|
You are
getting this because you asked for it!!
If
you're not sure why, click
here
|
|
Announcements:
1) We have been quoted on
AARP Online
2) Dave has a story published in "Chicken Soup for the
Soul: The Cancer Book" - available in book stores March 3!
3) The Journal of Nursing Jocularity is back!
If you like to laugh and you are a nurse, you will love
the reappearance of this online magazine. Karyn Buxman, RN,
MSN / Publisher says, "The nurse who laughs, lasts." Believe
us when we tell you that she is one funny lady! Take a look
here and
check the subscription page for a introductory special!
4) Dave is now a regular
contributor to EmpowHer.com
|
|
 |
Dave will be writing one or two short articles
every week about coping skills - the articles are short and very quick
reads. Sign-up
now and we'll let you know when new articles are posted! |
|
|
|
5) 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!
To see clips from the program and for more information:
www.HandleMore.com
|
|
|
6) Complimentary coping guides for your
patientsWe 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;
they are complimentary... shipping too! To see one and 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:
"Priorities"
We Were Featured in The Wall Street Journal!
Humor from the trenches
Audiences and readers share their stories
This and that
Observations, musings, audio clips, stories from the road,
etc.
Meanwhile, back at the
ranch...
A usually-humorous glimpse into the personal life of this cancer
caregiver
Past Issues
About the Caring and Coping Newsletter
Links
Our Mission
Subscribe/unsubscribe
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: "Priorities"
Unfortunately, most of us
need a little reminder every now and then about what is really
important. Something will happen in our lives and we just sort of
sit up, slap our foreheads stupidly, and say “DOH! Of course! I
knew that, but I forgot that I knew that!”
The trouble is that we never know
when that’s going to happen and, when it does, it may be too late. If
you lose a loved one due to illness or a tragic accident, how will you
be able to say those things to them that you meant to say but never did?
My guess is that you probably
don’t have to think very hard to figure out your top priorities in
life. Are you taking the time, however short, to actually think about
it? And are you acting accordingly, spending your time and financial
resources where it matters the most?
I got a reminder of my own when
my wife was diagnosed with breast cancer. After we got the news I felt
two profound emotions: fear and gratitude. The fear, of course, was
about what the future held. The gratitude was for all the time we have
been able to spend together because I worked at home for over 20 years
prior to the diagnosis.
After her first surgery we
learned that it had spread. When the situation is dire, it’s easy to
drop the things that used to seem soooooooo important and focus on the
things that really are.
I was in the parking lot of a
local market and I saw a man and woman arguing about something. I
thought about how their anger was probably over something that, in
reality, just doesn’t matter a hoot. Someday they, too, may get a
sudden reminder and they will hopefully realize how unimportant and
insignificant those types of arguments usually are.
I don’t mean to put you on a
downer, I just want to make sure that you keep balance and perspective
in your life and make sure that your priorities are top-of-mind. After
all, we caregivers are most likely in a position that we have already
gotten that rude awakening .
It’s easy to get too involved in
day-to-day caregiving and other activities which make it hard to achieve
that balance and perspective without some conscious effort. It is easy
to succumb to the stress and frustration we are facing by reacting to
the battles and forgetting about the war. Are your priorities in order?
Don’t wait for another giant reminder to come and slap you in the face.
The next time you get angry with a loved one, ask yourself if it really
matters that much.
One of my favorite movie quotes
is from “Mr. Mom”, one of Michael Keaton’s first movies. In it, he
loses his corporate job, can’t find another, and his wife (played by
Terri Garr) ends up going back to work for an advertising firm leaving
him at home to take care of the kids. She ends up working too much, so
he says these eight words to her.
Now I’m saying them to you:
“It’s easy to forget what’s
important. So don’t.”
© 2009, Dave Balch ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
|
back to top
|
Humor from the trenches
...from audiences, readers, and me!
In late 2004 when my wife was going through her 2nd
round of chemo, we had a tremendous rain storm. We live in the
mountains and had to go down to the city for her infusions, so this
presented a problem as some of the roads down the mountain were washed
out.
Do you think that stopped Chris??
She drove past a barrier and we had a very harrowing
ride down the back of the mountain, then proceeded along a road to the
freeway that, theoretically, we could not have possibly been on had she
respected the barrier.
Flashing lights appeared in the rearview mirror, we
pulled over, and a Highway Patrol Officer approached the car.
Before he reached us I told Chris urgently, "Take off
your hat!"
"What are you doing here?" he said, obviously annoyed.
"Some of these roads are simply gone and you could be seriously
injured!"
"I have to get to my chemotherapy treatment," she said
sweetly, her bald head bare for him to see. "If I miss one the cancer
could come back."
He looked at her head, then back to her, and grumbled,
"Okay, go ahead, but don't ever do this again!"
Send me your own humorous anecdotes!
|
back to top
|
This and that
I was invited to speak last month at a Survivor's
Conference outside of Tacoma, WA. It was their first conference
and, WOW, what a success! It was held in a
beautiful building on the campus of a local college, there was food
galore, countless exhibitors, and over 300 people attended even though
they had to drive there in heavy fog.
Congratulations on a job well done!
|
back to top
|
Meanwhile, back at the ranch...
A glimpse into the life of this caregiver
Click here
to see the "cast of characters"
We had a routine hay
delivery last week, except it wasn't very routine.
The barn and hay
storage is about 100 yards downhill from the street, in a natural
amphitheater-shaped area of our property. It had recently snowed
so if the hay truck drove down it would have stayed there until
spring. To add to the fun, it was raining lightly when he arrived.
How to get 18
115-pound bales of hay down there? The driver would have carried them
down one by one but I couldn't stand the thought of it, so I got out
my trusty quad (it's like a four-wheeled motorcycle with a trailer
attached) and he loaded the bales into the trailer, sat on the front
as I drove it down there, and then carried them into the hay barn. It
took six trips, but we "got 'er done!"
|
back to top
|
Links
Information about Dave's speaking programs, including demo videos
Dave's speaking schedule
Sign-up to be notified when Dave will be speaking in your area
No-cost services of The Patient/Partner Project
Use our articles in your printed or electronic publications
Book:
Cancer for
Two: An Inspiring True Story for Cancer Patients and Their
Partners
DVD:
You Can Handle
More Than You Think You Can: Your Amazing Ability to be Brave and
Strong
Let us notify you when new
coping articles are posted on EmpowHer.com
|
back to top
|
Our Mission:
Our mission is to reduce stress and restore hope for
those dealing with a serious or chronic illness or condition
including patients, caregivers, family, friends, medical
professionals, and support organizations.
We do this by sharing our unique perspective in order
to:
-
bring a new sense of empowerment to patients and
caregivers
-
bring a new level of understanding and renewed
sense of purpose to their entire support system of medical
professionals, friends, family, and support organizations.
-
Oh... and by laughing, too!
|
back to top
|
Why am I getting this newsletter?
- you requested it (at one of Dave's speaking engagements
or at our website)
- you have a business or other relationship with Dave or
The Patient/Partner Project
- I asked you and you said "Yes"
- it was forwarded to you by a well-meaning friend or
associate (if this is the case, please
subscribe now - what a shame if you missed any issues!)
To cancel your subscription, please use the unsubscribe link at the
bottom of this message.
Your information is safe: we never share subscriber information
with anyone. Ever. Period.
|
|
The Patient/Partner
Project
P.O. Box 824 - Twin Peaks, CA - 92391
800-366-2347 or 909-337-3928
The Patient/Partner Project is a service of A Few Good People,
Inc.
(c) 2009 A Few
Good People, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED |
|
