It will be two years in March since I quit drinking. I had been diagnosed with cancer at the back of my tongue. The idea of drinking after going through the radiation and chemo to get better seemed like pouring gasoline on a fire. Lucky for me, the radiation killed my taste buds, and alcohol did not taste right.
The cancer is clear, and my tastes are coming back, but the whiskey is getting dusty. At one point after the treatments, I ended up in hospital because my immune system was so compromised by the treatments. As it was hard to eat, I started to realize how the painkillers had taken over. So I had to quit those too. It wasn’t easy, but I knew the alternative was not acceptable.
Two years before the cancer, I had a triple bypass. So I’ve had my share, but thank my lucky stars that I live in Canada, where the costs for all these treatments were covered.
I have a couple substacks where I explore these health challenges. Thank you for your posts.
Medical PTSD is so real and so under-discussed. I am glad to have delay with chronic health issues in my 30s versus your 20s when everyone expects you to be sort and having the time of your life. Thanks for your bravery in sharing this story.
Thanks, Tara! Chronic health issues are never easy, but it is extra challenging when your entire peer group is living it up and you can barely get out of bed.
Katie! Thanks for your beautiful and very moving reflections on medical trauma . . . as a psychologist who works with medical trauma patients, I was really touched by your words and your story. And trying to anesthetize medical trauma - even if it is done in ways that are unhelpful -is understandable. Thanks for highlighting what is a hugely unappreciated problem.
Hi Katie! Thank you. I've worked with survivors of medical trauma for about 25 years. Oddly - sadly - it still receives relatively little attention. I'm trying to change that, and I look forward to receiving your feedback as I hope it is helpful. It is called "Reclaiming Your Life from Medical Trauma" and it is being published by Little Brown. It is out on April 28th . . . by God's grace, I hope it makes an impact.
I’m glad it was helpful. Feel free to DM if you ever want to chat privately about this stuff—I know how hard it is to find people who really understand
Such an important conversation starter- thanks so much. I just started PT after my fifth bladder surgery. The Physical Therapist actually started to cry while I was describing my medical history while doing the initial intake. It was surprising but also a validation of what I've gone through. I've been sober since '91 and discovered that I'm also allergic to opioids after my first surgery. My HP has quite a sense of humor. All the best.
It will be two years in March since I quit drinking. I had been diagnosed with cancer at the back of my tongue. The idea of drinking after going through the radiation and chemo to get better seemed like pouring gasoline on a fire. Lucky for me, the radiation killed my taste buds, and alcohol did not taste right.
The cancer is clear, and my tastes are coming back, but the whiskey is getting dusty. At one point after the treatments, I ended up in hospital because my immune system was so compromised by the treatments. As it was hard to eat, I started to realize how the painkillers had taken over. So I had to quit those too. It wasn’t easy, but I knew the alternative was not acceptable.
Two years before the cancer, I had a triple bypass. So I’ve had my share, but thank my lucky stars that I live in Canada, where the costs for all these treatments were covered.
I have a couple substacks where I explore these health challenges. Thank you for your posts.
Congrats on two years and being cancer free! (And for living in Canada, lol!)
Medical PTSD is so real and so under-discussed. I am glad to have delay with chronic health issues in my 30s versus your 20s when everyone expects you to be sort and having the time of your life. Thanks for your bravery in sharing this story.
Thanks, Tara! Chronic health issues are never easy, but it is extra challenging when your entire peer group is living it up and you can barely get out of bed.
Testify! Sister ♥
Thanks for sharing this. Two cancer surgeries last year, and I still flinch when I see a needle.
Katie! Thanks for your beautiful and very moving reflections on medical trauma . . . as a psychologist who works with medical trauma patients, I was really touched by your words and your story. And trying to anesthetize medical trauma - even if it is done in ways that are unhelpful -is understandable. Thanks for highlighting what is a hugely unappreciated problem.
Thank you! I’m thrilled to see you’re writing a book about medical trauma. I look forward to reading it!
Hi Katie! Thank you. I've worked with survivors of medical trauma for about 25 years. Oddly - sadly - it still receives relatively little attention. I'm trying to change that, and I look forward to receiving your feedback as I hope it is helpful. It is called "Reclaiming Your Life from Medical Trauma" and it is being published by Little Brown. It is out on April 28th . . . by God's grace, I hope it makes an impact.
Thank you for sharing your experience and thoughts on this topic. It's extremely relevant and helpful to me at this time.
I’m glad it was helpful. Feel free to DM if you ever want to chat privately about this stuff—I know how hard it is to find people who really understand
Well done, Katie. What a terrible trauma, and what a clear picture I now have of your frightening experience.
Such an important conversation starter- thanks so much. I just started PT after my fifth bladder surgery. The Physical Therapist actually started to cry while I was describing my medical history while doing the initial intake. It was surprising but also a validation of what I've gone through. I've been sober since '91 and discovered that I'm also allergic to opioids after my first surgery. My HP has quite a sense of humor. All the best.