1. Carve out one part of the week for something that gives you pleasure
2. Acknowledge your own emotions: frustration, anger, lack of control, fear.
3. Stay flexible. Expect change at any time.
4. Remind yourself why you’re doing this: love, a promise, an obligation
5. Give thanks.
6.Don’t worry about your caregiver skills. Be confident
7. Think only about today, not what can happen tomorrow
8. Ask for help. It’s okay.
9. Use 3 trusted loved ones as gut-checkers to test decisions.
10. You will get through this. You will.
* 1-7 thanks to www.compassionatecaregiveronline.com
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1 response so far ↓
1 Barbara // Oct 6, 2007 at 6:14 am
In February 2006, I was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. Since then, I’ve had intermittent therapy taking Rituxan every six months once a week for four weeks. I just finished the final round of this “chemotherapy” yesterday. I feel great. But, when I was diagnosed, I was confused, devastated, afraid, and I didn’t have a clue what to expect. So, I called the number on a brochure given to me at my doctor’s office. It was to a support nurse at the Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center in Scottsdale, Arizona. I made an appointment and got the best advise I’ve had since being diagnosed. I was handed a three-ring binder filled with dividers containing a calendar, a place to put business cards of various health providers I would encounter, a place for notes, and a section with educational information. She told me to write in it and use it for five minutes every day. Close it, and go about my daily business as I would normally. I don’t need to use it every day any longer, but that worked for me.
In addition, exercise has helped a lot to release stress and provide a positive attitude in my life. Just walking every day for 30 minutes is all one needs to do in order to get that natural high that carries one through the day. If you don’t already have an exercise routine, try it. You’ll like it. AND, you will loose any extra pounds you carry if you eat a healthy diet.
Here is the online brochure for the Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center:
http://www.shc.org/pdf/Brochure_VGPiperCancerCenter.pdf
My heart and prayers are with all of the families dealing with cancer.
Barbara in Phoenix, Arizona
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