Surviving and Celebrating National Cancer Survivorship day 2018
So today, On national Cancer Survivorship day, I just want to sneak a few words here on the blog. To remind my friends of God's victories in my life, and to stand with the ones I know that are in this with me. Like we celebrate national donut eating day, us survivors need to celebrate that we can even be here to eat a donut. If you're a reader and not a survivor you can skip this one.
Survivorship to me is plain and simple. We are all surviving, and we are all making it. From the day of diagnosis to as many days as we are given following, we are surviving. In simple terms it means:
I'm alive today and going through steps daily to overcome the defining terms that have been pressed upon my life while giving Glory to God who has numbers my days and holds my future in his hands.
"According to the Center for Disease Control, nearly 15 million adults and children are cancer survivors in the United States. People are living longer after being told they have cancer, due to improvements in finding cancer earlier and improved treatments.
After receiving a cancer diagnosis, it’s normal to place a laser focus on your recovery, and for some, that could mean putting the rest of your life on hold in order to get well. After treatment is over, you may feel relief and be ready to return to life the way it used to be. Other stresses may also set in -worry about your cancer returning, anxiety about returning to work, or apprehension about changed relationships with friends and family. Even though you’re cancer-free, you may have a host of other health issues that you now have to deal with.
While there may be a lot of information and support during illness, life after cancer surfaces new questions and concerns. It can take time to both physically and emotionally recover. Be patient with yourself- this adjustment period is you getting used to a “new normal.”
As hard as treatment is, many cancer survivors say that the experience gave them a wakeup call and a second chance to make life what they want it to be."
For all my people in the club that we joined by no choice, be gracious with yourself.
"I was now a member of the guild no one wants to join. I discovered that once you're in, everyone lends a hand. Our shared experiences, desires to fight back, and will to survive bind us together"
FIGHT BACK WITH JOY, Margaret Feinberg.
Take time. Say no, which I'm terrible at. Take medications to help your body heal, even if it's long after everyone thinks you should be better, ask for help when you need it, let the emotions come when you feel them. Take more time for yourself than you think you need. Eat well, but enjoy life. Exercise, because you can, and it might help with the daily anxiety, fatigue, and depression that lingers in survivorship. Continue to pray for grace to understand your new normal and for you to understand others and they walk with you on this side of your diagnosis. Finally the thing I am the worst at and working on, take time. Whatever time you need, even if its been 15 years. Allow for necessary healing, for yourself, your family, and your caregiver. Be patient and careful in defining normal, and remember that cancer is not a choice, but the choice is in the gift of what you will do with it. 
Whatever you are surviving don't ever forget there is a God bigger than any impossible circumstance we are facing. Miracles are happening right in front us everyday. Look for them, you will see.
And while surviving here on earth shows God's glory and his work in my life, there isn't a day that I wouldn't rather be in his presence. I know so many of you have lost your loved ones, but friends they are really the ones living, we are just surviving.
This beautiful woman shares openly her story of survivorship and encouragement on the other side of treatment. Hope it is helpful.
How Can Survivors Express Fears and Insecurities Without Seeming Ungrateful?
May 14th, 2018
NicoleMadison1 | Survivor: Soft Tissue Sarcoma
Cancer free. Wow! The excitement is overwhelming. Chemo is done, incisions from surgery are continuing to heal, and we are back home! A miracle has happened and I have breath in my lungs today. I am celebrating life and am so thankful for this amazing gift that God has given me to live another day.
But here's what I have found over the last few months. Things haven't gone back to "normal" like I thought they would. I’m not sure what I expected post-cancer life to be like, but maybe I didn't think any differences would matter because being alive would be enough. And how can one express fears and insecurities without seeming ungrateful?
Well, I am here to share with all of the fighters and survivors reading that you are not alone if you feel this way. Your life is different. For some of you, it may feel amazing and for others, you might find that you are struggling with survivor’s guilt, where you fit in, and how to have conversations with people now. So what do we do?
Just like a battle with cancer, we had a treatment plan. In the same way, it is important to have a "survivorship plan". I didn’t know that until now!
I am not a psychologist, counselor, or expert by any stretch, but this is what I have experienced and the actions I am taking and so far, it is helping me. So maybe, one or all of these things can help you in your survivorship journey, too! Or, if you have loved one facing this, you could share these suggestions!
Make a Plan:
If the concerns above are resounding in your head, here are a few ideas that may help:
If you're a survivor, have you found yourself feeling this way? What challenges did/do you face in survivorship? We would love to hear your words of encouragement and advice! You are also in my prayers. Know that you are not forgotten. You are loved and so strong. I am so proud of you!
