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Life After Cancer: Do you feel prepared for it?
Cancer: Managing Symptoms | Last Active: May 2, 2022 | Replies (19)Comment receiving replies
I think we all have to find our "new normal" but no one ever prepared me for that. It seems so naive of me when I look back on it. It just never occurred to me that what I considered my normal would be no more once this journey began. I just wish practitioners were more forthcoming with that information. I know everyone is different and we could have the same cancer but entirely different journeys. I just think there needs to be some sort of discussion whether it be with the physicians or a therapist that specializes in these sorts of issues, the discussion needs to take place so that no one begins this journey thinking they can get through the challenges and come out on the other side with their "old normal" waiting on them. Things will be different. Those changes may last a few months or be lifelong. And we should all be prepared for that.
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Wise words, my friend. What I think is missing from cancer care in general is a spiritual (not necessarily religious, but that's okay, too) component. A cancer diagnosis is an existential/spiritual crisis, and when we're not able to address that, and especially receive guidance for it, we can feel as though something essential has been overlooked. Our culture is terrible at acknowledging life and death issues: we're all supposed to "get over it," and "move on," etc. My hope is that as we continue to talk about these issues, it will bring spiritual care into cancer care.