Life After Cancer Treatment! Here's 5 Things That You Must Practice
Cancer journey does not end with the treatment! Living with cancer is different from living after cancer. It changes your life and as well as the lives of those around you. The disease and its treatment not only cause certain physical changes but also affect the way you feel and how you live. People often experience mixed emotions when the treatment is over. While there is happiness and relief that comes with the end of treatment, survivors may also feel fear and anxiety, the most common is that of cancer recurrence. Your doctors can give you the facts about your type of cancer and the chances of recurrence.
Give a read to understand and help the sufferer, if any, around you, to recognize one’s fears and worries, as well as to find ways of dealing with them.
Life post-cancer treatment and things that helps to heal
Even when treatment is over, your physical body and emotional spirit are still healing. Fatigue and other side-effects of treatment do not go away as soon as treatment ends. Whether with surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy or all of the above, your body just went through a major trauma and needs time to heal. This transition journey requires you to re-evaluate and change values, goals, priorities, and outlook on life.
Many aspects need to be taken care of even after the cancer treatment is over. Some of them include:
Cope up with your emotions and feelings
Cancer not only affects your physical health, but it can also bring up a wide range of feelings you are not used to dealing with in normal life. These feelings may change on a daily basis. It is important to do what is right for you and not to compare yourself with others.
To cope with fears and worries, it often helps to be informed. Most people feel better when they learn the facts. They feel less afraid and know what to expect. A hopeful outlook and positive attitude help people feel better. It is normal to stress over all the life changes you are going through after the treatment. You may still feel sad. This is a normal response to any serious illness. But you may help your loved one who is suffering to work through and accept all the changes that are taking place.
Adjusts with life and surroundings
Everyone in the family has to take on new roles and responsibilities when someone has cancer. People around you may have to adjust according to the needs and requirements of your life post-treatment. Here are a few new things that you need to adjust with and incorporate:
- Keep up with your normal routine by making decisions, managing your home, running errands, and taking part in things you enjoy, as much as you are able to do without stressing out.
- Try to use your energy to focus on wellness and what you can do now to stay as healthy as possible. Being involved in your health care, keeping your appointments with the doctors, and making changes in your lifestyle are among the things you can control. Even setting a daily schedule can give you a sense of control in your life.
Accept the change in the way you look and feel post-cancer
Cancer and its treatment can change the way you look and feel about yourself. Somebody changes are short-term such as hair loss, scars on the skin, or weight loss, while others will last forever. In either of the cases, your looks may be a big concern during or after treatment. Better try to look for new ways to improve your appearance. Getting a new haircut, hair color, makeup, or clothing may give you a lift. Coping with these changes can be hard. But, over time, most people learn to adjust to them and move forward.
You can ask a Specialist in case of any query related to the issues in the look and how to cope with it.
Learn to enjoy simple things and exercise daily
Enjoy the simple things you like to do and take pleasure in big events. If you feel well enough, keep up with your daily routine, like:
- Going to work
- Spending time with family and friends
- Taking part in activities
- Going on trips (day picnics, movies)
Also, do anything that gets the body moving, will help to keep it strong and make you feel good, so do practice a bit of exercise every day, It will:
- Improves your chances of feeling better
- Keeps your muscles toned
- Speeds up your healing
- Decreases fatigue
- Controls stress
- Increases appetite
- Decreases constipation
- Helps free your mind of gloomy thoughts
Meditation and yoga also help to reduce stress.
Make sure to go for follow-up care post-cancer treatment
With all the above-listed things, cancer survivors should never miss going for their follow-up care. Follow-up care for cancer means visiting your doctor/specialist for timely medical checkups as per the prescribed date, once your treatment is over. These checkups help to look for any changes in your health, both physical and emotional problems, that may develop months or years after the treatment ends. Also, these follow-ups are very important to recognize one’s fears and worries and find a way of dealing with these worries. The information and education that is shared in after-treatment follow-up care help to regain some control in the survivors' life and make them feel supported and accompanied in this journey.
In case you have any further query related to cancer and how to manage life post the treatment, you can consult an Oncologist online to get a complete solution!
About the Author
Ask a Specialist
Recent Questions
