Don’t Hide Your Scars - Your Healing Journey Matters

Here are some tips on how to reinvent yourself with cancer and scars

Wake Up Call

Cancer is the ultimate wake-up call. Not only that the patient's body is sick, but their spirit as well. Dr. Shyamali Singhal knows that a diagnosis of cancer is devastating, but it can also be an enormous opportunity to achieve true healing.  Cancer patients should keep in mind the well-known quote, “Cancer is a word, not a sentence.” Dr. Singhal states, “It’s so important that you know that cancer is not a death sentence, but an invitation to integrate that forgotten part back into wholeness”. It’s equally important that cancer patients know that they didn’t do anything wrong: they are not to blame; they did not bring this cancer on. Life forces and circumstances, many if not all of them out of our control, put us in situations where we turn to defense mechanisms that we learned as children that encourage us to deny parts of ourselves. We should think of cancer as a message from a part of us, a message asking to bring that part back to yourself, even those parts before deemed unlovable. It is work with that deepest part of ourselves that will affect us the most. No matter what the physical result of our experience with cancer, if we do this vital work to make ourselves whole, we will come out victorious.

After The Treatment

After the cancer treatment, as a cancer survivor, most are eager to return to good health. But beyond initial recovery, there are ways to improve long-term health so that patients can enjoy the years ahead as a cancer survivor.

The recommendations for cancer survivors are no different from the recommendations for anyone who wants to improve his or her health: Exercise, eat a balanced diet, maintain a healthy weight, get good sleep, reduce stress, avoid tobacco and limit the amount of alcohol.

But for cancer survivors, the following strategies have added benefits. These simple steps can improve the overall quality of life, smoothing the transition into survivorship. Although the treatment has ended, cancer patients are still coping with how it affects their bodies. It can take time to get over the effects of cancer treatment. Each person's schedule is different. Cancer patients may wonder how their body should feel during this time and what may be a sign that cancer is coming back. 

Fatigue And Cancer Treatment

What cancer patient experience may be related to the type of cancer they had and the treatment they received. It is also very important to remember that no two people are alike, so some patients may experience changes that are very different from someone else's, even if they had the same type of cancer and received the same treatment.

Some cancer survivors report that they still feel tired or worn out after treatment is over. In fact, fatigue is one of the most common complaints during the first year after treatment.

Rest or sleep does not cure the type of fatigue a patient may have after cancer treatment, and doctors do not know its exact cause. The causes of fatigue are different for people who are receiving treatment than they are for those who have completed treatment.

Exercising With Cancer

Fatigue during treatment can be caused by cancer therapy. Other problems can also play a part in fatigue, like anemia (having too few red blood cells), poor nutrition, not drinking enough liquids and depression. Pain can also make fatigue worse.

Researchers are still learning about what may cause fatigue after treatment.

How long will fatigue last? There is no "normal" pattern. For some, fatigue gets better over time. Others, such as those who have had bone marrow transplants, may have less energy for years after their final treatment.

Some people feel very frustrated when fatigue lasts longer than they think it should and gets in the way of their normal routine. They also may worry that their friends, family, and coworkers will get upset with them if they complain of fatigue often.

Adding physical activity to a daily routine doesn't take a lot of extra work. Dr. Singhal advises patients to focus on small steps to make their life more active. They should take the stairs more often or park farther from their destination and walk the rest of the way. Cancer patients should check with their doctor before they begin any exercise program.

With the doctor's approval, patients can start slowly exercising and work their way up. The American Cancer Society recommends adult cancer survivors exercise for at least 150 minutes a week, including strength training at least two days a week. As patients recover and adjust, they might find that more exercise makes them feel even better.

Importance of Self-Care

While patients may worry that it will take an entire overhaul of their lifestyle to achieve all these goals, Dr. Singhal encourages them to do what they can and make changes slowly. Easing into a healthy diet or regular exercise routine can make it more likely that they'll stick with these changes for the rest of their life.

How we feel inside instantly reflects on our health and the overall state of being. It is highly important for cancer patients and recovering patients alike not to neglect this side of their recovery, as they make their way back to being healthy. Knowing this, Dr. Singhal has applied her experience in selecting self-care products for Chemo Companions. Try out some of our bestsellers, like Cleure shampoo-volumizing - SLS-free, hypoallergenic shampoo.

Unlike other commercial shampoos, Cleure fragrance-free, hypoallergenic shampoo for sensitive skin is paraben-free, sulfate-free, and does not lather much. No need to be alarmed, your hair will still come out clean and shiny! The reason why Cleure sensitive skin shampoo does not lather is because it does not contain a commercial foaming detergent called sodium lauryl sulfate. Excellent for sensitive, itchy scalp.