Experiences with Surgery

Reasons for cancer surgery include cancer prevention when there is a high risk of cancer, to determine a cancer diagnosis, to determine the stage of cancer, as primary cancer treatment, to remove or repair a part of the body that has cancer, to check lymph nodes for cancer, to perform debulking to remove as much of the cancer as possible, or to relieve cancer symptoms and improve quality of life. There are many types of cancer surgery; chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and/or hormone therapy is often done after surgery. No matter what the specific goals of cancer surgery, cancer patients are ultimately losing part or parts of their body. This may feel unnatural, but you must learn to cope with the surgery experience.

Many people with cancer have difficulty hearing the words “You have cancer.”, and find it even more difficult to say the words, “Let’s do it”. It is hard to make treatment decisions; you may feel like you are losing control. A lot of WhatNexter’s ask “What are the emotions that come from having surgery?” or “How will I resume normal activity after surgery?”. Many people say that it is difficult to adjust to a new lifestyle after cancer surgery, and that you must accept yourself despite your loss. Just as it is okay to grieve after a cancer diagnosis, it is okay to mourn your loss whether it is prostate cancer surgery, breast cancer surgery, lung cancer surgery, colorectal cancer surgery, or other types of cancer surgery. However, then you must accept the new life you are given because of that loss. There are some outstanding stories shared by WhatNexter’s, read these stories, ask questions, and share your personal journey below.