Theresa M's Cancer Blog
March 10, 2010
For some reason I thought the pain and low energy I feel from the radiation treatment would suddenly disappear with the last session. Boy, was I wrong. Ok, I knew it wouldn’t go away overnight, but I was really hoping it would go away within a few days.
I’ve felt worse the last few days than during treatment. How can that be?
My understanding is that the radiation is cumulative and is still working long after the sessions are over. That’s the reason the doctors don’t do the physical exam and other tests right away. I have an appointment in mid April with the surgeon to determine what comes next. Next? I thought this was it. We’ll see.
Anyway, I’m spending my days alternating between sleep, reading, watching movies, blogging, writing my ebook on cancer, and sitting on my front porch wrapped in a fleece blanket on my LaFuma chair (I purchased it for doing Reflexology). Oh, I can’t wait to get back to doing more active things.
I spent most of yesterday writing the book. I felt really good about getting so much accomplished and then I couldn’t sleep last night. I’ve been troubled with insomnia off and on with the cancer treatment (and some before, due to who knows what?).
Maybe my doctor will be able to give me an idea about how long I’ll be feeling this way so I can prepare myself for it.
On Sunday, I went for a walk on the road where we take our dogs. I didn’t make it very far and was quite a slow poke, but it felt really good to get out and move. It’s the small things we (I) often take for granted that I now appreciate more than ever.
For those of you who are thinking about what to offer for my ebook on cancer (the focus will be on anal cancer, but will be for everyone) maybe answering a couple of these questions will help:
What has been the most valuable thing you’ve learned from your cancer experience?
How can your friends and family support you? List specific things, if you can: cleaning, cooking, driving you to appointments, etc.
What are some ways a person with your specific type of cancer do to prepare for treatment. e.g. I have a list of items I’m including in the book for anal cancer patients, but other types of cancer will have a different list.
Hope this helps. I sure appreciate your input and will include your first name only and/or a link to your website if you want traffic to it. Remember, the ebook will be free to anyone who wants it.
Hugs,
Theresa
March 9, 2010
Dear Friends,
I just read Jill’s (parkerfu’s blog)and was inspired by what she wrote, “knowing I’m remaining proactive in my care and doing all I can to ensure that my breast cancer was just a small blip on the road of my life and not a permanent, recurring condition.”
One of the ways I’ve chosen to be proactive in my cancer experience is to write an ebook to help people with cancer as well as their friends and family in supporting them.
Part of the book will focus on the positive things we’ve learned from our experiences with cancer. If you have a story, a tip to help someone feel more comfortable during treatment (it can be about your particular type of cancer; mine happens to be anal, but I’m going to include tips for all kinds of cancer), or a suggestion to friends and family on what they can do to help or what to say, please leave me a comment or click on my home page if you want to contact me.
This will be a free ebook and I hope to have it completed by the end of this month.
You’ve all be like family and I really appreciate your support with this project.
Hugs,
Theresa
I would like your help with my project, 
10 comments)
What a lovely idea. :) Since I am at the begining of my journey there isn’t much to tell. :) If I do think of something I will be sure to let you know. Good Luck with your book!
Posted on Thank you, I sure appreciate your support.
Hugs,
Theresa
Posted on Sounds like a wonderful Idea. I will put my brain to work.
Pat
Posted on Thanks, Pat. I’ll look forward to what you come up with.
Hugs,
Theresa
hey doll
hope you are doing well…loving your idea and let me think about this and I will get back to you with some ideas….
big hugs
d xoxo
Posted on Great, Daryl! I can’t wait to find out what you come up with. I’m sure you’ll include your unique sense of humor, too!
Hugs,
T
Hi Teresa,
so glad you are working on this.. it is needed.
thank you, nova
Theresa—
This is a great idea and will be appreciated by anyone who has to go down the road we’ve been down. There is a lack of information for those going through many types of cancer, including anal cancer. I will certainly try to come up with some things you can add. Thank you for doing this!
Hugs—
Martha
Posted on hey missy…hope you are well…I have thought of something else for your project…
when i got home after my hospitalization I of course had no appetite…two friends brought me home then went out and filled my fridge (to my horror since the thought of food was gross)...anyways my friend JD asked me what i wanted to eat and after saying “nothing” I proceeded to get a lecture…he asked me what my favourite type of cereal was when I was a kid (ok so there were 2 in the early 60’s)...my favourite was FROOT LOOPS (no comments please)!..
before I knew it, he was out the door and came back with a box of froot loops…poured some in a bowl with milk, gave it to me and demanded i eat it…to my surprise it was really good…
..and the kicker… since then and to this day I now have a bowl of froot loops when i get up in the morning…DELICIOUS (admittedly not particularly healthy)
so that is how I started eating again…the point is you have to find something that you loved perhaps as a kid but not have had it since you were a kid…it worked well in my case anyways!
d xoxo
Daryl, I love that idea . . . my first craving was for mac & cheese. Right? not the healthiest, but it’s what my body wanted.
Thanks, I love that your friend had the gumption to go ahead in spite of your protests.
I’m putting in the book an idea for the family of the person with cancer to have a “shower” and bring gifts from the list of needed supplies. If people are not enthused by this idea, they can make a wish list on Amazon where all the items are available (except the prescriptions).
