For many people the first few weeks after cancer diagnosis are very difficult. They feel denial, anger, fear, depression and loneliness, and all those feelings are normal. Here are some advices how to overcome the diagnosis that isn't death sentence, but at first it certainly sounds devastating.
Article continues below
No matter what form of cancer a patient has, the rule No1 is: eat. Be it just a toast or a cup of yogurt, you need to eat, sometimes having food in your stomach helps give the chemotherapy something to attach to instead of your body fat. Eating also can help keep those blood counts at a good level. There are proteins and other nutrients that can help your body handle the chemotherapy easier.
Talk is at the place No2. Talk to anyone about anything you are feeling, be it your friends, family, nurses, or friends. If you don't want to talk to someone, talk out loud when you are alone, go for a walk and just talk things out to yourself, or pray. You don't want to keep everything bottled up inside, that's not good for you.
Another very simple yet very effective form of help are hugs. Grab your pet and cuddle with them or even a stuffed animal from your childhood, anything that will you the comfort you need. Since cancer is a serious diagnosis, don't think that you have "important things to worry about" or "that's too silly" - use everything you can to feel better and beat that dark mood.
Since the therapy can put an enormous stress on the body, try to find the time for relaxation. Go and take a nice bubble bath and read a good book. Grab a colouring book and colour, it's so relaxing and gets your mind off of things. If you are so inclined, write a story or poem, anything to keep your mind from anything dealing with cancer. Go for a walk and enjoy the seasons and the things surrounding you and enjoy every moment. Remember: many small good moments makes one big good day.
There are numerous studies that show that you should exercise. Try something that is low impact because of the limitation on the body. Something like yoga and swimming helps your body to stay in shape while going through the therapy. Both are very relaxing and swimming makes you feel weightless, and it takes your mind off of things. Doing even a low impact exercise helps keep some of your energy level up, and as you get better your energy level with continue to get better.
Try to get as much normalcy into your life. It is very hard at the beginning but just because there are limits to what you can do, that doesn't mean you can't do almost anything you want. Go shopping, go and see the movies, meet with your friend: those little things, so usual for a healthy person, will keep your life as normal as possible. Don't allow the cancer to control your life - you can still control many aspects of it. Just because you were diagnosed with a serious disease, doesn't mean you should give up on the things you love.
Get in touch with the cancer society or support group, they are simply wonderful. They can help you with prescriptions, wigs, mileage, and so much more. They provide seminars, talk with survivors and much more to help you see that you're not alone. It makes you feel better and see that people really do care about what's happening to you. Talking to them can be so helpful and reassuring because they understand it's a hard time for you and they really want to help.
Having cancer can do a great damage to you - if you let it. There are ways to cope and deal with having cancer. Don't let it run over your life, take control and say "this is my life." And remember: those are not just advices for an easier life, it is proved that they can even save your life. ■