Cancer is one of the most devastating illnesses to be diagnosed with. Fears about cancer are well-earned, as it is one of the top five causes of death every year in the U.S. Just because you get a cancer diagnosis does not mean your life is over, though. In fact, coming out the other side with your life is a reason to celebrate and enjoy yourself.
Breast cancer is an especially curable form of cancer. With so many women recovering from the disease, figuring out how you’re going to live a fulfilling life after cancer is just as important as surviving.
You need to identify what made you happy before your diagnosis and whether those priorities still factor into your life now. There’s also the importance of keeping up with your health after being cured of cancer.
Going to doctor’s appointments, figuring out mammogram costs, and keeping yourself upbeat are just some of the things that need to be done after having breast cancer. We’ll cover these and some other ways to live as a cancer survivor.
Table of Contents
#1 – Surround Yourself With Family
When you first get a devastating diagnosis like cancer, you might think your time with family is coming to an end. Your loved ones are there for you through the treatment, and they want to be with you just as much afterward. Appreciate how you have overcome such a horrible disease and enjoy the time you have with your family.
If your cancer caused you to take time off from work, don’t rush back to work after recovering from cancer. Remember the people who care about you want to see you thrive in your post-cancer life, not just survive. This means focusing on what truly matters: the people who love you.
Think about reconnecting with older friends from your past or relatives you didn’t think about often enough. Overcoming cancer has a way of letting you know who really matters and who doesn’t. Be with the people who have always loved you, and try to mend fences with those who you have had disagreements with. You never know when it will be too late to do so.
#2 – Think About Your Career and Hobbies
After you recover from cancer, it might be time to reevaluate what you were spending your time doing before your diagnosis. Were you wasting your life in a job that wasn’t making you happy? Perhaps it’s a good time to find your true passion in the workforce. One option is to explore entering a new industry that means something to you.
Try a hobby you never experienced in the past. Maybe you can combine your new hobbies with your career aspirations to create a new side hustle. It’s all about seeing how cancer can give you a new lease on life. Don’t toil away doing the things you were doing before if you felt unsatisfied.
If you were happy with your career and hobby choices before you got sick, then there isn’t any reason to change up. These suggestions are more for people who needed their illness to give them an awakening. We sometimes don’t value time in our lives until it’s too late, and almost dying puts things into perspective in a unique way.
#3 – Go to the Doctor
Many forms of cancer have a high rate of returning in the five years after being gone. This means it is very important for women to get to their doctor for their checkups. Mammograms are the most essential tool for physicians to understand whether breast cancer has returned.
If you don’t have employer-sponsored insurance to cover the costs of a mammogram and you’re a low-income person, think about signing up for Medicaid. This government program will pay for annual mammograms for all women over 40 years of age. This is great because the risk of developing breast cancer increases with age.
Doctors will also be able to check on your other healthy habits after recovering from cancer. It is important to get exercise, eat good food, and stay in a positive state of mind after returning to your previous life. This does not happen overnight. It is a process to figure out what your body can handle. Your doctor will help you to do this.
If you are struggling with mental health problems after recovering from cancer, your doctor can refer you to a therapist. Often people will have problems with depression and anxiety after having cancer because they want everything to go back to the way it was before.
Some people who have undergone chemotherapy lose their hair. This can be a huge self-esteem issue for some folks. Talking to a professional about these problems is a huge confidence booster.
Other physical problems can occur due to cancer, like weight loss due to chemotherapy. As was already mentioned, a proper diet and exercise regimen can be suggested by a doctor.
#4 – Take Out Life Insurance
You may be thinking more about your mortality after you survive cancer. This means you are probably concerned with whether your family will be able to financially support themselves if cancer comes back and you don’t make it. Getting life insurance after breast cancer is possible depending on how you keep up with your health.
Following the suggestions above can help you prove to life insurance companies you are a healthy person after surviving cancer. Certain types of cancer are more likely to return than others. In the case of breast cancer, it is a treatable disease and will lend itself to getting life insurance more than other cancers.
Talk to your insurance agent about what you are doing to stay healthy after cancer recovery. If you don’t want to take a medical exam to get life insurance, you can always get a guaranteed policy. These don’t pay out as much money as term policies, but at least something is better than nothing.
Living in the aftermath of surviving cancer can be difficult but fulfilling. Surrounding yourself with family and figuring out your purpose in life with your career aspirations and hobby-building is a huge step in the right direction. Be grateful for getting a second chance at life, and never take it for granted.
