Most of us are familiar with someone who is or has been affected by cancer. Many others have also wondered what it would be like to get cancer. Those who have lived for a time know that our expectations of how we will feel before and after events frequently differ significantly. But understanding how it is can make it easier for you to support someone with cancer in the best way possible.
Cancer survivors are people with lives that extend well beyond their illness. Most people do not want their cancer to define them. So in today’s blog, we will try to find the answer to “what does it feel like to be diagnosed with cancer?” For more information or help, consult with an oncologist.
What does it feel like to be diagnosed with cancer?
Let’s discuss what it feels like to be diagnosed with cancer below.
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Cancer is not constant-
There is no “normal” or “typical” way people experience cancer; each person’s experience of what it’s truly like to live with cancer is unique. To begin with, our surroundings, our support network, the people we interact with, our past experiences, our oncologists, and the specific type and stage of cancer we have all impact how we experience cancer.
However, every type of cancer is unique on a molecular level and exhibits a range of clinical behaviors; two patients with the same cancer type in stage 2B may experience distinct symptoms, different prognoses, and different attitudes about their condition. There are 200 distinct varieties of cancer if there are 200 patients in the same room, each with the same type and stage of the disease.
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The day determines life with cancer-
Cancer patients’ physical and psychological well-being might change day by day. It might change during the hour and even minute by minute.
The way we feel is continuously shifting. Someone with cancer might hesitate when you ask them how they feel. Part of the reluctance may be caused by uncertainty about whether or not to be honest, lest they hear a lecture that starts, “You need to stay positive.”
What we feel does not often strongly coincide with events, which can surprise people without cancer. With cancer, life is similar to that. You might experience joy one day even after learning scan results weren’t all that promising. Even when your lab results are excellent, you can be depressed on that day.
Returning to the concern you might have about hearing someone encourage a cancer patient to remain optimistic, it is crucial to maintain a good outlook. Nonetheless, this does not imply that cancer people should try to hide their worries and tears. On the other hand, cancer patients must allow themselves to express their unpleasant emotions.
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Living With Cancer Is Terrifying-
It makes no difference if it’s pancreatic cancer or skin cancer. It makes no difference whether it is stage 1 or stage 4. It is terrifying to have cancer and to live with it. Not simply your cancer fills you with fear.
We immediately remember every cancer story we have heard, often with help from well-meaning people. Of course, the worst is noticeable, just like in the news. If that weren’t enough, we also worry about what our disease will entail for the people we care about.
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Living With Cancer Is Lonely-
Cancer is lonesome, even among a warm family or a crowd of friends. Extremely lonesome. Cancer is a journey that must be undertaken alone, despite how powerful and extensive your support network may be. A solitary expedition on a challenging journey we never intended to undertake in the first place.
For several reasons, it’s beneficial for friends and relatives to comprehend your loneliness. Remind your loved one once again, even though she is aware of your love and commitment to her. Many cancer patients have felt the pain of friends moving away. Some people, for whatever reason, find it difficult to socialize with cancer patients.
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Cancer Life Is Overwhelming-
Prioritize your life and the lives of cancer-free people in your immediate vicinity. Do you ever feel overly busy or hear someone else lament their busy schedule? If your response was no, you likely only reside nearby by a thousand miles.
Take it now and begin by adding appointments. First, consider educating yourself about your cancer. After all, for most people, receiving a cancer diagnosis is an entirely novel experience.
Being a true friend or a best friend to someone with cancer can depend on how much you understand how overwhelming cancer can be.
- Having cancer can be painful-
Cancer can cause discomfort, but an outsider may not always be able to see it. Irritability can result from pain. In turn, such irritability may cause someone to say or do something unfavorable that they otherwise would not.
One of the most significant points of concern for cancer patients is cancer pain. Although there are effective therapies, many patients hesitate to discuss their options regarding managing cancer pain with their doctors.
This has two perspectives. Without a doubt, it is preferable if medications are not required. Every medication may cause side effects; typically, the more pharmaceuticals taken, the more adverse effects there are. However, studies suggest that pain management for cancer patients—at least those with advanced cancers—is lacking.
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Cancer Impacts the Way We View Ourselves-
Cancer does alter how we see ourselves, despite our best efforts to avoid letting it define us. You abruptly change into Jane Doe, a cancer survivor, in place of being a mother, a daughter, an entrepreneur, and a gardener. Also, how we see ourselves is influenced by how others see us.
Cancer alters our perception of our bodily self. There are scars for many of us. Some of us can view ourselves without hair and wearing various scarves and wigs. Depending on the treatment, we may experience ourselves as thinner, heavier, or both, but in different areas.
Cancer alters our emotional perception of ourselves. When we reach maturity, most of us learn to put those emotions and problems behind us securely, but now we are compelled to confront them. We now have access to things we once believed were just for others. The way we see ourselves has changed.
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Cancer Changes Everything in Life-
What aspects of a cancer patient’s life change? What doesn’t alter in the life of someone with cancer might be a great query. The short answer is that everything is. Friends change, as do our roles in our families, our objectives, our top priorities, and even our ideals.
Consider your priorities and to-do list before and after cancer if you or a loved one is battling the disease. Although there might be a slight similarity, it has undoubtedly undergone significant modifications. A cancer diagnosis alters more than simply what is crucial and unimportant.
Conclusion-
Despite some lives being shorter, people with cancer can frequently have whole and happy lives. We are all survivors, even if we have never battled cancer. You might have survived a visible tragic event or had a severe emotional struggle that was less clearly evident. Because of this, almost everyone—not just those with illness in their family—will recognize themselves in the following pages.