Cancer:
Taking Charge of Your Future as a Survivor

You and your loved ones may have focused so much on handling the immediate effects of your cancer treatment – chemotherapy, radiation and/or surgery – that now that treatment is complete, no one knows what to do next.

Managing cancer recovery is unique for each person. Although many focus on physical changes, you may face unexpected emotional and social issues. One of the most challenging obstacles may be coming to terms with what is normal for you now.

Dealing with Emotions
The emotional effects of cancer can sometimes be the most overwhelming. Worrying about cancer coming back is normal. As time goes by, you may experience this fear less and less, but some events can cause you to become concerned about your health, such as follow-up visits, anniversaries and symptoms like those you had when diagnosed.

You may also feel angry, tense and sad. Coping with treatment, changes to your body and altered relationships can all contribute to these feelings. Talk to your doctor if your feelings don't go away or lessen over time.

Loneliness is also common. You may miss the support you received from your health care team.

And it's normal to feel cut off from family and friends. Often they want to help but don't know how or may be scared of the disease.

Because your body has changed, you may not be able to return to previous activities and you may feel embarrassed about the changes. Give yourself time to get comfortable with your "new" body and share your feelings with loved ones.

To help manage your emotional response to cancer, consider joining a support group, or meeting with a professional counselor or spiritual leader.

Changing Relationships
Often, expectations about life returning to the way things were before treatment are not realized. The way your family interacts may be permanently changed. Talk with loved ones about everyone’s expectations and try to understand each other’s fears and feelings.

In addition, sexual problems can affect how you relate to your partner. As you struggle to accept the changes yourself, you may worry about your partner's response to scars, ostomies, sexual dysfunction and infertility. Often sexual issues do not get better on their own. For help, talk with your doctor or consider seeing a sex therapist.

Looking Ahead
The oncology team at The Methodist Hospital and your general practitioner are available to help you throughout your recovery. We also offer a variety of support groups that you can join at any time. The free book, "Facing Forward Series: Life After Cancer" from the National Cancer Institute, may be helpful as well. It's available at www.cancer.gov or by calling (800) 4-CANCER.

Although recovery can be challenging, it also presents an opportunity to make positive changes in your life. You may come out of the experience with a new understanding of what is important to you and make choices that support
those values.