One of the new words/phrases in my vocabulary since cancer diagnosis in 2009 is "new normal": a concept I both understand and resent at the same time...
The Cancer Council NSW's page on Life after treatment puts it succinctly:
"Many people are surprised to discover that life after treatment presents its own challenges.
"Some people feel pressure from their family and friends to get back to their ‘normal life’. Everyone will eventually re-establish a daily routine, but it will be at their own pace and may be different to how things were in the past. Some people call this a ‘new normal’.
"Give yourself time to adjust to physical and emotional changes. You may not be fit enough to do your usual activities around the house. If you’re returning to work, ease back into it slowly, rather than rushing back the week after leaving hospital.
"Some people say that after cancer, they have changed priorities and see life with a new clarity. For example, you may decide to spend more time with family, start a new hobby, travel or get involved in advocacy or volunteer work."
... understand because this is exactly what has happened/is happening to me.
... resent because I really want the old normal back!
That is so true, and in our experience, for quite a while that "new normal" keeps changing. Today, hubby has just had his one year post stem cell transplant check up and all is going well. So it's now a year since treatment finished for him and he's now just beginning to regain a little more of the "old normal".
ReplyDeleteGreat to hear that all is going well! Always a relief. I wonder if we ever completely go back to the 'old' normal?
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