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Facing Cancer Recurrence, PTSD & Acknowledging Mental Health

Posted by Merry, Volunteer 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.

lady1lake | @lady1lake | Mar 21, 2019
In reply to @merpreb "Hi @lady1lake! Thank you. I really appreciate the feedback that am helping even in the smallest..." + (show)
@merpreb

Hi @lady1lake! Thank you. I really appreciate the feedback that am helping even in the smallest way. I remember your long journey. I m so happy that your lung tumor has decreased in size!! and no new cancers! yahoo! When was your last treatment? You've certainly had your fill of radiation and chemicals. How are you staying so strong? May I ask what symptoms you are having? I'm sorry about the headaches What do you think is causing them? Being active is the key I believe

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Hi Merry, it’s good to be in touch with you. My last treatment was at the end of last Oct. I have had a brain MRI & an upper & lower spine MRI since then because of back aches. There is a suspicious reading on one of the vertebrae. Now waiting to hear back from MAYO in Jacksonville about next step. Praying that it is not bone Mets. Don’t know what is causing the head aches. Drinking more water to stay hydrated & drinking protein drinks for more energy. Of course strong faith & daily prayer helps.

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Mentor
Merry, Volunteer Mentor | @merpreb | Mar 22, 2019
In reply to @colleenyoung "Hi all, Just to clarify, @mentioning and member's @username is not a requirement and is not..." + (show)
@colleenyoung

Hi all,
Just to clarify, @mentioning and member's @username is not a requirement and is not part of the guidelines. How to use the @mention function is outlined in the "How to Get Started" guide: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/get-started-on-connect/

@mentioning a member by @username can make it easier to quickly see who you are responding to and many members find that useful. When a member clicks REPLY directly below a person's message, the reply also shows a snippet of who they are replying to. I describe it here in full with pictures to demonstrate https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/new-customize-the-order-you-view-posts-see-new-posts-first/

Also, some message are not directed to a specific member and then you don't need to @mention anyone in particular.
@merpreb @trixie1313 @1943 @jimmy2248, there's no right or wrong way. I invite you to add your thoughts for improvements or usage in this discussion:
* Just Want To Talk > I'm new to all this -- how do I keep up with posts that I replied to? https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/im-new-to-all-this-how-do-i-keep-up-with-posts-that-i-replied-to/

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@trixie1313 @1943 @jimmy2248, - My apologies to everyone for misunderstanding the guidelines.

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Merry, Volunteer Mentor | @merpreb | Mar 22, 2019
In reply to @lady1lake "Hi Merry, it’s good to be in touch with you. My last treatment was at the..." + (show)
@lady1lake

Hi Merry, it’s good to be in touch with you. My last treatment was at the end of last Oct. I have had a brain MRI & an upper & lower spine MRI since then because of back aches. There is a suspicious reading on one of the vertebrae. Now waiting to hear back from MAYO in Jacksonville about next step. Praying that it is not bone Mets. Don’t know what is causing the head aches. Drinking more water to stay hydrated & drinking protein drinks for more energy. Of course strong faith & daily prayer helps.

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@lady1lake- Good morning. It's good to be in touch with you once again. I'm sorry that you have headaches and backaches. I hope that you hear back soon about the scan results and your next step. Sometimes scans pick up very strange readings. Shortly after my first cancer, and way before my second one I had a scare because the CT picked up, what looked like another tumor. Bit it wasn't It was just a shadow. Drinking a lot of water and a sensible diet ate positive ways to keep control of how you feel. I hope that you have painkillers if you need them. Please come back and let me know what your next step is. Hugs

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Merry, Volunteer Mentor | @merpreb | Mar 22, 2019
In reply to @merpreb "@lady1lake- Good morning. It's good to be in touch with you once again. I'm sorry that..." + (show)
@merpreb

@lady1lake- Good morning. It's good to be in touch with you once again. I'm sorry that you have headaches and backaches. I hope that you hear back soon about the scan results and your next step. Sometimes scans pick up very strange readings. Shortly after my first cancer, and way before my second one I had a scare because the CT picked up, what looked like another tumor. Bit it wasn't It was just a shadow. Drinking a lot of water and a sensible diet ate positive ways to keep control of how you feel. I hope that you have painkillers if you need them. Please come back and let me know what your next step is. Hugs

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@ladylake- There's a wonderful magazine called CURE magazine. https://www.curetoday.com/ It is absolutely the best in up to date news, research and spend a lot of time with each different cancer. And a lot of time with lung cancer stories. I believe that it's free.

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lady1lake | @lady1lake | Mar 22, 2019
In reply to @merpreb "@lady1lake- Good morning. It's good to be in touch with you once again. I'm sorry that..." + (show)
@merpreb

@lady1lake- Good morning. It's good to be in touch with you once again. I'm sorry that you have headaches and backaches. I hope that you hear back soon about the scan results and your next step. Sometimes scans pick up very strange readings. Shortly after my first cancer, and way before my second one I had a scare because the CT picked up, what looked like another tumor. Bit it wasn't It was just a shadow. Drinking a lot of water and a sensible diet ate positive ways to keep control of how you feel. I hope that you have painkillers if you need them. Please come back and let me know what your next step is. Hugs

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Thank you Merry for staying in touch. The scan of my upper back shows a questionable area. The person who read the scan recommended that I have another scan & this time have it with contrast. My Mayo Dr ordered the first one without contrast. I have not heard back from him yet even though we mailed the scan CDs a week ago. Nothing on the patient portal yet, so will call him this afternoon. Since I have had degenerative disc disease for many years it could be related to that. Praying that it is not bone metastasis.

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Merry, Volunteer Mentor | @merpreb | Mar 22, 2019

I know @lady1lake- I hope that you don't have it either

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alamogal635 | @alamogal635 | Mar 22, 2019
In reply to @lady1lake "Thank you Merry for staying in touch. The scan of my upper back shows a questionable..." + (show)
@lady1lake

Thank you Merry for staying in touch. The scan of my upper back shows a questionable area. The person who read the scan recommended that I have another scan & this time have it with contrast. My Mayo Dr ordered the first one without contrast. I have not heard back from him yet even though we mailed the scan CDs a week ago. Nothing on the patient portal yet, so will call him this afternoon. Since I have had degenerative disc disease for many years it could be related to that. Praying that it is not bone metastasis.

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@lady1lake Am hoping you hear soon and praying with you that is not bone metastasis.

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lady1lake | @lady1lake | Mar 24, 2019
In reply to @alamogal635 "@lady1lake Am hoping you hear soon and praying with you that is not bone metastasis." + (show)
@alamogal635

@lady1lake Am hoping you hear soon and praying with you that is not bone metastasis.

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Thank you alamogal635. I did not get in touch with the neurologist about the MRI results yet. Will try again on Monday. Am now having daily right eye pain & head aches in the right temple. Once one has an aggressive form of cancer It causes concern about the spread of it where the pain is located. Will see our optometrist on Monday. This journey gets more complicated.

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Mentor
Merry, Volunteer Mentor | @merpreb | Mar 24, 2019

@lady1lake- Oh no! I'm so sorry that things are getting more complicated. Did you say that you had a brain MRI? Did it show anything?

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lady1lake | @lady1lake | Mar 24, 2019

@merpreb, in Jan. I had a brain MRI in Jan. which showed no metastasis. Am due to go back for another brain scan in April or May.

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