|
You’ve
just left the doctor’s office and your head is reeling. You have
cancer. Here are the tests, here are the numbers. Here is the
reality; you have cancer.
On the
day this happens you will experience feelings and emotions
that may include fear, anger, panic and the sense that you have lost
control of your own life.
What can you do on
this Day One?
What should you do when you get home? Here are a few practical steps
that may help.
-
Try
To Be Calm:
Find a quiet place, breath deeply and
consider these truths:
-
Cancer is not
the death sentence it once was. For example, during the
1990s, breast cancer mortality rates fell in white women by
2.5 percent a year, while they declined more slowly in black
women, at a rate of 1.0 percent.
Source:
www.cbcrp.org/publications/whitepapers/Mayer/page_08.php.
-
Get all the
facts. The information you receive when you are first
diagnosed with cancer will often be just the basics. Your
doctor is faced with telling you the "bad" news and needs to
give you time and space to deal with the news. The next time
you meet with your doctor however, you need to know what
questions to ask. For good advice about the questions you
should ask, visit:
http://cancer.about.com/od/newlydiagnosed/a/drquestions.htm.
-
Some words are
"loaded" words. They have the power to instill fear and
anxiety. 'Cancer' is such a word. Before you let the power
of the word cloud your thinking, get more information on
just what cancer is. Here's a good place to start your
education:
http://cancer.about.com/od/newlydiagnosed/a/whatcancer.htm.
-
Tell Someone:
When you’re ready, contact your spouse, a family member or loved
one to tell them the news you’ve just received. This step may
sound obvious, but many recently diagnosed cancer patients are
reluctant to tell anyone. They know their life will be changing
and hope to put off the changes by keeping their condition
secret. Others feel that if they don’t tell anyone, it won’t be
real. Don’t do this to yourself. Health professionals generally
agree that after a brief period of living with the news, telling
a family member or friend is the single best and most important
thing a patient can do to begin the journey toward acceptance,
healing and wellness. For another perspective about telling
friends and family, including your children, visit this site:
http://cancer.about.com/od/newlydiagnosed/a/tellingfriends.htm.
-
Keep Your Wits About
You: You
may be scared and anxious on this Day One, but avoid alcohol or
drugs. They will just exaggerate the fears that are building
within you. If you feel you’re jumping out of your skin, take a
walk, cut the grass, go for a bike ride or clean the house.
-
Remember You Have
NOT Lost All Control.
Yes, there will be many changes coming up in your battle for
wellness that you will not be able to control, but you DO have
control over many elements of the fight, including:
-
There are
many types of treatments for many types of cancers and
you will have a choice in determining which is right for
you. Working with your doctor and other health
professionals, you will be the key player in determining the
healing path you should take.
To learn more
about various types of cancer as well as treatment options,
the below link will be most helpful. It will also help you
learn about the right questions to ask your doctor along
with prevention and early detection details.
http://www.cancer.org/docroot/HOME/pff/PFF_3.asp.
-
The more
knowledge you have about your type of cancer the easier
it will be to make an informed decision about your
treatment. Let the NexProfiler treatment option tool help
you with that informed decision. You will also find an
excellent Guide to Cancer Drugs.
http://www.cancer.org/docroot/ETO/eto_1_1a.asp.
-
You will need to
be pro-active in seeking a second opinion. Though
many doctors will urge you to seek a second opinion from the
very beginning, others may not. And in this case, you need
to pursue other opinions from other medical sources. For a
wide-ranging discussion of second opinions by doctors and
others, see:
http://www.cancersupportivecare.com/second_opinions.html.
Here's a quote from another site about the importance of
getting a second opinion:
"In 1999, Johns Hopkins Hospital conducted a study of 6,171
slides of patients referred for treatment. Of those slides,
86 were wrongly diagnosed. That is a 1.4% error rate. 20 of
the 86 patients they found to be wrongly diagnosed, received
unnecessary cancer treatment. That is just how much of a
difference getting a second opinion can make."
Read more at:
http://cancer.about.com/od/newlydiagnosed/f/secondopinion.htm.
Beyond Day One
After Day One, the real
challenge begins and you are up to it! Especially if you consider
these practical steps and check out the resources below.
-
Find A Support Group-
the beneficial effects of a cancer support group cannot be
over-stated. Whether the group is sponsored by a hospital, a
school or a church, a group can help you realize you are not
alone and provide tips and tools on dealing with your individual
health condition. The link below can help you begin your search
for counseling, advice, financial assistance and other
information regarding cancer,
http://www.shermanhealth.com/services/cancer/support.html.
-
Stay Connected With
Family & Friends-
You may not believe it now, but the support of your family and
friends will play a SIGNIFICANT role in your journey to
wellness. Keep in touch with your loved ones as much as is
practicable. Use the phone or email or old-fashioned letters if
need be. Consider too web-based services like:
www.caringconnectionsnetwork.org.
-
Get Involved With
The Fight Against Cancer-
Many cancer patients say that becoming involved in the battle
against cancer and efforts to raise funds and awareness has
given them more strength to fight the disease. Whether you help
stuff envelopes or participate in walks or other events,
activism can be a positive force in your journey.
-
Stay Vital / Be Nice
To Yourself-
No type of cancer is a picnic, but tell yourself, ‘I have
cancer; cancer does not have me.’ Don’t neglect your hobbies or
any activities that make you feel good. Make an effort to stay
active and vital. If you used to ride 5 miles on your bike,
maybe around the block is fine for now. And when it comes to
food, if a dark chocolate bar is your idea of heaven, take a
trip to heaven when you feel like it.
-
Keep Faith-
Whether you are religious or not, keep yourself open to the
healing and comforting powers of faith in a higher being and
other forms of spiritualism. They say your body is a temple, so
take advantage of it and pray or meditate in your own way.
"Breast cancer patients who are positive-thinking tolerate
treatment far better and have fewer side effects. These are the
people who watch what they eat, they exercise and, in the long
run, they do better. This group has a survival advantage." says
Michael Theodorakis, MD FACP. (Source: Energy Times magazine.
May 2005 Breast Cancer: Truth & Consequences by
Susan Wiener).
-
Research Your
Condition- Your health professionals will provide you with
lots of information, but remember, you are the leader of your
battle with cancer. Knowledge is your best weapon, so use the
Internet and other sources to learn all you can about types of
cancer and treatment options. See the links above and the Health
links at
www.caringconnectionsnetwork.org/healthlinks.htm.
-
Consider
Caregiver Options- The support role played by caregivers can
also have a great impact on your success in the journey to
wellness. This link offers caregiver tips that can be shared.
http://choosehope.com/support/caregiver_tips.php.
It is important to
remember that you are in control of your treatment and the more you
understand about your illness and the treatment options offered the
better decision-maker you will be. Review the Initiative above and
visit the links that seem most relevant to your condition now. You
may also want to visit our general Health Link page. Re-visit this
Initiative page regularly since it is updated as new resources
become available.
All of us at Caring
Connections Network hope you feel good today and better tomorrow!
God Bless you.
Patient Initiative
1-2005 by the Caring Connections Network
www.caringconnectionsnetwork.org
Project Leader: Donna
Pelletier (Diagnosed with breast cancer April 27, 2005)
Contributors: C. M.
C h a p m a n, Colleen Drolshagen, RN, CWOCN
Version 1 published November 21, 2005
(Revised 11/23/05)
If you have ideas for new Initiatives, would like to
volunteer as a researcher, or are an expert in a related field,
please send an email to:
donnasdesk@CaringConnectionsNetwork.org.
To suggest additional topics, links or resources send an email to
this
address. |
