2. GET
A CANCER BUDDY
My doctor found, at my request, a friend several months ahead
of me in my treatment. She proved to be invaluable as I could
ask her questions like: "When this happened, did you feel
this?" "Do you feel like killing your husband today?"
"Why am I so tired?" "Why am I so weepy?"
and she explained what it was like for her. Being in mystery
about what is going on is a big drag and is a proven immune
suppressor. So, get your questions and fears on the table and
get help for your emotional life!
3. SEEING
MY VIDEO, NOT AFRAID TO LAUGH
I used humor (stand-up comedy) to help me confront my illness.
This video/documentary (13 minutes) shows a taste of my odyssey.
But, just so you know, it is not for the faint of heart. It
is short, but I show you the medical procedures and you also
see how down you can get. But you also see that I got through
it! I found things to entertain myself about it, to laugh at.
I documented my odyssey for the first year of my treatment,
ran around with a camera and pointed it at myself to record
what I was going through. This process of doing MY ART was extremely
helpful. I was in denial and doing the art made it more real.
It made it easier for me to accept "WHY ME? WHY NOW?"
and all those feelings!
4. GET
HELP WITH THE BILLS AND INSURANCE!
This was hard. Paying bills and filling out insurance forms
was just too much for me during treatment and recovery. I didn't
thrown them out (although I wanted to) but I let them pile up
in a bunch of paper bags where I didn't have to face them. When
I started getting penalties, I thought I better take some kind
of action A friend (who had been through cancer) suggested that
I get help. I ended up bartering with a student to have them
fill everything out. There are also services that you can find
who will pay your bills and fill out your insurance statements.
Just ask around, or delegate, delegate, delegate. I know of
once cancer survivor that has an assistant kind of person come
over one afternoon a week just to help out with the bills and
shopping! YOU ARE SO WORTH IT AND THE PEACE OF MIND WILL BE
BENEFIT ENOUGH!
PLEASE NOTE: These techniques and other
suggestions on this site are
intended as complementary suggestions
to whatever your primary physician has
suggested that you do for your health and healing. These suggestions
are
not intended to replace your doctors' and other healing practitioners'
advice. The BC Tool Kit's suggestions are intended to be supportive
on your
self-healing journey, and are based on my own personal experiences
and
antidotal data. They are steeped in my belief that it is important
to take the
power back once you have been diagnosed with cancer. These self-help
techniques can be used to reinforce usual medical treatment
-- techniques
for learning positive attitudes, relaxation, visualization,
goal setting,
managing pain, exercise, and building an emotional and healing
support team