What are the little annoyances you 've had to deal with since treatment??

Bengal

I know a cancer diagnosis has in many cases turned our lives upside down and left us with many major changes. I'm thinking of Greg and what he's learning to deal with and I know there are others who have had to deal with much worse. But what are the little things that have you frustrated? I love string cheese and since I'm encouraged to incorporate dairy into my diet to fight bone density issues it's a snack that can help me do that. But......I CANNOT peel open the little individual cellophane wrappers because of peripheral neuropathy in my finger tips. It makes me so frustrated. I know it's frivolous when there are such bigger issues but what little thing frustrate you?

po18guy

#1: Traffic to and from the center. Oh, wait... that's not a little annoyance.
#2. The inheriting of allergies from my son. Numerous food allergies mean that my diet is greatly restricted.
#3. Steroid-induced diabetes means that my sweet tooth is dying of starvation.
#4. Treatment related chronic kidney disease means that I have to drink water in copious amounts.
#5. BPH (see #4).
#6. I dislike swallowing pills. So now, I have 140 per week to swallow. On the bright side, it is down from 209 per week.
#7. Hmmmm...#7, let's see... I'm lucky to be alive.

GregP_WN

PO, wow, 140 pills a week. I get aggravated by having to take half of that.

My own little peeves are:
The restrictions on diet by my swallowing issues.
The constant need to double check everything that anyone does, or says dealing with my health.
Loss of strength, I'm getting weaker as time goes on, I have trouble opening those things too Bengal.

My newest peeves, somewhat larger in scope are:

I can't talk on the phone, yet people still are calling me.

I wake up at least once in the night with the feeling that I'm suffocating since air no longer moves through my nose, but I still have drainage. It gives me the feeling that I'm not breathing.

Not being able to talk to Sweetie, I want to comment on things that are on TV or what the dogs ar e doing, or anything, but....I can't.

I can't go through a drive through window. Who knew this would be a thing?

I have to be more careful now about breathing in dust, chemicals, vapor, or anything, directly into my lungs now. I will have a little better seal around my stoma and larytube after I heal, but for now air can leak around it and go right in.

I can't whistle, or call the dogs, or yell at the dogs.

I can't taste, what I can taste is different.

I can't smell, much. I've learned that if air doesn't move through your nasal cavity you can't smell. So, since I don't breathe that way, I don't smell anything unless it gets blown through there by the wind.

Another thing I've learned is that I don't know all that I don't know. This is a learning process for sure.

But, I agree with PO's number 7, lucky to be alive!

MLT

I have hand/foot syndrome from Xeloda. Opening anything is a challenge! Scissors!
Not having energy or motivation to do anything.

beachbum5817

My annoyances are that my feel hurt constantly due to neuropathy in them, and my memory is so poor. I know that some of these have to do with the aging process as well, but I feel that chemotherapy has sped up the process. Of course, like everyone above, I get along as best I can, because I am happy to be alive.

ChildOfGod4570

After reading the above answers, I feel my response is peanuts compared to what these people are going through. For me, not having reached my 50's yet, my pet peev is the feeling I am falling apart prematurely. Since having had cancer in my early 40's, I can't keep my weight down, let alone lose it despite working out 6 hours a week; osteopenia has entered the picture; and I have had to go through menopause twice ... once medically induced by chemo and Tamoxifen, and the other coming on after the hysterectomy I had to get rid of another cancer risk. Yesterday in church people commented how cold it was in the sanctuary while I felt normal, even had a hot flash or two. I have also become more prone to heat rash since active treatment and am not bouncing back as quickly as I once had. Bengal, I do thank you for the string cheese suggestion. Perhaps it might help my bones. *smile* I do have a suggestion for you if you want to snack on cheese. Perhaps you can buy the shredded cheese and pour some into a small dish when you want a snack. I've done that. HUGS and God bless.

Bengal

Thanks for the tip C of G, but it just wouldn't be the same. Call me juvenile, but I just love pulling that string cheese apart! And major breakthrough last night. I had to work at it but I finally got the %&-% wrapper off.....without having to search for scissors!

Beachbum, I so hear you about feeling like the aging process has been accelerated. I was young for my age and very physically active before all this. Now I feel old before my time and everything is difficult

Horselady46

My small things are neuropathy still after 7 years it is still there. I can't walk as far as I used to be able. Which limits somethings I like to do. Plus having it in my fingers hinders being able to pick up pins and other small things. Tamoxifen cause me to go through menopause again, not fun. Memory is also messed up, but that can be somewhat my age. My breathing has also been compromised. But like everyone else I am glad to be alive.

fluteplayer

Not being able to breathe like I use to.Being tired all the time.Not being able to ride my bike is the worse as I use to ride it for miles every day.Not being able to participate in the senior games as I use to win many first place but no more.But still living but not really worth it. Ready to give up.

PaulineJ

I can't tell the difference anymore.on little and big annoyances I have too many .I guess it goes with old age.

BoiseB

Actually there are a lot less things that annoy me after cancer than there were before. Before cancer I was annoyed by every little thing, rainy days noisy neighbors, obnoxious co-workers, you name it. Now I no longer worry about those things. I have adjusted to sleeping sitting up. I do miss my teeth when it comes to opening packages but scissors are probably better. I do miss soda pop though. All in all I have a lot less annoyances after cancer than before.

fiddler

Wow all ya'll ~ ! Aren't we tough though?

Here's my list (not as bad as others who responded, lucky me!):
...a year ago woke up, went to the kitchen sink and couldn't inhale (I think it was neuropathy that paralyzed the diaphragm - the hospital and several doctors couldn't figure out what caused the episode)
...neuropathy in fingers, toes, tip of nose and tongue, bladder, don't know where else. Numbness mostly in fingers and toes
...7 years out, but this year the foot/calf cramping was so severe, now a few days on Gabapentin
...woke up one night in January be cause my whole body was cramping (seizure?)
...everything tastes different
...sensitivity to cold; I could do -70F in Chicago and -20F in Idaho, but now I can't do less than 72F
...aged 20 years - always looked way younger than my age (ego strokes hahahaha)
...night sweats
...jeez what else? Can't think of anything.
...oh, the bladder thing

Stay tough everyone. Summer's coming and we feel better with all that sunshine, whether we're in it or not - just a bright day lifts the mood.

Lorie

The fact that I've had it and it could return bugs me. It wasn't something I ever thought about before diagnosis.

Facing a heart valve replacement and wonder if the radiation had anything to do with it.

Just general change of outlook. Guess it made me feel more vulnerable
Lorie

fluteplayer

Lorie your heart valve trouble is caused by your cancer.I have it to but not strong enough to have the surgery. I forgot to list that in my answer.

Lorie

Flute player, is it that you are not strong enough or the problem isn't bad enough? If it's the aortic valve they have a minimally invasive procedure out now called TAVR. It's not open heart surgery and doesn't involve a pig valve.

fluteplayer

It isn't available at our little local hospital and do not want to go to a Pittsburgh one and they say. It isn't bad enough to operate but they are leaking and the radiation is to blame.

Lorie

Flute player, have it checked in future. Mine was just picked up on echocardiogram 3 years ago and now it's bad enough to replaced. If yours does get worse I hope you decide to drive to Pittsburgh. Take care