1. < Cancer: Managing Symptoms

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 | Aug 29, 2019

@jshdma- I agree, and no it doesn't always work, but it does sometimes. After hearing a devastating blow such as having cancer there is a cloud that follows us around. Sometimes it rains on us, sometimes it's just cloudy and other times the sun is out. But it is magnified when we are given a possible death sentence. Believe me, I certainly have my times of curling up on the bed, frozen in fear. Have you considered any medication to help with your depression?

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Mentor
Becky, Volunteer Mentor | @becsbuddy | Aug 29, 2019
In reply to @janlanderz "I am experiencing all the emotions that everyone here is experiencing... I have Stage 4 inoperable..." + (show)
@janlanderz

I am experiencing all the emotions that everyone here is experiencing... I have Stage 4 inoperable lung cancer... I try to hide the emotions and read this little thing I put together below, part came from I book I read:

If I let cancer make me bitter or angry, then I would of spent the last days of my life in sorrow and isolation; making a living hell for my loved ones, and be remembered if at all, a bitter old woman who let cancer defeat her.

I would receive their temporary show of sympathy, but in the end they would only have contempt for me and how I left them;

On the other hand:

If I were positive and hopeful, it wouldn't change the day of my death a bit, but, it would mean that I would spend the last days of my life breathing deeply, clearly, contented and blissful, and in love with my family and everyone I met...
I would die a happy woman and be remembered as that brave soul who faced a terrible death with courage, fortitude and aplomb.
I would be cherished by those who knew me.

Why waste months of my life wailing about an end that wasn't even near?

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@janlanderz BEAUTIFUL! I’ve bookmarked your post so I can read it again. And you wrote part of it? Just wonderful

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Becky, Volunteer Mentor | @becsbuddy | Aug 29, 2019
In reply to @bjh369 "I have Glioblastoma grade 4...so I also have to remind myself to live in the moment...." + (show)
@bjh369

I have Glioblastoma grade 4...so I also have to remind myself to live in the moment. It's not progressing at this time and I'm almost a year since surgery:)

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@bjh369 I am so happy for you! Do you have fun things planned for your 1yr anniversary?

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bjh369 | @bjh369 | Aug 29, 2019

Yes. Flying to Florida to see friends.

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Becky, Volunteer Mentor | @becsbuddy | Aug 29, 2019

@bjh369 WAIT!! I think it will be rainy and that’s no fun!😁

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bjh369 | @bjh369 | Aug 29, 2019

Still it is the day the Lord made....rejoice and be glad in it:)

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janlanderz | @janlanderz | Aug 29, 2019
In reply to @becsbuddy "@janlanderz BEAUTIFUL! I’ve bookmarked your post so I can read it again. And you wrote part..." + (show)
@becsbuddy

@janlanderz BEAUTIFUL! I’ve bookmarked your post so I can read it again. And you wrote part of it? Just wonderful

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becsbuddy.. thank you for seeing the post for the positive message... I am trying to live by this as my daughter gets very upset when she thinks I am giving in to the disease and not seeing hope, I too have my bad days and think of dying to young if at all.. it just isn't fair for me to put that on others who had nothing to do with my getting the cancer in the first place... she needs to see my strength in order for her to have strength... I know how much it upsets her since she already lost her Dad to cancer 6 years ago..

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Chris, Volunteer Mentor | @auntieoakley | Aug 30, 2019
In reply to @janlanderz "I am experiencing all the emotions that everyone here is experiencing... I have Stage 4 inoperable..." + (show)
@janlanderz

I am experiencing all the emotions that everyone here is experiencing... I have Stage 4 inoperable lung cancer... I try to hide the emotions and read this little thing I put together below, part came from I book I read:

If I let cancer make me bitter or angry, then I would of spent the last days of my life in sorrow and isolation; making a living hell for my loved ones, and be remembered if at all, a bitter old woman who let cancer defeat her.

I would receive their temporary show of sympathy, but in the end they would only have contempt for me and how I left them;

On the other hand:

If I were positive and hopeful, it wouldn't change the day of my death a bit, but, it would mean that I would spend the last days of my life breathing deeply, clearly, contented and blissful, and in love with my family and everyone I met...
I would die a happy woman and be remembered as that brave soul who faced a terrible death with courage, fortitude and aplomb.
I would be cherished by those who knew me.

Why waste months of my life wailing about an end that wasn't even near?

Jump to this post

That is the most amazing thing I have read in a while, can you tell us who the author is? Thank you for sharing this!

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janlanderz | @janlanderz | Aug 30, 2019
In reply to @auntieoakley "That is the most amazing thing I have read in a while, can you tell us..." + (show)
@auntieoakley

That is the most amazing thing I have read in a while, can you tell us who the author is? Thank you for sharing this!

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auntieoakley.. I am so sorry for not remembering which book I got this from... I just wrote it down on a piece of paper as it had a message that I needed to read more than once in order to stay as strong as I can for myself as well as my family... I have read so many books since I was diagnosed it makes my head spin... lol... from diets to help beat cancer to hope to inspiring stories...

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Becky, Volunteer Mentor | @becsbuddy | Aug 30, 2019
In reply to @janlanderz "becsbuddy.. thank you for seeing the post for the positive message... I am trying to live..." + (show)
@janlanderz

becsbuddy.. thank you for seeing the post for the positive message... I am trying to live by this as my daughter gets very upset when she thinks I am giving in to the disease and not seeing hope, I too have my bad days and think of dying to young if at all.. it just isn't fair for me to put that on others who had nothing to do with my getting the cancer in the first place... she needs to see my strength in order for her to have strength... I know how much it upsets her since she already lost her Dad to cancer 6 years ago..

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@janlanderz how difficult it must be for both of you. Do you have a support group that you could both go to? Or a therapist? I, too, don’t tell my sons everything. I want them to get on with their lives and not worry about me. It’s tough. I’m really sorry you are going Thur this. Becky

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