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- Summary
- Do not be surprised at the emotions that may continue to surface. Share them. Contact another survivor with a similar experience. Consider a support group.
- Relationships with your spouse or partner, family and friends change over time. Ask for help when you need it.
- Reclaim every aspect of your life if you haven't already.
- Take care with underage children
- Comply with your drug regimen if you are given one. Learn how to save money when purchasing drugs, and how to store and dispose of them safely.
- Physical and mental effects may linger. New ones may show up. Avoid an impulse to engage in risky behavior. Report new symptoms or changes in existing symptoms to your doctor.
- There is no guarantee that your cancer won't come back. Help lower your risk of recurrence or developing a second cancer: Adopt a cancer prevention lifestyle.
- Show up for follow-up physical exams and tests.
- Get a disease specific medical Follow Up Plan. Go over it with your primary care physician. Tell every doctor or other medical person about your cancer history including diagnosis, treatments and dates.
- If you do not have health insurance, do whatever you can to get it. If you do have it, do whatever is necessary to keep it. Also learn how to maximize use of your policy. Keep other basic insurance as well.
- Do basic financial planning. It will help you, first, pay off debt. (Free negotiating help is available). Then set aside money for health and other emergencies, then money to go after your dream. If debt is overwhelming, consider bankruptcy.
- At work, negotiate if you need a change to allow you to do your work. Learn how to maximize time off and prepare for a recurrence or disability "just in case." Keep track of the facts in case of a discrimination claim.
- If you want to change jobs, or even careers, you can
- If you are unable to work or may be unable to work in the foreseeable future, there are guidelines to make life easier.
- If you want to have children, consider the options that are still open.
- If you don't have a pet, consider getting one.
Post Treatment 6 months +
If you want to have children, consider the options that are still open.
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There are options available for both men and women.
Common to both men and women is the ability to adopt. Thanks to federal law, you cannot be discriminated against because of your cancer history when seeking to adopt.
Women:- Do not assume that you cannot have children if chemotherapy causes you to stop menstruating You may still be able to get pregnant. Use condoms. If you get pregnant, and cancer returns, you will face questions about the impact of cancer treatments on the fetus and about possibly terminating the pregnancy or risking your life.
- Pregnancy does not generally cause cancer.However, hormones that accompany pregnancy may hasten a recurrence. Ask your cancer doctor how much time has to pass before it is okay for you to get pregnant. If you are infertile, you may still be able to carry another person's baby.You can find additional information from Young Survival Coalition (www.youngsurvival.org
) and Fertile Hope (www.fertilehope.org ).
Federal law (the Americans With Disabilities Act) prohibits discrimination against people with a disability. The law covers adoption agencies.
Your cancer may or may not be considered to be a disability for purposes of the ADA. Whether it is covered or not, expect that an adoption agency will want clarification on your health status and the possibility of a recurrence. At least a letter from your cancer doctor will likely be required. Do not be surprised if the agency requests that you want for a few years after end of treatment before adopting.
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