Keep Holding On - Ideas and Suggestions from Ema - # 3

Here are my recovery ideas and suggestions for this week:

*** Start a journal. Nothing fancy, just a place to describe your
journey. I'm not big on the "Dear Diary" type of journal. Instead I just note down my procedures and how I'm feeling. That way I can look back and see that yes, I actually have made a lot of progress even though it seems that the recovery goes so SLOWLY…. Also, it's a good place to complain, fret and vent so that I don't wear out my support people.

*** While you want to be as well informed about your disease as possible, be very careful about going on the web to research. Do your research when you are feeling strong. It is incredibly easy to get discouraged and terrified reading the data that is out there. Remember that some of the information on the web is outdated. The statistics may not be as positive as you'd like but consider that they aren't able to take into account all of the great things that you are personally bringing to this fight (like your tenacity, optimism, general good health, etc.). You can even ask a friend to go online for you and filter through the data and bring you back the good stuff. Go over this information with your doctor, letting him know that you are being pro-active with your recovery.

*** Friends will ask how they can help. It was hard for me to think of things to ask for. There were so many things I needed help with, but some of the stuff was just too personal. I really needed help with keeping up with the laundry but could never bring myself to ask a friend to come over to do a few loads. I would've loved for someone to step in and take a couple of needle sticks for me or hey, how about sitting in for this round of chemo – I'm getting pretty tired of it –
but nope, doesn't work that way. Finally I figured out some smaller things that helped a lot.

* Bring me a good escapist movie or a book
* Drop off some magazines that they're finished with (I loved magazines during treatment – easy to look at when you're feeling loopy or just tired)
* Provide dinner for our family next Tuesday.
* Pick up a prescription from the pharmacy for me.
* If you're going to the grocery store give me a call - I probably need milk & bread too
* Take my kids to a movie or to play at the park
* Bring me some fresh fruit (and some candy!)

Even though I didn't want to impose on anyone, I realized that by allowing friends to help me, it empowered and comforted them at the same time it truly did help me. You will feel cared for and they will feel good about themselves. Win-win situation.

Keep holding on…

~Ema