At the age of six my parents discovered something which would rock our world forever; I was diagnosed with a brain tumour and by the age of eleven I was undertaking intense cancer treatment.
To experience such a shocking event can be difficult to deal with, but starting out prepared can really alter your experience in a positive way. Here are 10 things I wish I’d have known before undergoing cancer treatment
1) There Is No Preparation
No-one can prepare you for the shock of being diagnosed with cancer. It’s scary, not just because you feel your time could be up, but also because everyone else is terrified too. The world changes and everything that made you feel safe seems to drop out of focus, replaced by the dread of what the future could hold.
Most people turn to the internet, but I’d advise you not to, unless you’re going to websites your doctors have recommended. Just remember these feelings are normal and that once a plan of treatment is settled upon things seem a little more under control.
There are support groups out there, which can help you and your family to realise that you are not alone; others will have suffered a similar type of thing and come through it to tell the tale. Now is not the time to give up hope.
2) Follow Your Gut
Trust the professionals but also trust your own feelings. You know your body so if something doesn’t feel right, don’t be afraid of approaching your doctors with questions.
During my treatment, following a month of radiotherapy, I was in a great amount pain. This wasn’t normal for me so my parents rushed me to hospital where I was given pain killers. Something still didn’t seem right and upon getting a second opinion it was confirmed I was suffering from shingles.
So persist if things don’t feel right.
3) Your Real Friends Will Be There
When you’re diagnosed with cancer it is hard for everybody around you. Your friends will fall into two camps, those who can cope with it and those who can’t. It’s not that they don’t care, it’s just hard for some people to know what to do or say.
What you will find is that those friends who stick by you will become even more important and you’ll make new ones along the way who understand exactly what you’re going through.
Quality is more important than quantity!
4) Accept Help
During my treatment there were times when even doing the basic things became an almighty task, simple things such as going to the toilet. I learnt not to be embarrassed about asking for or accepting help.
People will want to do what they can for you – it is part of human nature to want to help a family member or friend and you know that you would do the same for them if you could. Let them help and be grateful for it – it won’t be like that for ever.
5) Emotional Impact
Being diagnosed with cancer has a huge emotional impact on the sufferer and their family. It’s hard to deal with this at first. It was important for me to adapt strategies to help me manage my anxiety. It wasn’t just something that would go away. There is no way to soften the blow at first, but be aware with time you will learn to accept the problem and grow the strength to fight back.
6) Physical Impact
The treatment offered for cancer sufferers is incredibly harsh; I was unable to walk long distances and struggled up and down stairs. Some of the treatment affected my eyesight and skin and there were times where I looked like the walking dead!
Accept that getting better is going to be a long process, which will affect you physically. I had to learn not to take notice of people staring and let them think what they wanted. It’s important to understand that all that matters is your recovery process, their judgments is their problem, your reaction is yours.
It’s also important to know that it’s ok to be selfish and say no when you don’t feel up to something.
7) Look After Your Mouth
This might sound like a strange one, but it’s important.
The Chemotherapy caused mouth ulcers, changed my taste buds and gave me some wacky cravings. As you can imagine it made my mouth incredibly sore so it was difficult to clean my teeth and eat. I found eating soft food such as soup and chocolate great though nutritionally it definitely was not! Instead of a toothbrush I found mouthwash provided by the hospital particularly helpful especially after I’d just been sick.
Don’t forget about your dental hygiene – it is very important! The last thing you want is another problem on your hands as your teeth fall into them!
8) Manage nutrition
Looking back now, the biggest thing I wish I had known before diagnosis is how to manage my nutrition. When I was feeling unwell I craved sweet, fatty food and drinks and then I could not keep any of it down during my intense weeks of chemotherapy.
I only figured out a perfect structure for myself during my last two chemotherapy cycles. Eating a healthy meal 6 hrs before I started a week in hospital and on treatment meant my body had time to process the food. I also took nutritional supplements and this, along with a better diet, made a huge impact on my energy levels and how I was feeling.
9) Readjust
I am definitely not the same person after going through treatment and I noticed my thoughts changing about life during the process too. I wanted to go back to being normal but what exactly is that? I only saw how precious life is after going through all the traumatic experiences, and though I would never wish it upon anyone, in a weird way I am glad it has happened to me, though I did not have this view point at first.
Things will be changing in your life too. You can’t expect life to go back to what it was. You need to readjust the best you can to who you are now. Give it time and this will happen.
10) Stay positive and laugh
Above all else stay positive! After I while I took everything in my stride and wondered what else life could throw at me. When something else bad happened I would laugh, though some things were no laughing matter, but I couldn’t help it! I could only make fun out of the situations so I did. Though it’s hard, try your best to stay positive – it made a massive difference to me mentally.
Great content! Super high-quality! Keep it up! 🙂
Awesome post! Keep up the great work! 🙂
I wish I had known that the chemo /radio could cause issues well after it finished, I wished they had told me at the end that things would take years to get better so I didn’t expect to just be back to normal. pritty much everyone I know still has loads of on going issues 5+ years on
Hi Sammie thank you so much for sharing your thoughts. I think everyone is different but getting back to who you previously were is incredibly hard specially after going through a traumatic period, you learn new things and have more life experience. For me 10 years on I sometimes find certain situations hard to handle specially with processing information or occasionally find it frustrating when other people can do some things quicker. Most of the time I can now put myself in circumstances that let me thrive and if not a saying that always helps me is it’s not me, it’s them, meaning it’s down to their own awareness. Keep going and hope your ok! 🙂
Your 10 things all make sense Matt, its hard to see that the simplest things make the biggest difference. Keep up the good work, you are an inspiration to so many people.
Hi Bea,
Thanks for commenting,
I don’t see myself to be someone who an inspirational, I am only telling my story to try and help others.
Do you have any extra things that you think could help?
All the best,
Matt 🙂