What is the hardest thing for you to manage since ... - Tenovus

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What is the hardest thing for you to manage since your cancer diagnosis? (Please provide us with more detail in a comment.)

Jo_O profile imageJo_O8 Voters
3
Trying to stay positive
3
Other (please specify)
1
I can’t have the hobbies or social life as before
1
Confusion re:treatment/how to speak to specialists
0
Concerns or questions from family and friends
0
The pressure on my relationship with my partner
0
I feel that I cannot make plans for my career
0
Juggling treatments with the rest of my life
3 Replies
Zarathrustra profile image
Zarathrustra

My hardest thing is simply managing my cancerousness so that I can found out why it goes up and down, with a view to reducing the former and enhancing the latter.

Becoming sidelined at work whilst I had time off for major surgery. I worked from home for 11 months through chemo and recovery,then negotiated redundancy as my role had changed out of all recognition. This was announced to my staff (I was the C.E, and had set up the company), and staff attacked me. The managing committee then reneged upon the agreement and I had to sue. I lost my job, my 'friends' and my health whilst being worried about a cancer that recurrs in 90% of cases. I won my case, of course - but nothing mends the pain of all that betrayal!

Isadora.

imadie profile image
imadie

Here is my penny's worth.

The shock of been told I had cancer, trying to deal with not only loosing my rectum and having a colostomy for the rest of my life but dealing with Hinchingbrooke Hospital that had major issues in the colorectal department. Then finding out that I was going to be left impotent with urine problems. Needless to say I am now struggling with anxiety & depression while watching my children go through a very important part of their lives where every father should be there for them but I can hardly face life some days and have contemplated suicide many times. Thats what I find the hardest ! Yes I have had CBT & had adverse reactions to SSRIs. But the real issues never get addressed.

I am not posting this to gain sympathy as I know all cancer patients have their story to tell and there is nothing more important than theirs , Which I appreciate. My comments here are to get listened too by the so called professionals who leave & abandon patients once they have had currative treatment, However the poor experience, the scars, & what you are left with leaves a sour, bitter taste in ones mouth. Which I doubt will ever go away. I am not saying all cancer patients will go through what I have gone through and some will say that you are lucky to be alive. But in reality there a dark days when I dont care.

For other colorectal APER patients who need more information as what I wanted on the day when I was diagnosed simply search for Ians aper & this site will give you far more information than I could fit on these pages.

Kindest regards to all

From Ian