If you're a supporter or caregiver, does this surprise you? In the past, I honestly would stop praying for friends and family as soon as they became cancer free. I thought, “Prayers have been answered so who is the next person I can pray for and encourage!” I hope this brings awareness that our survivors need love, prayer, and follow up, too! Was this helpful for you? Do you know someone that you could reach out to with a listening ear or words of encouragement?"
https://sparklysurvivor.com/2018/03/15/survivorship/
But here's what I have found over the last few months. Things haven't gone back to "normal" like I thought they would. I’m not sure what I expected post-cancer life to be like, but maybe I didn't think any differences would matter because being alive would be enough. And how can one express fears and insecurities without seeming ungrateful?
Well, I am here to share with all of the fighters and survivors reading that you are not alone if you feel this way. Your life is different. For some of you, it may feel amazing and for others, you might find that you are struggling with survivor’s guilt, where you fit in, and how to have conversations with people now. So what do we do?
Just like a battle with cancer, we had a treatment plan. In the same way, it is important to have a "survivorship plan". I didn’t know that until now!
I am not a psychologist, counselor, or expert by any stretch, but this is what I have experienced and the actions I am taking and so far, it is helping me. So maybe, one or all of these things can help you in your survivorship journey, too! Or, if you have loved one facing this, you could share these suggestions!
Make a Plan:
- Be honest with your feelings with no guilt or shame attached: Get all of your thoughts out of your head that lead to fear, anxiety, and insecurity, by writing them down and/or sharing them with others.
- Create a "survivorship plan" on how to thrive and soar through this life rather than “just survive” while drowning in emotions that hold you back.
- Overthinking social situations: Is cancer taking over every conversation? Am I suppressing it and not talking about it enough? How do I be "me" with others?
- "Survivor’s Guilt": How do I talk to others and celebrate being “cancer free” while the person I am talking with or someone they love is facing so much pain and hurt because of cancer?
- Awareness vs. obsession of cancer reccurence: How do I heighten awareness about checking my body to find tumors or thinking about cancer coming back without having it consume me?
- Change of community: I’m not within the 4 walls of MD Anderson Cancer Center anymore where every person I encounter is a fighter, survivor, or supporter. I’ve been sick and away from family/friends/coworkers for a long time. How do I fit back into relationships? Or make new relationships?
- Financial concerns: As hospital bills will flow in for the rest of our lives, expenses of traveling for scans, while also paying normal bills and student loans, can we make it work?
If the concerns above are resounding in your head, here are a few ideas that may help:
- Pray. Each person’s situation is so different. There isn’t a rule book on how to handle cancer. Give yourself grace. Breathe. Allow yourself to cry. And most importantly, involve God in all of it. He hears you, He loves you, and He is with you. He’s not mad at you if you’re having a hard time with this. He desires to draw near to you and fill you with his words of love and truth. Spend time with the Lord in prayer and ask for His help. Sometimes my prayer is just a sentence through tears saying "God, please help me" or "God please draw near to him/her in in their fight." It doesn’t have to be pretty, He just asks us to be real.
- Maybe you already have a budget in place to handle the financial burden that cancer brings. We did not. We met with an amazing financial advisor and we also started Financial Peace University with Dave Ramsey to help get our finances in order to tackle new financial obligations related to cancer. We have found out that not only can we pay hospital bills and pay off loans, but we can budget for a vacation at the end of the year, too! (If you have questions about this, please reach out!)
- Find a Community. It’s easy to want to isolate yourself. I’m an extrovert to the millionth percentile and even I have struggled with this. Some of our greatest battles happen in our minds so letting others hear your heart is so uplifting. Take the courageous step to jump into community as soon as you can with cancer fighters/survivors and those who don’t have cancer as well. No one fights alone!
If you're a survivor, have you found yourself feeling this way? What challenges did/do you face in survivorship? We would love to hear your words of encouragement and advice! You are also in my prayers. Know that you are not forgotten. You are loved and so strong. I am so proud of you!
If you're a supporter or caregiver, does this surprise you? In the past, I honestly would stop praying for friends and family as soon as they became cancer free. I thought, “Prayers have been answered so who is the next person I can pray for and encourage!” I hope this brings awareness that our survivors need love, prayer, and follow up, too! Was this helpful for you? Do you know someone that you could reach out to with a listening ear or words of encouragement?"
https://sparklysurvivor.com/2018/03/15/survivorship/
Sweet Song to play on this National Cancer Survivorship day:
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