A mesothelioma diagnosis can drastically change your life. Your days often become focused on appointments with doctors, chemotherapy sessions and routine testing. When you are no longer undergoing active treatment, it can be hard for you and your loved ones to adjust to this "new normal." Learn how to overcome the challenges of adjusting to life after mesothelioma cancer treatments.

1. Getting Back to Life After
Mesothelioma Treatment
Today’s Moderator:
Dana Nolan, MS LMHC
Licensed Mental Health Counselor

2. Adjusting to a Life
with Mesothelioma
No one ever wants to make the adjustment
to being a mesothelioma patient, yet many
people do just that.
At diagnosis, life becomes filled with doctor
appointments, scans, blood work and
treatment (chemotherapy, radiation,
surgery or a combination of these).
(877) 626-5916

3. A New Kind of Normal
Most patients say they look forward to getting
their life back when chemotherapy or radiation
is finished or after they heal from surgery.
People just want their normal life back.
What many mesothelioma patients find is
“normal” life doesn’t return as it was before
diagnosis, but a new normal must be
established.
(877) 626-5916

4. Filling the Void
When treatment finishes, there is usually a
period of adjustment once all the doctor
appointments and treatment effects subside.
It can feel like a lack of cancer treatment left
a void in life.
While many patients are relieved to have
their lives less consumed with treatment, it
can lead to some challenges as well.
(877) 626-5916

5. Lack of Surveillance
There is something comforting about your
oncologist and other members of the
treatment team regularly monitoring you
during treatment.
Some patients report hardships if three
months pass without them seeing their
oncologists after finishing treatment.
(877) 626-5916

6. Fear of Recurrence
Once a mesothelioma patient finishes
treatment, they may feel scared about not
doing something actively to fight their
disease.
It’s during these times of no active treatment
that some patients fear their cancer may
return.
(877) 626-5916

7. Discovering Your New Normal
Most mesothelioma patients acknowledge
their diagnosis and treatment has changed
them in many ways.
There is the understandable expectation that
survivors will simply pick up their lives where they
left off at diagnosis.
Many survivors attempt a return to normality but
find it isn’t so easy. Some may not want a return
to where they were.
(877) 626-5916

8. Discovering Your New Normal (cont.)
Some survivors find they want to make
positive changes in their lives after their
cancer treatment.
These changes may include adopting a
healthier lifestyle, leaving or trying to fix
unhappy relationships, a career change or
taking up hobbies.
(877) 626-5916

9. Dealing with Uncertainty
and the Unknown
Fear of recurrence is a common challenge for
mesothelioma survivors.
If left unchecked, this fear can become so
overwhelming that survivors are unable to
enjoy their lives after treatment.
(877) 626-5916

10. A Normal (and Healthy) Fear
Some fear of recurrence while off treatment
is normal, and it can be helpful.
Mesothelioma patients who have a healthy
amount of this fear will monitor their health
better than those who don’t, and they’re more
likely to report any issues to their oncologist.
They are also more likely to keep their follow-up
appointments and accept recommendations to
maximize their health.
(877) 626-5916

11. Know Your Follow-up Plan
Adjusting to life after treatment will feel less
scary if you know your follow-up plan.
How often will you see your oncologist?
What scans or blood work is needed and how
often?
What symptoms should you report?
What symptoms can you expect in terms of
recovering from treatment? Exhaustion? Nausea?
Pain?
(877) 626-5916

12. Allow Time and Permission to
Create Your New Normal
Don’t force yourself to adhere to a strict
schedule of recovery or insist that you return
to the exact same person you were before
treatment.
Loved ones may understandably expect you
will return to being the person you were
before diagnosis, and they may not
understand if you want to make some
changes in life.
(877) 626-5916

13. Balancing Life and Recovery
It can be challenging to adjust to life after
cancer treatment.
If survivors acknowledge recovery is a long
process and uncertainty about the future is part
of the new normal, then they can feel more
hopeful about life.
Be courageous and open to new experiences as a
survivor so you can live your life after treatment
to the fullest.
(877) 626-5916

14. Contact Information
1-877-626-5916
(877) 626-5916
Facebook.com/themesocenter
@TheMesoCenter