Recovery from Cancer
Cancer recovery is both a physical and mental journey. Physical because in most cases it will take up to five years being clear of cancer before you can safely assume you have beat it. In rare cases (such as with inflammatory breast cancer), cancer can recur within as short as two years. Mental or psychologically because being diagnosed with cancer can be very traumatic. Letting yourself embrace the possibility that you have beat it can be difficult emotionally. But believing in the future is paramount to your post cancer health.
In some cases, you may need to undergo long-term medical maintenance to keep your cancer at bay. This could involve periodic chemotherapy infusions, or perhaps just a daily or weekly oral dose of medication. At any rate, your first five years will require periodic check-ups to verify the cancer hasn’t recurred.
Depending on the surgical procedure performed, you may need up to a month of physical rehabilitation to get your mobility and physical ability back. It may take several months more to return to pre-surgical levels. In some cases, the process may be an ongoing effort for some time.
It may take a while before feelings of fatigue, nausea, depression, weakness, and other related symptoms start to subside. Be patient, and cut yourself some slack. Believe you will feel better eventually. Just give yourself time.
Maintaining a healthy weight, regular exercise, eating wholesome foods, and minimizing stress can contribute to a cancer-free future. You should remember that cancer cells need more nutrition than normal cells, so keep yourself in shape, eat healthy, don’t over-eat, keep active, and enjoy your life.
Everyday that passes without cancer confirms you are a cancer survivor.
Cancer is a survivable disease for many with this condition. The stigma that a cancer diagnosis is a “death sentence” is very outdated today more than ever. New advances in cancer understanding and treatments have dramatically change the survival landscape. Take a look at this article: Stop treating us as ‘dead on diagnosis’.
June is National Cancer Survivor Month.