Cancer Diary: Fatigue

 

We all get tired. Life asks a lot of us—work, caregiving, grief, change. But sometimes, fatigue isn’t just a whisper of overwork. Sometimes, it’s a signal. And sometimes, it’s a warning.

In the cancer community, we learn to listen differently. We learn that fatigue can be more than a side effect—it can be a symptom. Not just of treatment, but of cancer itself. Before diagnosis. Before the scans. Before the words that change everything.

The Kind of Tired That Doesn’t Go Away

This isn’t the tired that lifts after a nap or a weekend off. It’s the kind that settles in your bones. That makes simple tasks feel monumental. That turns your usual rhythm into a slow, uncertain shuffle.

It’s easy to dismiss. Easy to say, “I’m just getting older,” or “I’ve been stressed,” or “It’s probably nothing.” And sometimes, it is nothing. But sometimes, it’s not.

What If Fatigue Is the First Clue?

Certain cancers—especially blood cancers like leukemia or lymphoma—can show up first as fatigue. Not pain. Not lumps. Just a deep, unrelenting tiredness. The kind that doesn’t make sense.

And that’s the point. When fatigue doesn’t make sense, it deserves attention. Not panic. Not self-diagnosis. Just attention. A conversation with a provider. A few tests. A moment of stewardship.

Listening Without Fear

This isn’t about fear. It’s about honoring the body’s wisdom. About not brushing off what feels off. About remembering that early detection can change everything.

If you’re tired in a way that feels new, strange, or stubborn—pause. Ask. Reflect. You don’t have to assume the worst. But you don’t have to ignore the possibility either.

For other Cancer Diary posts, click HERE.

Blog editor's note: As a memorial to Carl Leaver, MSI Press graphic arts director and designer, who died of Cancer of Unknown Primary August 16, 2021, and simply because it is truly needed, MSI Press is now hosting a web page, Carl's Cancer Compendium, as a one-stop starting point for all things cancer, to make it easier for those with cancer to find answers to questions that can otherwise take hours to track down on the Internet and/or from professionals. The web page is in its infancy but expected to expand into robustness. To that end, it is expanded and updated weekly. As part of this effort, each week, on Monday, this blog carries an informative, cancer-related story -- and is open to guest posts: Cancer Diary. 

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