The Great Cancer Recovery part 3

[TopOfTheCliff]

You may have finished active treatment for cancer, be in remission or NED. You want to look forward not dwell on the past. You know you ought to be eating well, exercising more and picking up the threads of your old life. Join us and share the ups and downs of recovery. We understand!

Here are some resources we found helpful:

The Mountain Lion
https://www.cancerpal.co.uk/post/what-it-s-really-like-to-receive-a-cancer-diagnosis

Peter Harvey on Psychology of recovery:
https://workingwithcancer.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/After-the-treatment-finishes-then-what.pdf

Resources from Penny Brohn:
https://pennybrohn.org.uk/our-approach/resources/

Breast Cancer Now Moving Forward:
https://breastcancernow.org/information-support/support-you/moving-forward

Get your Oomph Back with Carolyn Garritt
http://www.oomph.london/home.html

Charity providing treats for cancer patients:
https://somethingtolookforwardto.org.uk/

Exercise is good for you:
https://www.webmd.com/cancer/features/exercise-cancer-patients

Any more suggestions? Post them below

There is also a thread for those suspected to have cancer, or newly diagnosed and facing treatment, and also a thread for those with Stage IV cancer who want to talk to others in the same boat.

Wow @TopOfTheCliff that's impressive! If I was writing a column, I'd be broadcasting it far and wide to all my friends! Sounds like fun, though I'm sure you get fed up with deadlines occasionally. I write copy for a living for charities - I love it most of the time but sometimes too many deadlines all at once get me down!

Your DM is wonderful planning ahead like that. Who knows re another decade? My DGM (is that right for dear grandmother?) on my mum's side lived to 102 - on my DF's side most go in their 60s so I'm hoping to at least meet somewhere in the middle!!

Ooh @FairyWren7 I love the sound of your book! And wonderful to read at an open mic at your library. I bet it went down really well. I don't think I'd have the guts to read mine, but maybe once you get going it's all right!

Sorry to hear about bad stomach and nosy neighbour. Stupid people are so frustrating - dogs are better! (I think you have a schnauzer from memory? I have a labrador cross.)

@FairyWren7 just experimenting at home and got some YouTube videos bookmarked!

Commiserations re sciatica Chopped, uttterly miserable. Hope you’re enjoying the watercolours. A v lovely artist friend did a1:1 workshop with me last year, with her holding my hand I created something about Y4 standard!

I think gardening and cooking are creative Top. I had a lovely wander round the garden this morning: snow drops, hellebores and cyclamen have been joined by crocus, pulmonaria and witch hazel. What a difference a week has made.

Walked over the farm and through woodland before that. Sky larks and song thrushes singing their hearts out. Being outside, observing and listening is healing.

Interesting to read of the various writers. I do a column for a community magazine and a bit of journaling. Creativity and communication seem to be basic human needs.

By the way @FairyWren7 there is such an interesting thread in the AMA section - someone has just been on an immersive medieval re-enactment / living experience at the Weald & Downland Museum in Sussex. She was a servant in a middle-class household. It sounded so fun!

Lovely descriptions of your walk today @GrannyGoggles. You are so right about the healing power of nature.

Impressed by all the writing!
My kids bought me a sewing machine for Christmas as I was getting so disheartened with neuropathy in my fingers and feet and miss being creative!
Haven't used it yet...

@PaperbackWrighter that sounds great! It’s actually what I really want to do! My ideal life would be doing a masters in history and working for the national trust, English heritage. Something like that. I miss England very much. I know that I will probably move back soon. It’s not going to do my marriage any good though. In fact it will probably end it.

Yesterday didn’t get much better. I think my volunteering career may be over. I won’t be spoken to as if I’m 12 by some control freak for doing exactly what I’ve been told to do by the manager. I have no tolerance for rude and vexatious people especially if I’m not being paid!

My art class was nice and peaceful - did some lovely blending with pencil and drew a very pretty fish.

Is anyone else finding their resilience isn’t quite where it was?

@FairyWren7 I am sorry that you are not enjoying the volunteering role. Life is too short for that nonsense. It sounds as though you are questioning some big things in your life right now. That is a healthy way to come out of the cancer experience in my view. I went through the process when I turned fifty and changed a lot of things, so my life is just how I want it happily.
I got my official letter from the Breast Clinic today confirming my mammogram and US scan were healthy. My anxiety levels have dropped back to normal now.
I did have a big tantrum this morning when I went down to the basement to look for a thermos flask and couldn’t get into the store. I threatened DH that I would move out and leave him and his clutter to rot 😂 He is a bit scared and promising to tidy up this weekend but I am also empowered to chuck out the things he is procrastinating over, about to mend or sell or give away. I was a bit shocked how very angry I felt at the hideous mess. There is just so much of it!
Tomorrow we have decided to go on a trip together to look at a new van for him. It will be sunny and cold and I quite fancy a road trip to Cornwall with him. It will take my mind off the clutter.
I am keeping an eye on the thread count, not long till thread #4 now.

@TopOfTheCliff

My dad was born in 41. He has memory and various health issues. He wants a to buy some new apple trees. My mum doesn't want him to cos of his declining health but I think if he wants £50 apple trees and they make him happy, why not.

Good news @TopOfTheCliff

I’m in awe of you all who manage to keep on doing such interesting things.

I'm enjoying hearing about everyone's creative and sporting endeavours too. I'm also sort of pleased to hear that I'm not the only one engaged in a constant battle against clutter.

I realised the other day that I've carried on losing weight since finishing treatment. I assume this is bowel related, I'm on medication now which doesn't seem to have had an impact yet but has had the interesting side effect of bright red urine (this is common apparently but was a bit surprising). I suppose I should mention the weight loss next time I see oncology.

@tothelefttotheleft I think the apple trees sound like a good idea.

I hope everyone has a good weekend.

I agree @tothelefttotheleft that apple trees would be uplifting for your DF as long as there is somebody to help plant them. The very old don’t need much as they have all the possessions they need already. Plants are life affirming!
@demivolte I have been a bit grumpy and down trying to get a handle on the tide of clutter. I am going to designate one room the holding pen for things we don’t want to keep. They can go in there to keep the rest of the house clear and be processed for mending, selling, charity or chucking. It seems like a possible way to move things through the system.
Today I finished constructing the metal box for my allotment tools that came in a flat pack with 80 screws and bolts. DH helped me take it up there but it was so cold we came back quickly. I would like to do more but it’s freezing.
I am definitely more anxious and cranky this week. I don’t feel like going away, I just want things sorted out here!

Sorry @TopOfTheCliff that was clumsy wording on my behalf, I know how annoying clutter is. Your plan sounds a good one.

It's cold and grey here too, it's not very conducive to doing things.

@demivolte I understood exactly what you meant and was happy to hear you understand. I married DH knowing it would take energy and effort to keep him in order. Me being ill for four years has let him get out of control but he is very willing to put the work in to get things cleared. He wants his space to be usable and pleasant too. He has seen what happened when his DF ruined a house 😳😨 I think he just never learned how to tidy up before.

We are close to the end of the thread now. It is hard to believe we have filled three threads with our progress. The new thread is here:
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/general_health/5270506-the-great-recovery-part-4

Pop on over and introduce yourselves!