mentor | @merpreb | Jan 7, 2019

@susu2 I passed this on to the powers that be.

Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Jan 7, 2019

In reply to @susu2 "Could I suggest an alternative way to post replies? I am not online constantly all day..." + (show)

Hi @susu2, great feedback. There are 2 helpful ways to see who is replying to whom:
1) When members @mention the person or persons they are replying to.
2) Click reply directly below the message/person you are replying to and their message appears as a header to your reply. In the image below, you can see that merpeb was replying to bjh369. Click +show and you can see bjh's post.

Here is a more detailed description of how to reply effectively and find replies you're looking for https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/new-customize-the-order-you-view-posts-see-new-posts-first/

bjh369 | @bjh369 | Jan 7, 2019

In reply to @merpreb "@bjh369 I am very sorry, you've had a rough time. How are you feeling? Is this..." + (show)

Really I haven't been sick. I got through surgery real well and got through radiation and 1st round of temozolomide real well. Just had been very tiered during all that otherwise doing really well. Not much hair left. Next will be double round of chemo for 5days then three weeks off. I hate to have to continue to take that nasty medicine:(

Merry, Alumni Mentor | @merpreb | Jan 8, 2019

In reply to @bjh369 "Really I haven't been sick. I got through surgery real well and got through radiation and..." + (show)

@bjh369- I hear you. Your hair will grow back. When I had chemo -cisplatin and navelbine- my fatigues was incredible too. Hang in there! I'm here for your support!

bjh369 | @bjh369 | Jan 8, 2019

No, next I'll have to shave my hair to start wearing the new Optune device in order to stay alive a couple more years. I will be on chemo and wear the Optune device for the rest of my existence. Glioblastoma never just goes away. It is like a bad weed...you can dig it out and spray it with chemicals but it is always there waiting to grow back.
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