Dealing with all the emotions
 

I have been slammed with so many emotions lately. I wonder if it has something to do with coming up on two years since dx and that I was not able to do it without a recurrence. Even though I am not competely out of the woods, I am doing well at the moment. Oddly enough, this is causing me some stress. Is this normal?

I do not attend a local support group. Is that benefical to some?

But through it all, I am still very grateful to be here and spending each day with hubby and the kids. I just wish I could do it without shedding so many tears. Is this what we call getting used to our new life?

Tonya

Hi Tonya -
Yes, many of us are hit emotionally this way.

From the sound of it, you may be suffering from something like post traumatic stress disorder. This can hit cancer survivors at any time, and is why many of us end up taking an antidepressant for at least a little while till we are able to cope better.

If you have not had this conversation with your doctors, maybe it is time now.

Hope this will help.

I can relate. I have been lucky that it is now over 3 years without anything coming back but I am always waiting for that other shoe to drop. I remember the odds I was given on 5 year survival and instead of thinking that I've done good and beaten the odds so far, I feel like I am getting close to that mark and only have so much time left. Stress is just normal for us now I believe, we just have to learn to deal with it. I have started taking Lexapro and it seems to help , that and having a clean scan last week. As far as the tears, I never knew that I had so many tears that I could shed. I had never been much of a cryer and now I seem to cry almost ever day. You think we would dry up. Crying is one way for me to release the stress I am feeling, so I think it's OK. I don't cry around anyone, usually in the bath or by myself somewhere..sherryg683

Yes, your emotions are completely normal. I think I had a harder time coping a few years after diagnosis than when I was going through treatments, as you finally have time to think about what you've been through. I wished I had read some good self book sooner, rather than suffering through it all for so long. My doc gave me Zoloft, which helped. However, what helped the most were books that preach about focusing on the now rather than the past and future.- Eckhart Tolle's recent best seller hits on this topic great.

Tonya,

I understand completely.

After the brain surgery I went through a spell of feeling depressed between Thanksgiving and Christmas. I think it's like what Stephie said, post-traumatic stress syndrome. I didn't have enough time to absorb everything because a brain tumor requires immediate action.

I still get teary-eyed under certain circumstances. It's an adjustment.

I'm praying that you'll feel better and be with your husband and children a long time ... well, getting teary-eyed again (and I'm at work!).

Joan