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You are getting this
because you asked for it!!
If you're not sure why,
click
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Announcements:
Anniversary Issue:
7 Years' Survivor Today!
2) Dave has a story published in
"Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Cancer Book" - available in book
stores now!
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
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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! |
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5) DVD: "You Can Handle
More Than You Think You Can:
Your Amazing Ability to be Brave and Strong"
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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
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6) Complimentary coping guides for your
patients
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; 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:
"Naps are Good!"
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! |
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Article: "Naps are Good!"
Like many people, I used to think that taking a nap in
the middle of the day was the same as being lazy, and lazy was a very
bad thing to be. I'm not even sure where I got that impression,
because my parents never took naps that I can remember; naps weren't
even a subject of discussion. Maybe I just assumed it because of the
work ethic that I developed, but I definitely had that impression.
It's funny that I should have felt that way because I
have the gift of being able to "power nap." If I'm sleepy, I can doze
off for about 5 minutes and be completely refreshed; it could be
waiting for the previews to start in a movie theater, or it could be
in my car (parked, of course!) if I am early to an appointment. I
distinctly remember sleeping on a noisy, crowded, bumpy school bus on
the way home from a field trip in the 6th grade!
The point is that when I got sleepy during the day I
would fight it. I'd sit there with my eyes half-closed, staring at
the computer screen or document or whatever I was working on, unable
to focus my eyes or think clearly. Is this a good way to be a
caregiver? Do you think I was being effective? Was that the best use
of my time? NO, NO, and NO!
It was my wife that straightened me out on this one.
She has always enjoyed a good nap; sometimes 10 minutes, sometimes an
hour. It doesn't matter how long the nap is, as long as it does its
job, which is to rejuvenate. She works hard in the morning and then,
if and only if she gets tired, she takes a nap, then continues to work
hard afterward. It makes perfect sense to her, and now it does to me
to!
I've changed my ways. Now, when my eyes are unable to
focus and start closing on their own, I get up, go to the couch, and
take a snooze. In 10 minutes, literally, I am as good as new. If
that sounds lazy to you, think of it this way: I've invested 10
minutes in order to save the afternoon. Suddenly, it makes sense.
The bottom line: if you're tired, take a nap! There is
a certain satisfaction you get when you allow yourself the pleasure of
a nap, and the bonus is that there are sound and practical reasons for
doing so; you will be more alert, more efficient, and less likely to
make mistakes. And knowing that you have this option will reduce your
stress as well.
Do you ignore your body when you have to use the
bathroom? Of course not! Don't ignore your body when it needs a
short rest. Thinking that you "shouldn't need a nap" is not going to
make your fatigue go away.
Take a nap if you need to. It feels good, and it's a
wise investment of your time.
© 2009, Dave Balch ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
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Humor from
the trenches
...from audiences, readers, and me!
A friend of mine was recently undergoing treatment for
cancer of the salivary gland, and a side-effect of the treatment was
that he couldn't taste anything.
One morning he had to get up very early to catch a
plane and was sleepily brushing his teeth. He couldn't taste the
toothpaste but realized that the texture didn't feel right. That's
when he discovered that instead of toothpaste, he had been brushing
with shaving cream!
Send me your own
humorous anecdotes!
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This
and that
When in Phoenix recently for a speaking engagement, I had the pleasure
of visiting the offices of empowher.com, a website devoted to women's
health issues. It has been my privilege to write for them for several
months now, and I can see the tremendous amount of information
available there on every type of health issue you can imagine. Plus a
few more!
And, in the unlikely event that you can't
find what you need, you can ask one of their experts!
It is a place where women (and men, too)
can go for advice, commiseration, and sharing of similar challenges.
From the people that I met,
including Tina Tran, their online community manager and Michelle
Robson, the Founder and CEO, it is clear that they are highly focused
on bringing women what they need. If you have a medical challenge or
question or know someone who does, I encourage you to take a look:
www.empowher.com
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Meanwhile, back at the ranch...
A glimpse into the life of this caregiver
Click
here to see the "cast of characters"
As I grabbed a handful of hay and put it in the bucket, I felt a sharp
stab in my palm but ignored it be cause there are often stiff stalks in
the hay that can jab you when you grab it like that. When I let go,
though, the stinging didn't stop. Then I realized that something had
bitten me.
But what?
I looked through the hay but didn't see anything. It could have been
a yellow jacket, but it was a bit early in the season. Or it could
have been a spider, but what kind? Was it poisonous? We have black
widows on the mountain where we live, but the hay had come up from the
desert so it could have been the deadly brown recluse spider.
Uh-oh.
It hurt like heck and I didn't know what to do, so I called my
neighbor, the ER nurse. She came over, checked my vitals, took a
look, told me what symptoms to look for, and gave me some Benedryl.
As it turned out, it was a non-issue; the culprit was probably only a
yellow-jacket, but it was kind of scary for a while!
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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
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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!
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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 |
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