Now that my wife has completed cancer treatment, how do we move forward with our lives?

69. Now that my wife has completed cancer
treatment, how do we move forward with
our lives?

Advances in the early diagnosis and treatment of cancer
are increasing the number of people who survive
the disease. This also means that there is an increasing
number of patients and families who need input about
putting their cancer behind them and moving forward
again.

This may seem an easy adjustment to some people,
but for others, it is not. They may ask themselves,
“Isn’t this what I have dreamed about since the diagnosis?
Shouldn’t we be grateful she survived the cancer?”

However, the following issues may arise for both
patients and family members during the posttreatment
phase and complicate the process of cancer
recovery:

• Fear of cancer recurrence
• Changed self-esteem and self-image
• Legal and financial issues after diagnosis (e.g., initiating
a new job search, writing “the right résumé,” etc.)
• Concern about possible genetic predisposition of
cancer in family members
• Concern about future medical issues, follow-up, and
screening
• Leading a healthy lifestyle, including exercising,
stopping smoking, changing dietary habits
• Unresolved life issues that were postponed because
of diagnosis and treatment (such as marrying or
separating, having children, or changing careers)
• Long-term treatment side effects, such as scars,
ostomy, infertility, and sexual issues

Often, techniques used for coping with cancer diagnosis
and treatment help patients and their spouses
develop a broader understanding of life that includes
all of their experiences, including surviving cancer.

However, sometimes after treatment, survivors and
their families experience new problems in coping and
need to investigate new avenues to help themselves.

For some who coped well during the whole diagnosis
and treatment phase, the realization of the cancer
experience sometimes hits them long after the ordeal
is over. If you or your wife experiences some problems
moving forward, you may want to find a support
group, another survivor, or an oncology mental health
professional to help you understand and manage these
issues as you work toward restoring your quality of life.

Further information is available at survivorship programs
at many cancer centers, such as the American
Cancer Society and CancerCare, Inc.