CANCER DIAGNOSIS: DEALING WITH THE AFTERMATH OF ACCEPTANCE
In a life of a cancer patient no matter how much time passes, cancer will never ‘not be’. After the diagnosis is positive for cancer, the world seems to revolve around it. It is simply a fact. We can never go back to the time before cancer was in our lives.
Cancer is something that is always present either as a memory, a fleeting thought or a pain of treatment. The gravity of the situation sinks in when we understand and when we quickly learn that our life thereafter would be in a constant state of flux. But above all else, what I know is that cancer changes life forever.
Learning that you have cancer is a difficult experience. After accepting your diagnosis, you may feel anxious, afraid or overwhelmed and wonder how you can cope during the days ahead. Here are some suggestions for coping with the overwhelming news about being diagnosed with cancer.
1. Knowledge is power
Know your cancer diagnosis! Try to gather correct and useful information about your cancer diagnosis. Writing down questions and asking them to a professional can help you in having a better understanding of the disease. Some of the questions could be:
- What kind of cancer do I have?
- In exactly which part of my body is it?
- Has it spread? / At what stage is it?
- Can my cancer be treated or can its spreading be arrested?
- What are the chances that my cancer can be cured?
- What are my treatment options and how will treatment benefit me?
- What are the side effects of the treatment?
- How intense would the chemotherapy be?
Always consider bringing a family member or a close friend along with you for doctor’s appointment. Moral support can help you through your journey.
You might also want to consider how much you want to know about your cancer. Some people want all the facts and details, so they can be very involved in the decision-making process. Others prefer to learn the basics and leave details and decisions to their doctors. Think about which approach works best for you. Let your health care team know what you’d prefer.
2. Communication is the key!
It is very important to maintain honest two-way open communication with your loved ones, doctors after your diagnosis. Avoid putting up a strong front and speak up about how you feel, show your true feelings. It’s OK to feel weak. If you and others express emotions honestly, you are in check with your true self — it’s a win-win situation as you can gain strength from each other.
3. Maintain Healthy Lifestyle!
It’s always good to work towards making your lifestyle healthy this can improve your energy level. Choose a healthy diet consisting of a variety of foods and get adequate rest in order to help you better manage the stress and fatigue cause by the treatment of cancer.
Choose an exercise routine, practice yoga, go for a swim. Recent data suggest that people who maintain some physical exercise during treatment not only cope better but also may live longer.
4. Asking for help is sign of strength!
Let friends and family help you. They can run errands, provide transportation, prepare meal, and help you with household chores. Learn to accept help!
Also make it your responsibility to encourage your family to accept help if it’s needed. A cancer diagnosis not only affects the patient but also adds stress to primary caregivers. Accepting help can go a long way in preventing caregiver burnout.
5. Fight that stigma!
You may be wondering that how possibly can there be stigma related to cancer? But some old stigmas associated with cancer still exist. Co-workers may doubt whether you are healthy enough to do your job, some may refrain from talking to you with the fear of saying the wrong thing.
Remind them that even if cancer has been a frightening part of your life, it shouldn’t make them afraid to be around you.
Accepting a cancer diagnosis is never easy. It creates anger and confusion within us, which is what we will understand in the next article.
A person suffering from cancer is always asked, “How are you holding up?” A tip to answer this question — “I live! I make the most of everyday and keep perspective as to what is important. I rationalize those fleeting thoughts of fear with facts. I try not to grant cancer any more time that it has already stolen from me”
