Post cancer life…

So it’s been over 12 months since my cancer treatment ended. And yes, I’m currently cancer free. But you don’t dare get too excited, because you hear far too many stories of people being cancer free, only to be not cancer free at the next check-up.

As time goes on, I’m realising that the protocol I underwent is notorious for long term fallout. From everything I’ve learned, many of the issues don’t show up until 12–18 months down the track. What’s unfortunate is how little practical, real world information there is about what to expect. There would be so much less fear and anxiety if someone simply said, “Here’s what might happen, and here’s how it usually feels, and here’s what’s normal.”

But here’s the thing, and it’s a big thing,

the surgeon, the oncologist, the radiologist, the GP… they all do their jobs, but none of them hold the full picture. Their knowledge is limited to their tiny slice of the process. And outside of their field, the understanding of treatment fallout is almost nonexistent. There’s a huge gap in continuity of care, and an even bigger one in genuine interest or concern for the long-term journey.

This may sound strange, but in some ways I was lucky to have lived with chronic illness most of my adult life. It meant I knew how to slip into post radiation/chemo fallout because I was already used to managing an unpredictable body. There are so many people who were perfectly healthy before treatment, and they’re now struggling to cope with a “new normal” they never expected. For me, I simply went back to where I already was, just with a few added extras. I feel for those people deeply, because I remember what it was like to realise my health would never go back to what it once was. It took me years to accept that. Having already walked that path made post cancer life… familiar.

I was terrified of treatment. Truly terrified. I didn’t think I’d survive it. But I did. And the strangest part is that I can honestly say the last five years have been the most peaceful of my life. I would say “happiest,” but I’ve come to realise that peace is a far more meaningful destination than happiness.

Even though I had cancer last year, I still consider this chapter of my life one of the best. Going through that storm in the environment I’m in now l, with the emotional work I’ve already done, was strangely perfect timing. These past five years have been full of self-discovery, growth, and healing. And when you add in my precious small circle of people who support me… it ended up being exactly the right moment for me to navigate the cancer journey.

Post cancer life isn’t a straight line, it’s this strange mix of gratitude, fear, resilience, and adjustment. I’m learning to meet it with curiosity instead of dread, letting it be what it is rather than what I fear it could become. If the next chapter brings challenges, I’ll face them with the same stubborn strength that’s carried me through everything so far. And if it brings quiet, ordinary days… well, that’s a gift too.