Monday

Today I had a lot of difficulty waking up. Jerry rearranged himself on my tummy, and then insisted that I get up. The whole day passed in a bit of a tired fog. but I'm feeling ready to head in to sleep.  Jerry is watching me, hoping that we'll go for a night walk (no hope) so he can sniff things... Poor boy will just have to be satisfied jumping on us and tossing his toy. Don was happy when I came home last night with a hunk of chocolate cake- which he finished by this morning! At least I got some at our party!

Thanks everyone for your kind comments on last night's post. It's true that, if given the choice, I'd have skipped cancer, but I am very, very thankful for my family and friends who have supported and encouraged me over this time. I reflected a little on things I've learned in the last 10 years, and if you'll indulge me, I'd like to share a few with you.

(These are in no particular order)

* Do not search your symptoms on line. No matter what, the search will tell you that you are dying of something horrible.

* Ask your doctor questions.  Your doctor is best placed to clean up confusion, explain things and help you keep your sense of perspective.

* Life has many elements out of your control. Rolling with the changes is less stressful than fighting to get control of minutea.

* It's challenging, but being grateful for small, everyday occurrences is a way to cope with difficulties.

* As far as possible, don't dwell on things that you can't do. Instead, think of what you can do, plan for enjoyable dates and be thankful.

* spend time with people who are supportive and caring. Plan times to enjoy the company of loved ones, get out of your head and do fun things. Meet for a coffee, or a pastry or- well, whatever you enjoy-just to smile and laugh a bit. It's great for mental health.

* Even if you've had to stop regular/full-time work, find something to do when you're able. Write letters to shut ins; Sew / knit, record TikTok videos, volunteer-something to occupy your mind (and hands when possible) and keep you from falling into dark places.

It is not easy, nor is it all dreadful. Finding a balance is important. I've been writing this, and I kept a gratitude journal for a while. Most days I'm able to be positive and optimistic but there are days when I can't. I'm just sharing tips that help me. I'd love to hear your thoughts on my ramblings if you'd like to share. Good night!


Comments

  1. Bill Carter5 December 2022 at 22:03:00 GMT-5

    Hardly ‘ramblings’.. I’m sure your regular readers look forward to your quite structured posts on the members (canine and human) of your household and your musings inspired by your health situation and your other activities. Also that’s a great short list of useful strategies you produced there!

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