Once Upon A Time, I Was A Healthy Person

I have many friends who, after cancer, get back to their old lives for the most part. I’m not talking about that ‘new normal’ bull, but just doing normal things like going back to work, taking part in all their family activities and all sorts of regular, every day life things.

Me, I did not get to go back to my regular life after breast cancer. My body had other plans for me. It decided it was time to fall apart.

After breast cancer, I got gall stones and had my gallbladder out six months after radiation ended. That winter I slipped on the ice, landed on my left hand and started all my lymphedema crap.

The following fall my back started hurting. When I realized I was taking OTC pain meds every day, I went to the doctor. I ended up being diagnosed with degenerating disks among other things. Later I sprained my ankle badly that included bone chips. I also hurt my right knee, again – previously injured skiing in 2001.

That went on fine until three years later when I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia which is a whole barrel of fun. In 2015, I fell in my backyard and managed to tear my ACL in my left knee.

What else? I don’t know. I have had basic dental stuff, possible recurrence with thyroid cancer that turned out to be nothing, and I can’t remember anything. I have been to PT probably five times for different ailments.

So, I am not a healthy person post cancer. I have a very dilapidated body post two cancers. I must be ‘healthy’ due to all the medications I take and the doctor appointments that I have. In the first five months of this year, I have had 27 appointments with doctors and dentists.

I’m still here. I may not be the healthy person I once was. But I am here.

Caroline’s Breast Cancer Blog