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.

Merry, Alumni Mentor | @merpreb | Jan 12, 2019

@karendb- Start with the arm exercises, which are a the bottom of this list. Star with no more that 5-8 reps. If you don't understand the positions then google them and watch while someone does it, even if it's with weights. https://www.cancervic.org.au/living-with-cancer/exercise/strength-training-exercises.
I'll also answer any questions that you have about them. Take it slow. Do not get out of breath. Rest in between each exercise or 1/2 minute. Don't strain yourself!

Merry, Alumni Mentor | @merpreb | Jan 12, 2019

In reply to @karendb "Ok. Thank you very much." + (show)

Karen- I'm here if you need me. I've got your back on this.

Merry, Alumni Mentor | @merpreb | Jan 12, 2019

In reply to @merpreb "@karendb- Start with the arm exercises, which are a the bottom of this list. Star with..." + (show)

@karendb- Aren't there special arm exercises to do after breast cancer? Maybe after your first follow-up they will recommend this to you. Please check with your doctor to make sure that this is ok for you to do.

karendb | @karendb | Jan 12, 2019

In reply to @merpreb "@karendb- Aren't there special arm exercises to do after breast cancer? Maybe after your first follow-up..." + (show)

Thank you. I'll keep you informed as to how it's going. Thank you again.

bjh369 | @bjh369 | Jan 12, 2019

In reply to @merpreb "@bjh369- This can often happen with certain chemos. You taste will return to normal in the..." + (show)

I will be on temozolomide for the rest of my time here on earth because glioblastoma is like a weed; you can cut it out, spray it and it will come back even stronger:(

Merry, Alumni Mentor | @merpreb | Jan 13, 2019

@bjh369- I hear you. How did your CT scan of January 17th go? Have you found any foods that taste better than others? When I was on Cisplatin, which gives off a very very strong chemical taste, strong tasting foods helped me. Has the taste of this chemical reduced at all as your body acclimates to it?

bjh369 | @bjh369 | Jan 13, 2019

They changed my MRI date...still waiting to hear...should be this week or 1st part of the next week...then we shall see if the radiation & 1st round of temozolomide worked. I've been off temozolomide for almost a month and things still don't taste good. Some smells...because of radiation..will really both me so I've noticed ham or beef cooking with really turn me off:( I have always liked my meat but now I almost have to force myself to eat it.
At the end of each radiation treatment I would smell what smelled like burning flesh to me. That smell just haunts me:( Nasty.

Merry, Alumni Mentor | @merpreb | Jan 13, 2019

@bjh369- Do you stop the temozolomide in between sessions of treatments? Am I mistaken that you said that you would have to take it for life?

karendb | @karendb | Jan 13, 2019

I will be starting radiation treatments in one week. I wonder if that's a common occurrence to smell burning flesh? I've not heard that before and wonder if I should prepare myself.

bjh369 | @bjh369 | Jan 13, 2019

In reply to @karendb "I will be starting radiation treatments in one week. I wonder if that's a common occurrence..." + (show)

I just noticed towards the last couple of weeks of radiation my sense of small was like....I could smell everything really well. You have to remember my head from my right eye to past my right ear was in the radiation path. So like I'd said...toward the end of each radiation treatment during the last two weeks of it at least I would think I smelled something burning and my mind told me it was flesh. I've never smelt flesh burn so I imagine it was my mind working on me.....