July is Sarcoma Awareness Month, and as a 19-year survivor of left abdominal wall sarcoma (diagnosed in September 2006), I still get teary-eyed when I receive e-mails from the Sarcoma Foundation of America about the aforementioned. Not just because of my own sarcoma journey, but because of sarcoma patients I’ve met along the way who did not win their battles and who were outstanding individuals on so many fronts, and because of friends who are still battling sarcoma or being monitored for sarcoma recurrence or metastasis.

For me, having pelvic-area radiation and two tumor-related surgeries to treat my form of sarcoma, as well as reduce risk of metastasis and recurrence, was only just the very beginning of having to deal with the impact of sarcoma. I shared my cancer-impact story on Our Heart Speaks’ website years back, and much of what I mentioned in the story about ongoing health challenges still rings true.

I still daily deal with constant, severe digestive-system issues (it’s why I don’t schedule work meetings early in the morning, because if I’m going to be sick, that’s usually when I am), and I can’t lift anything even slightly heavy because I had most of my stomach muscles removed over the course of seven abdominal-area surgeries, which means I regularly have to ask for help. Another reason I can’t lift heavy things is the risk of causing another incarcerated hernia (one of my emergency bowel resections mentioned in the aforementioned Our Heart Speaks post was necessary because of an incarcerated hernia). I’ve also been told to be careful about lower-body exercises that could cause an incarcerated hernia like swimming (an athletic activity that was a go-to exercise favorite of mine until I dealt with the implications of sarcoma).

I also have been dealing with neuropathy in my feet for the last three years or so. It’s is unknown if pelvic radiation caused this, but a lot of other testing has been done and typical/common causes have all been ruled out. I’m not letting it keep me from one of my favorite activities, walking, though!

What Is Soft Tissue Sarcoma/What Is Sarcoma?

As Memorial Sloan Kettering, an outstanding Cancer Center in the New York City area, explains, “Soft tissue sarcoma is a rare cancer that begins in the soft tissues of the body. Examples of soft tissue include fat, muscles, nerves, tendons, and blood and lymph vessels. Soft tissues can also be contained within organs. Sarcoma can happen in soft tissue anywhere in the body, but 40 percent occur in the arms and legs.

Cancer Treatment Often Isn’t A One And Done Thing

I hope you’ll take two things from this post:

• A knowledge of what sarcoma is and where/how you can donate to an organization devoted to creating awareness of it and research funds, i.e., the Sarcoma Foundation of America mentioned above.
• Many individuals who undergo cancer treatment — whether it be sarcoma or some other form of cancer — are never really done dealing with the impact of that cancer. It can have ongoing, life-long implications on one’s health, and in-turn, on their emotional/mental health from dealing with the chronic health issues resulting from it.

Need Inspiration To Keep Dealing With A Health Issue?

Check out our Keep Up The Fight website page, and reach out if there’s a song, person, organization, or quote you’d like us to add to it!