Hello chyanros

I'm sorry to hear that you're struggling with fatigue following your surgery last year. It sounds as if you've been through quite a lot over the past three years and understandably this will have taken it's toll on your body. 

I'm going to tag in one of our members gruntifen who I know has also previously had a liver resection following a bowel cancer diagnosis. Hopefully, he will pop in to share his story with you and offer any words of advice that he can. 

If you think it would help to talk things through with someone you're welcome to call our team of nurses on 0808 800 4040, Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm. 

Look after yourself chyanros and hopefully as we move towards spring and warmer weather you will begin to feel a little better. 

Best wishes, 
Jenn
Cancer Chat moderator 

Hello chyanros,

                            that's quite a journey you have travelled so far and you wonder why you are so tired. How do you cope with the constant tiredness you ask, l think the universal answer would be with great difficulty. 

In my case l armed myself with bloodyminded stubbornness and determination, added a degree or two of common sense,. an acceptance of reality and learnt (finally) some patience.

This translated into pushing myself to the point of exhaustion,but never beyond, accepting the need to collapse into bed and rest before getting up to do it all over again .l dispensed with a timetable and a 24 hour clock and done work as and when l was capable.

l was helped (?!*) by having to carry on with our guesthouse and hostel, community post office and our flock of sheep and herd of cattle, not the easiest of things to put aside because you do not feel up to it, and l certainly did not need any external motivation from elsewhere. l have always felt that the animals were my salvation as they kept me to the task in hand and helped with my recovery.

There is no easy way as you are currently finding out and its a fine line pushing your body to heal itself quicker without overdoing it and risking collapse .l found myself having more conversations with it and learning a far greater understanding of it than previously.

lt helps to have the motivation from doing something so you can rejoice at the little successes of achievement to balance out the disappointments along your recovery journey,

l lost 65% of my liver in the one hit which thankfully only meant the one liver operation, and the pain was something else. The pre-op chemo/radio and post op chemo took me to tiredness levels l previously never knew existed, and l was  no shrinking violent when it came to this having previously recovered from a road accident that shattered arm/leg, broken ribs,fingers and shoulder, two hip replacements, hernia repair., which was a walk in the park by way of comparison. 

So yes l can well understand how desperately tired you feel at present, but here l am ten years on still with my animals everyday and having built my retirement bungalow during my recuperation, so there is light at the end of the tunnel, it just takes a little longer and a lot harder to achieve than you would have wished, and the disrupted 5 years l struggled through has been repaid since emerging from the tunnel of recuperation has left me younger and fitter than ever. Of course l still have the residual effects of bowel surgery and feet neuropathy from the chemo but my mind is stronger so l can carry them without impediment to my daily life if this makes sense

They say what don't kill you makes you stronger and l can vouch for that. Cast your eyes to that future you would wish for yourself and you will find the tools and the way to get there if you stay true to the vision, In the meantime be kind to your mind and patient with your body,

                                                                                                                                                                                David

I want to reply straight away  but will also reply later too as there is so much to reflect on in hearing your  story. Your common sense and patience and perseverance shine thro and in just a few minutes you've sent me a good dollop of of sense. I hope we can keep in touch if that's ok . I'll start today better because of you 

hello again,

                    great, thats one positive to begin a new day. Happy for you to keep in touch either like this or more privately by sending a friend request ,take care,David