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What support groups, resources help you to come to terms with pan ca?
Pancreatic Cancer | Last Active: Nov 10, 2023 | Replies (15)Comment receiving replies
@colleenyoung, thank you v much for this comprehensive list.
I haven't yet figured out how to cope with this disease, or how to try to find pleasure in the days when I feel reasonably good. I don't mean that I'm always miserable (I'm not), but the combination of feeling physically not-great plus experiencing various life stressors (money woes; dismay about further delaying my return to the workplace; dismay about being unproductive; some grief about the retirement of my longtime therapist) has made it hard for me to do more than keep my nose above water most days. And that's sort of OK, considering what the past year has ushered in.
I read parts of two newspapers most days; I read this board many days; I watch a lot of TV from other English-speaking nations; and I read a lot of advice columns online (they're my guilty pleasure).
Now that I've made it through neoadjuvant chemo and surgery, I'm eager to open my life a bit more -- hence this thread. So thank you again, and thanks also to @ncteacher and @stageivsurvivor.
Replies to "@colleenyoung, thank you v much for this comprehensive list. I haven't yet figured out how to..."
Thank you so much for posting all this information!
I’m 62, live alone, satage 4 with Mets to liver artery, veins and poss lung. I’ve only done 4 gam abraxine infusions. The problem is I live in a small town in Wisconsin and can’t drive any longer because of all the meds I’m on. Getting to be too many to count and @colleenyoung said it so well. Coming to terms with dying before even getting on SS (I’ve been saving like crazy most of my life to travel and now can’t even travel 15 min to grocery shop. Kids live 2 hours away so hard to visit with them.
I pretty much just stay hidden away crying and feeling alone and sorry for myself. Just want to stay in bed with the covers over my head worrying about all the terrible things this cancer brings and scared sh…less about dying. Just about 5 min into I’m running to bathroom so what’s the point in even trying to go out if someone invites me to come out to dinner, etc
I keep wishing I could get it together and try some of these places instead of laying here loosing about 4 lbs a week.
You nice folks that get out there, I have no idea how you manage without friends or family nearby 😭😭
Sometimes just keeping your head above water is all you CAN do. Pan Can itself is so very tough, and the chemo is also so very tough. I am on 5FU
Every other week. On the chemo weeks, all I can do is rest..mostly in bed ..with the TV on. Try to keep it on shows that are sweet and uplifting. During chemo week, my focus is staying 1 step ahead of nausea if I can, and just giving in to the fatigue. On the non chemo weeks, its laundry, food shopping, appointments and visiting friends. We're going through hard things, and keeping your head above water is a brave and exhausting thing. But, you're doing it!! Try to be gentle with yourself and remember that even the bravest warriors, like you, need to rest. I applaud all of your efforts and the struggles you are going through to get past this. You'll make it. It's just that right now you need to rest and replenish. If you can, try some gentle exercise or even go outside for a bit.
Look forward to a plan for what you will do after cancer.
Wishing you my very best!! @lilliejane2
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You are doing fine! Those of us in the pancan world are dealing with a huge challenge. We need to allow ourselves to do whatever feels right at the moment, whether that's gardening, reading, volunteering, keeping up with work, etc., or resting and recuperating. We need to give ourselves some grace. Pancan is challenging, and we are all working hard to conquer it.