tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7757387388608137930.post6701361530451227233..comments2023-11-15T23:49:22.421-05:00Comments on The Big C and Me: MENTAL MALADIES, POST CANCERRennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08617626526633867494noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7757387388608137930.post-26293774925131252752012-10-17T15:26:02.757-04:002012-10-17T15:26:02.757-04:00Liz, thanks! I feel dizzy! ;-)Liz, thanks! I feel dizzy! ;-)Rennhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08617626526633867494noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7757387388608137930.post-49653178163875713052012-10-17T15:25:42.286-04:002012-10-17T15:25:42.286-04:00Kingram, sorry to hear you had such a scare. Findi...Kingram, sorry to hear you had such a scare. Finding a new normal is such a process. Sending cyber hugs!Rennhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08617626526633867494noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7757387388608137930.post-87973760872290945082012-10-16T10:06:19.965-04:002012-10-16T10:06:19.965-04:00Terrific post, Renn - cyberspace will be rocked by...Terrific post, Renn - cyberspace will be rocked by all the nodding heads!!Lizhttp://www.paw-paw-salad.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7757387388608137930.post-71413663089610342832012-10-16T06:13:31.112-04:002012-10-16T06:13:31.112-04:00This post was exactly what I needed to read after ...This post was exactly what I needed to read after weeks of thinking I had relapsed only to find out it was a mistake! Now I am starting life again and joining the working world after my Big C experience. I am terrified of getting back this this "new kind of normal" and the fear of the unknown. Everything you wrote is exactly how I feel so thank you for making me feel normal again. :)Teamobbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08600496247006586002noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7757387388608137930.post-5342190308787250212012-10-12T23:59:38.453-04:002012-10-12T23:59:38.453-04:00TC... Ah yes, Great Expectations, the bane of our ...TC... Ah yes, Great Expectations, the bane of our existence! (That's a whole blog post right there!)<br /><br />You make a very good point about expectations are their toll. It kinda boils down to the old adage that you can't please all of the people all of the time. So then I ask myself, why am I trying so hard to please anyone but me? I too found myself reassuring anyone and everyone. When really I was just trying to reassure myself. I would size people up pretty quickly... are they really interested in hearing about what I'm going through? Will it upset them if I talk about it? Will it upset me? <br /><br />We are, after all, only human. Thanks for your insight, as always! xoRennhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08617626526633867494noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7757387388608137930.post-9717596540545634522012-10-12T23:46:32.732-04:002012-10-12T23:46:32.732-04:00Catherine, how astute of your radiation oncologist...Catherine, how astute of your radiation oncologist to mention the potential for PTSD! Forewarned is forearmed. I wonder how many others have been told of this possibility?<br /><br />You raise a good point: It really is only *after* treatment ends that we can begin to access what the heck we just went through and, indeed, therapy would be most beneficial then. I'm sorry that the cost-free counseling option is no longer available. Glad your hubby is keeping an eye on you. Please take care and thanks for your input!Rennhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08617626526633867494noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7757387388608137930.post-69444005022623342012-10-12T23:39:19.606-04:002012-10-12T23:39:19.606-04:00Thank YOU, Launna! Always a pleasure to hear from ...Thank YOU, Launna! Always a pleasure to hear from you.Rennhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08617626526633867494noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7757387388608137930.post-79589381172694004212012-10-12T20:54:55.115-04:002012-10-12T20:54:55.115-04:00Renn - You mentioned it, but I would re-emphasize ...Renn - You mentioned it, but I would re-emphasize the toll that meeting "expectations" - your own as well as other, does on the mental and emotional mojo. During my first year of diagnosis, I found I had to be the one reassuring everyone around me. I have pissed-off my own mother, for NOT including her in my blog (wth???). Sometimes people feel that because you have cancer you should always be "brave and above the human fray." As if cancer has elevated us. Well, some days you just don't feel so brave, and so need to be allowed to be human - with all of the concomitant flaws. TChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08630204465578778698noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7757387388608137930.post-17309794904176588372012-10-12T20:23:40.321-04:002012-10-12T20:23:40.321-04:00Yes, you summed it up oh so well. I live in New Ze...Yes, you summed it up oh so well. I live in New Zealand and at my first appt with radiation oncologist she pointed out that it was very common for cancer patients to have some form of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder after treatment finished. I have had issues with depression before and so hubby is keeping an eye on me. I have down days to be sure, especially when pain flares up again, but so far have dodged the depression bullet. Where I live I was eligible for free counselling but only while under the care of the oncology dept so as soon as I finished my last radiation I was no longer eligible, and it's after all the treatment when you have time to catch your breath and deal with all of it that you most need the counselling. Thanks for putting it out there, CathCatherine and clan (aka catnz)https://www.blogger.com/profile/00905183904403113644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7757387388608137930.post-3961846243428559302012-10-12T19:43:24.871-04:002012-10-12T19:43:24.871-04:00Hi Renn, thank you for putting this post together ...Hi Renn, thank you for putting this post together and sharing with us... people like myself who has not had to endure this horrible disease, get a little window into what you and others have dealt with. Launna https://www.blogger.com/profile/09447311902825477772noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7757387388608137930.post-81473055127582211832012-10-12T15:37:59.485-04:002012-10-12T15:37:59.485-04:00Tks, Pink. As I just wrote to Catherine above, I&#...Tks, Pink. As I just wrote to Catherine above, I've never had any physician ask me about my mental/emotional health. Have you? I'm not sure I even thought about it, until now.<br /><br />It's something I'm going to bring up at the next doc appointment I have!<br /><br />Rennhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08617626526633867494noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7757387388608137930.post-79149299122584289132012-10-12T15:34:09.470-04:002012-10-12T15:34:09.470-04:00Catherine, I agree, there is little discussion wit...Catherine, I agree, there is little discussion with regard to the emotional impact of cancer. <br /><br />You'd think that doctors would as something — anything — about how we are doing emotionally. But no doctor has *ever* asked me how I am feeling or how I am doing emotionally. It's always all about the physical. Kinda crazy when you think about it. <br /><br />Thank you for stopping by and pointing me to your post! I will check it out. :-)Rennhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08617626526633867494noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7757387388608137930.post-25434653939072451012012-10-12T15:11:20.178-04:002012-10-12T15:11:20.178-04:00So, so good, Renn! You nailed it. People who haven...So, so good, Renn! You nailed it. People who haven't been thought it can't imagine it, and those of us who have are nodding our heads and saying "Mmmm-hmmmm!" Thank you for educating the masses on an important topic.pinkunderbellyhttp://pinkunderbelly.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7757387388608137930.post-73849480332575926822012-10-12T14:50:06.531-04:002012-10-12T14:50:06.531-04:00Hi Renn, I think you’re bang-on regarding the lack...Hi Renn, I think you’re bang-on regarding the lack of warning, and the subsequent disappointment that can follow in ourselves, in others, in life. But I think through posts like this we can spread the world about the emotional crap cancer throws. I wrote a post as well at my Bumpyboobs page on FacingCancer.ca, and a lot of the points seem similar to yours. <br /><br />Thanks for sharing your side of this story!<br />Catherine<br /><br />Facing Cancer Togetherhttp://www.facingcancer.ca/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7757387388608137930.post-6665122203643040752012-10-12T11:23:52.236-04:002012-10-12T11:23:52.236-04:00beautiful...generous...candid as always...you are ...beautiful...generous...candid as always...you are amazing...xoxoxo mAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com