Hi, Paul.

As a person who has battled with depression/anxiety since childhood, going through this cancer journey has been my biggest challenge and has absolutely exacerbated my formerly well-managed illness. I have very young children and I feel guilty as most days I am just so tired I often doze off on the couch. I have returned to work part-time in November in a similar environment to yours and at this point it takes me 3 days to recover from the exhaustion of 2 full days of work...which adds to my depression and guilt.

I'm hoping this vicious cycle breaks soon. Some days are better than others, but it's been a slow process. I am getting all of the help I need, but it's my time to get my life back in order and take some personal responsibility to take better care of myself so I can feel my best.

Stick around...I hear it gets better, perhaps not in our own time frame.

Be well,
Kerri


37 y/o fem at Dx (23 wks preg @ dx on 3/16/11)
SCC L oral tongue (no risk factors)
L partial gloss/MND 3/28/11 @ 25 wks preg
T1-2N0M0; no rads/chemo
Tonsillectomy on 8/6/12 +SCC L tonsil T2-3N1M0 (HPV-)
Treated with 35 rads/7 carbo & taxol (Rx ended 10/31/12), but many hospitalizations d/t complications from rx.
Various scans since rx ended are NED!
Part of genetic study for rare cancers @ MGH.
44 years old now...I wasn't sure I would make it! Hoping for 40 more!