Living with cancer

Philippa has this advice on how patients, and their loved ones, can feel more prepared during and after treatment.

DEALING WITH APPOINTMENTS

Find a routine that works for you. You may prefer to take someone with you to appointments for support, especially as you are likely to forget some of what is said. I preferred to go alone, as I wanted and needed time to process what was said at the appointment before discussing it with loved ones. Take a notebook with any questions that you have, and write down their answers to refer to later. And ask your doctors to translate any medical terms into plain English.

HOSPITAL STAYS

Pack carefully and include soft versions of items like bras and socks because after surgery, when you are sore, you don’t want to be irritated by fabrics. Be practical and remember ear plugs and an eye mask to try to counter the noise and light on the ward, as well as shower shoes, toiletries, your phone and charger. A hairband to keep hair off your face, lip balm for dry lips, and eye drops for dry eyes can also be useful.

EXERCISE AND DIET DURING TREATMENT

The balancing act between what your body needs, what you want to do and what you are able to do during recovery from surgery, and during treatment, takes time to learn, especially as it changes all the time. In general, exercise can help with fatigue – it gives energy as opposed to taking it away. But this needs to be balanced with listening to your body and not pushing it to do more than it is able to – if 10 minutes into a workout you feel rubbish, not better, then stop! Rest is also important, and remember, any physical activity is beneficial, including walking.

Surgery or treatments may cause you to be less hungry or, if you are having steroids, you may be more hungry. Treatment is not the time to be on a punishing nutrition regime; yes, it’s important to eat a healthy diet, but it’s also important to get a feelgood boost from a chocolate biscuit!

COPING WITH SIDE EFFECTS

The side effects you may or may not experience will depend on the type of treatments you are having, and you will be given medications to deal with common side effects. Don’t be a martyr to symptoms; if you are struggling, contact your medical team – they will be able to help.

BEING A SURVIVOR

There seems to be an idea that once your treatment is over, once you are in remission or recovered, life should return to how it was before. Even if you are cancer-free, there may be side effects from long-term medication. For example tamoxifen, often given as part of breast cancer treatment, can cause menopausal symptoms. There are still likely to be scans and follow-ups, and the anxiety around investigations, commonly known as ‘scanxiety’, is very real. There is also often fear around going from seeing your medical team very regularly (daily for radiotherapy) to just once or twice a year.

For me, being cancer-free isn’t about moving back to how things were before; this isn’t possible. Cancer has changed me. It’s about accepting the part that cancer has played in my life and finding a new way forward. If this happens to you, be kind to yourself; it takes time.