Making Life-Changing Decisions as a Cancer Survivor

Cancer survivors are acutely aware of our limited time on earth. Mortality can be in our face. As a cancer survivor, I think more about what really matters and how I want to spend my time. I began to rethink my career, friends, family, travel, and other pursuits.

Spirituality has become a greater focus of my life and gives me great comfort. Thanks to the encouragement of our financial advisor, my husband and I were both able to retire. Travel with family is a priority and we have been able to cruise with our son and family. I have vowed to never miss an opportunity to spend time with my granddaughter.

Be prepared for change

After the experience of cancer, one may look at life differently. Be prepared for change. Focus on yourself, as you are in control of your choices. Do what feels right. Try something new. For me, it was traveling with family and beach time. Consider giving back. I found pleasure and fulfillment in volunteering at the rehabilitation hospital where my husband received phenomenal care.

The latest challenge is my husband’s desire to move to our shore house. This made me realize the power of decision-making and the chain of events that it may cause. It may sound simple to live full time at our shore house. This would reduce our two-hour commute, less work to keep two houses clean, and a lessened financial burden.

However, I would not live one street away from my son and his family, I would not be near my phenomenal physicians and the hospital where I worked and can go to for an emergency. I needed to carefully analyze the impact of this move. It felt right after my son encouraged me when I said I felt overwhelmed.

Act on your decision

It is important to act on it after you make the decision. I started a list of what had to be done. This included cleaning out the basement, deciding which furniture to donate, and repairing several tiles. By taking action, I was sure this decision became a reality and not just a dream. I also told my family about the decision, this way there was no going back.

Flexibility is important

We contacted a lovely real estate agent and set a date to place the house on the market. I thought the date was too soon as we had minor repairs to make but my husband was optimistic.

Well as luck would have it, his “back went out” and we had to reschedule the date so that the repairs could be completed. Turns out that once I made the decision, I was the one to start cleaning, contacted a mason to fix the broken tile and explored a moving company.

Some decisions in life are harder to make. I have always loved the beach and living near the shore has been a dream. I am looking at this move as a new chapter in our lives. Hopefully, the above suggestions can help other cancer survivors in decision making as “this is life and not a dress rehearsal”