Post Treatment 0 - 6 Months: An Overview

When treatment ends, it's easy to think that you and everyone around you is going go experience something like: "Whew! Treatment's over. Back to normal. Yay!" However, things aren't quite that simple. The return takes time and the "normal" to which you return is a new one instead of the one that existed before your diagnosis.  

• The feeling of relief at treatment being over is generally mixed with a range of emotions which can continue for a good while. Keeping the emotions bottled up can be harmful to your emotional and physical health.
• Take a break. Get rest. Do relaxing activities.
• Expect your relationships with family and friends to be different.
• Continue to ask for assistance from family and friends, including your underage children.
• Reclaim your life. Let go of what was. Embrace what is. Just the fact that we are alive is an amazing gift.
• If you didn't get one, ask your cancer specialist for a Follow Up Plan which includes symptoms to look for that may indicate a recurrence or the emergence of a health condition you may be prone to because of your particular health condition or treatment.
• If side effects such as fatigue continue, learn how to reduce their effect.
• Set follow up appointments with your oncologist - and keep them.
• Adhere to any drug regimen you agree to.
• Store your copy of your medical records. If you don't have a copy, this is a good time to get it in case it is useful in the future.
• Always tell any new doctors you see about your cancer history. The diagnosis and your treatment can affect decisions about your care in the future.
• Adopt a healthy lifestyle. Eat a cancer prevention diet, exercise and get proper rest/sleep.
• If you smoke, quit. Do everything you can to eliminate second hand smoke.
• Now is the time to address unpaid bills. There are guidelines for figuring out how to pay which creditor. You can negotiate most bills. If you are over your head in debt, consider bankruptcy.
• If you have health insurance, do whatever is necessary to keep it. If you don't have health insurance, now is the time to start looking for it. Keep other basic insurance as well.
• If you work expect that things will be different for a while as lingering symptoms fade, particularly if you had chemotherapy and experience chemo brain. Think about who and what to tell co workers. If changes at work are required for your ongoing needs, negotiate for them as if you are entitled to them.
• Consider using this period to re-examine your life choices and think about a future in which your health condition will not be your major focus. For example, you may want to change jobs or even careers, or work less hours so you can do more of the things you enjoy. You are not locked in to your job because of your health history.
• Self employed and business owners are advised to use this time to think about planning for continuation of your business in the event cancer recurs. While doing planning, this is also a good time to re-examine continuation planning in the event of a disaster.
• This is the time to address outstanding medical and other bills. Bills can be negotiated. Help is available to negotiate debt and determine which creditors to pay first.
• Start thinking about how to increase your ability to withstand the financial costs of a recurrence or other event. Financial planning will point out your financial strengths and weaknesses and how to make finances better. Help planning is available if needed. Keep in mind the potential costs of a recurrence.
• If you don't have health insurance, do everything you can to get it. (Also consider Disability Income Insurance and Life Insurance).
• If you haven't updated your legal documents such as a Living Will or Will, this is the right time. Keep in mind that this advice is not about your prognosis. Any one of us can get hit by the proverbial bus at any time.

Each of these subjects is discussed further in the rest of this document.