Cancer Fatigue

Cancer Fatigue is a kinda nasty side effect of treatment for cancer. I was told that I might experience some loss of stamina and have some weakness after my treatments. That's pretty easy to ignore. What I actually experienced wasn't so easy to ignore.

Cancer fatigue seems to defy logic. It would seem logical that not exerting a lot of energy would save stamina, but that's not how it works. I have to be physically active for at least half an hour every couple of hours or I run out of gas and can't stay awake without coffee or something similar.

The job I used to have was a desk job where I wrote SQL computer instructions. That's a desk job that requires a lot of focus and concentration. That didn't work out well with cancer fatigue.

My application for Short Term Disability insurance has been denied, so I've lost my job, since I've been off work a couple of months while I'm concentrating on building up some stamina.

I'm starting to think that cancer fatigue can be controlled, but not cured. In the last 4 months I've only had 4 days where I was able to stay awake for 12 or more consecutive hours. I suspect I could be doing better if I had a rigorous exercise schedule, but I'm 62 and I've never required a rigorous exercise schedule. Changing life patterns after 60 years is not easy.

I've lost my job, which means I have to cover my own insurance without an employer contributing. Decent insurance for me and my wife is about $1,000 a month. I guess I should count my blessings for having things set up to where I think I can handle that until I'm eligible for Medicare and my wife is eligible for Social Security.

Social Security at 62

I've lost two friends from this disease since I heard the words, "You have cancer". Both were in the age range where this information was relevant.

I applied for Social Security today. Taking it early, I get 75% of what I would have gotten had I waited until I was 66. Yep, 66, not 65. The age is being raised.

If I was going to get $1,000 a month, I'll get $750. In 4 years, I would collect $36,000. When I'm 66, I will get $250 less every month. $250 a month takes 144 months (12 years) to reach $36,000. I would be 78 before my total receipts from Social Security would be the same whether I had taken the smaller amount earlier or the larger amount later. That's not calculating the difference in value between receiving money today as opposed to receiving it later.

Financial advisers recommend taking SS early even if it's not needed. Invest it. There's an option at age 70 where you can change your mind and reapply for the monthly amount you'd get if you had waited that long to apply. You have to pay back the money you've already received, but there's no interest charged.

So, invest the money you get from 62 to 70 if you don't need it. Pay it back at 70 and keep the interest you've earned on it. Then you get the monthly payment you would have gotten had you waited until 70 to apply for SS.

An interesting link I found on the Social Security website was "Instructions For The Blind".