As treatment comes to an end some patients feel left in a world without someone to turn to or a physician’s office to visit. The last several months have been occupied by treatments, doctor visits and procedures. That chapter has now come to a close and your new chapter will focus on survivorship.
Survivorship encompasses your life after treatment. It includes when you should follow up with your surgeon, oncologist, gynecologist and family practitioner. There are resources included that will help guide you through this phase.
You should keep records of your physicians, treatments and medicines. It is easier to gather this information one time and take it with you to appointments. Some people like to keep a journal, or you may request that the office make a copy for their records so you won’t have to keep writing this information time after time.
For some survivors, it’s easy to feel a sense of loss after completing treatment. You may even feel abandoned by your physicians. We want you to know that this is not the case, and your physicians are here for you whenever you need them. Whether you’re in treatment or not, you are still their patient and you still matter.
Now is your time to reflect on where you have been and where you are going in the future.
You are a Survivor.