 |
|
|||||||||
|
A monthly newsletter for
cancer patients and those that support them, including |
||||||||||
|
||||||||||
|
Announcements:
New DVD: "You Can Handle More Than You Think
You Can: Your Amazing Ability to be Brave and Strong"
When Dave's wife was first diagnosed with
breast cancer he thought, "How are we going to get through this...
this is impossible" but he is still here (and so is his wife)!
How did they get from "I can't do this" to "I did this?"
Recorded live in front of 1,000 oncology
professionals, you will be moved, inspired, and empowered by this
presentation in which Dave explains the '11 L's of Caring and Coping'
with stories from their journey, plenty of humor, and two moving
videos that brought his audience to cheers and tears!
Shipping in November, in time for Christmas! To see clips
from the program and for
more information:
www.HandleMore.com
Coping guides for your patients - no
charge!
We now have coping guides for your
patients that contain "The 11 L's of Caring and Coping." They
can be ordered in packs of 50; there is no charge, not even for
shipping! To see one and to place your
order, go to
www.ThePPP.org/freestuff
Note: available only if shipped directly to a clinic or support group. If you are an individual patient or caregiver, or cannot order for a clinic or support group, ask someone who can to order the guides for you as well as all of their patients.
In this issue:
Article: "Imagine" We Were Featured in The Wall Street Journal!
Cancer humor from the trenches
This and that
Meanwhile, back at the ranch... About the Caring and Coping Newsletter Please forward us to everyone you know who is a patient, caregiver, survivor, or medical professional. (Be sure they know it's from you, though; I don't want them to think I spammed 'em!) Patients/caregivers: please tell your doctors, nurses, family, and friends about us! Medical professionals: please tell your patients and colleagues about us! |
||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||
|
Article: "Imagine" I was driving through the fog in our mountain community in Southern California in 35-degree temperatures when a forestry truck passed me. I remember thinking that the fire danger must be zero; “It’s hard to imagine that it will ever be so hot and dry again that the fire danger will be high.” But I knew that it would be. Then I realized that when it is so hot and dry, it will be hard to imagine it being as cold and foggy as it is now. But I knew that it would be. This area has been going through the same cycles since the beginning of time, and will continue to do so until the end of time. It occurred to me that the same could be said for many things in life. How about relationships? They go in cycles too. This is true with all sorts of relationships: spouse, parents, siblings, and friends. Sometimes you adore them and sometimes you just want to stab him/her in the neck with a pencil. When you are having a fight, it’s hard to remember what it’s like when the relationship is running smoothly And when things are good and you just can’t get enough “face-time,” it’s hard to imagine screaming at each other. Which brings us to cancer or some other serious illness. When you’re in the thick of chemotherapy, for example, and feeling nauseous or extremely fatigued, it’s hard to remember what it’s like to feel like your normal self. But you will again, and when you do you won’t be able to imagine feeling so horrible. The caregiver is constantly faced with overwhelm, dealing with friends and family, and picking up the slack during the tough times. There were times that I thought it would never end, and that this was going to be my life forever. Guess what? My wife is feeling better and some of the overwhelm is gone. I truly can’t remember what it was like at its worst. This truth also applies to common illnesses such as a cold. When you are feeling well, it’s hard to imagine that you will ever have another one with that sore throat, stuffy nose, headaches, and muscle aches. I’m sorry to say this, but you undoubtedly will have another cold and it will be hard to imagine ever feeling well again. But you probably will be. Cycles: sick, well, sick, well. What a funny world this is. The lesson is this: understand that your illness, like many things in life, will run in cycles. It’s easy to get complacent when things are great, and it’s easy to get discouraged when they are not. More than likely it will get better, and when it does you won’t be able to imagine being unable to imagine it. Imagine that! |
||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||
|
Cancer humor from
the trenches ...from audiences, readers, and me! Thank you to Bob Winsor for this: As I reported for my daily radiation
after having my prostate removed, I decided to have some fun on
Halloween.... |
||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||
|
Last weekend I presented at an annual event in Florida for oncology nurses from three adjoining counties. I have been to many of these types of events, but this was the first one with a theme - safari! There were banana leaves on all the tables, plastic bugs everywhere, pipe-cleaner tarantulas attached to plants and draperies... it was a lot of fun and added a lot of personality to the meeting. Many of the attendees even dressed the part, with safari gear and even jungle hats. Yes, even I dressed for the occasion: it was the first time I've ever presented a program dressed in cargo shorts and a pith helmet! |
||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||
|
Meanwhile, back at the
ranch... Jesse, our youngest black standard poodle, has a favorite toy that she always takes to bed with her. We call it her "baby." When she is ready for bed she searches the house until she finds it, and then she takes it with her to bed. Yesterday we were getting ready to retire for the night when Jesse showed an unusual interest in the cabinet next to our bed. She was standing on her hind legs, wagging her tail, stretching to see what was in the cabinet. It was her baby; she couldn't go to bed without it. |
||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||
|
||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||
|
Our mission is to reduce stress and restore hope for cancer patients and their families. We do this by sharing our unique perspective in order to:
Caring and Coping is a no-cost component of
The
Patient/Partner Project.
|
||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||
|
Why am I getting this newsletter?
Your information is safe: we never share subscriber information with anyone. Ever. Period. The Patient/Partner Project (c) 2008 A Few Good People, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED |
||||||||||