Hi Jodezilla
Your life changed the day you were diagnosed and all things take on a different meaning. It is no surprise that your priorities have changed.

Please know that what you are feeling is not uncommon and I would strongly suggest you get help. What sort is hard to determine when we don't know you and don't know so many details of what you have been through as well as your sense of self before cancer (BC).

However, here are some things to consider:
Time - give yourself some time to get used to what has happened to you. You need to accept that what you are feeling is to be expected and anyone who doesn't realise this needs educating.
Counselling - talk to someone who can help you through this difficult time and maybe suggest some strategies that are relevant to you. Consider that you might be suffering something akin to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder which is now well documented in people who have survived any sort of catastrophe.
Medication - it certainly sounds on the surface like you may be suffering from depression. Very common for people who have come through what you just have.

My Alex had a stage IV cancer, was an electrical engineer who was highly social. For him, the loss of ability to earn, socialise due to speech and eating difficulties, and need to rely on others to help him was devastating. On top of this, he suffered changes from chemo and radiation which are likely to have thrown his normal chemical balance out as well.

Once he realised that the irritability, confusion, despondency, lack of motivation, fatigue etc were not things he could talk himself out of and may be part of an actual chemical imbalance, he tried antidepressants with great effect. In Alex's case he was (and still is) skeptical of counselling and unfortunately does not see talking as a possible solution (he views psychology as being right up there with astrology).

If you are not ready to talk to someone, at least come here and vent or get some ideas. But don't beat yourself up or think your reactions are abnormal, weak or peculiar in anyway. You are sooo normal.

Come back often and get support here at least

Karen


Karen
Love of Life to Alex T4N2M0 SCC Tonsil, BOT, R lymph nodes
Dx March 2010 51yrs. Unresectable. HPV+ve
Tx Chemo x 3+1 cycles(cisplatin,docetaxel,5FU)- complete May 31
Chemoradiation (IMRTx35 + weekly cisplatin)
Finish Aug 27
Return to work 2 years on
3 years out Aug 27 2013 NED smile
Still underweight