Whatcha think?
Hugs,
Theresa
Thanks for your support - 
Hi doll…I am currently fighting the fatigue thing myself…I have gone back to work this week but I can only handle a few hours a day then I am DONE…so friggin tired…I then come home and then go to bed for a couple of hours…
I am getting frustrated as I appear to look better (or maybe everyone is just lying!lol) and I feel like I should have more energy…christ I have things to do!
as for the book which is so great
1. I would emphasize the pain and do not sugar coat it…of course it is different for all of us…don’t be afraid to load up on the pain meds!
2. accept help from family and friends (this was extremely hard to do for me…I am very independent)...probably the hardest thing at all
3. Its ok to cry…many times while on the toilet I cried both from pain, fear and anxiety…its a good release!
4. I was burned severerly with radiation…although I knew it was happening I wasn’t terribly vocal about it with the doc…this then landed me in the hospital with infection…if something doesn’t feel right be vocal about it…although it is a standard treatment we are all different…I would emphasize that!
Hope this helps and if I think of more stuff I will let you know!
d xoxo
Hey Daryl,
This is excellent and I really, really appreciate your suggestions. I’m putting them in the book word for word. You are so right about being vocal. I did/still do the same things when in the br on the toilet, cry, scream, etc.
I know whatcha mean about how we look. If someone hadn’t met me before, they’d never know I have anything wrong. I guess that’s a good thing, too. I’m sure you look great! It may not get you the understanding of your condition that you might need, though.
It’s great you’re back to work already, wow. I can’t imagine going back to work (if I worked outside the home). I work at home and can only do about an hour’s worth of work on the computer before I’m ready for a break.
Do let me know if you think of anything else.
Thanks a bunch.
Hugs to you,
Theresa
Hi Theresa—
I know it’s frustrating to not bounce back immediately after treatment ends, but it still happens pretty quickly, considering everything that has occurred to your body. Don’t get discouraged and appreciate each and every little improvement. Soon you will have your energy back!
1) The most important thing cancer has taught me is compassion for others—there are many people who have had it worse than I have. Also, there are SO many very kind people in this world—easily forgotten sometimes.
2) I had offers of help from friends, primarily to drive me to and from treatment. I never asked anyone to take me though, but now realize there were many days I should have.
3) There are many things that anal cancer patients should have on hand before beginning their treatment, not just one specific thing that comes to mind. Squirt bottle, flushable wipes, Aquaphor cream—the list goes on and on.
I wish you the best with your e-book and look forward to seeing it! Take care and keep us up to date on how things are going. You remain in my prayers.
Hugs—
Martha
Thank you Martha. You bring up some very good points about letting people help you. We often don’t let them because we want to be a independent as before our illness, but it really helps the ones who care for us. Good lessons learned; hopefully others will learn from our experiences.
Hugs and thanks for your input.
Theresa
Hi Teresa,
The fatigue thing and lack of sleep thing are something we all experience. Even when I thought I was doing great, I would look back at that time and think “boy was I feeling bad then compared to how I feel now.” This treatment as you know takes a big toll on your body and it takes a long time to get back to “normal.” The good news is normal does return and if you work at it, you are better than what normal was before. It is a long slow process that requires willpower, dedication to healing techniques, assistnace from a knowledgable naturopath, massage etc. Take your time and stop to smell the roses along the way. You will do extrordinary things during this healing phase. The important part is not to be in a rush…with any of it. Your book, your healing, your independence, your pooping, your eating, your ability to have intercourse and the list goes on. Be present, be pro-active and watch it all unfold. See what the plan is instead of making the plan. That is what got most of us here in the first place. If you want to take anything off of my blogs that are posted please feel free. I have a list of “tools for the journey” and others have added to that. Good luck with this project. many blessings, Nova
Thank you, Nova for your words of wisdom.
One of the things I am learning is to do one thing at a time with focus instead of multitasking.
I’ll go over your posts and sure appreciate your generosity.
Hugs,
Theresa
Hi Theresa,
It does take time to heal like everyone else is saying. I too get impatient sometimes and think I am 9 months out of treatment and I still feel tired. Is there something wrong with me? Then everyone reminds me that I am doing so much better but that I can’t expect to be back to normal so fast. My rad. doc. actually told me it would take 6 months to a year to feel anywhere normal. A couple things maybe for your book that I might suggest;
1) Take time out for your family and friends. Life is definately too short and as we all can see things can hit us when we least expect it.
2) Before I started radiation treatments my rad. doctor gave me a lotion to use everyday twice a day to get my skin moisturized before treatments even started. It was called “Special Care Cream”. I could only purchase it at the hospital. Even though I did get burnt I think I would of been worse if I didn’t use it.
3) I think women should know what radiation does to your vagina and how difficult it is to have sex. They should know to ask the doctors for dialators or where they can purchase them when treatment is over.
I am looking forward to seeing your book online. Good luck and hang in there! Things do get better.
Nancy
If you want to read some good stories and words of wisdom from cancer survivors you should also take a look at the site puttingafaceoncancer…this is a dot com site. I know we are not supposed to advertise. She has some good photos and stories from lots of us.