Skip to main content

A Practical, Uncensored Conversation About Breast Cancer


Ways to Ask For Support

"Surround yourself with people who support you. Find champions."

Sarah Gavron

When faced with a cancer diagnosis, people often ask, "How can I help?" 

 Finding the right response quickly can be challenging, so here are some suggestions to help you get started:

  • Transportation: Driving to appointments, treatments or errands
  • Appointments: Have moral support and have them take notes
  • Household chores: Clean, cook, laundry, lawn care
  • Meals: Have meals prepared or delivered, or accept a a meal-sharing service.
  • Childcare or pet care: Get a break from responsibilities.
  • Errands: Have groceries, prescriptions, or other necessities picked up or ordered
  • Help with information: Research treatment options or support groups.
  • Offer a distraction: Other people can suggest activities like watching movies, playing games, or going for walks.
  • Finances: Assistance with bills, insurance, or financial paperwork.
  • A listening ear: Request a non-judgmental space to share thoughts and feelings.
  • Companionship: Spend quality time together, even if it's just sitting quietly.
  • Request cards or notes: Something in the mail other than bills is refreshing.
  • Respect your privacy: Understand that you may need time alone.
Remember, the best way to ask for help is to communicate openly and honestly with friends, family and other support members. 



Labels:

Popular Posts

Self Care

  "If you do not conquer self, you will be conquered by self. " - Napoleon Hill Cancer brings out lots of changes, things, people, feelings, disruptions, and just general overwhelming-ness. Regardless of the stage, it all seems to be the same. This is the time THE PERSON WITH CANCER is First. This will fly in the face of society. Generally, we think of ourselves as tough and thinking of yourself is selfish. I wish I could wave a wand and make that thought process all go away. Alas, I would probably end up just smacking and stabbing people with the wand and I'd get it taken away. When I was first diagnosed, I created my  Ring Circle. If you don't know what the Ring Theory is (and who does until they are smack in the center of it), it is a Circle with rings created by breast cancer survivor and clinical psychologist, Dr. Susan Silk Ph.D., and arbitrator/mediator, Barry Goldman. The cancer patient is the center. The ring around that circle is the spouse or...
----»

Paxman Cold Capping

"I'd like to kiss ya, but I just washed my hair."  - Bette Davis "You are the only person I know who kept your hair despite going through chemotherapy,” a coworker said to me the other day. It’s not the first time she said it. It still filled her with wonderment that I accomplished that, even though it was four years prior. It shouldn’t be that way. I cold capped during my six months of some pretty harsh chemotherapy. It is something that has been around in Europe since the 1970’s. In the US it first became approved by the FDA in 2015 and again in 2017. When I found out I would be having chemo due to a Stage 2 triple positive tumor in my left breast, I reached out to an oncology nurse friend. I was still reeling from the fact that I would even be having chemo. I asked her about this cold capping business. She told me it wouldn’t work. When I met with an oncologist I would later fire (for a different reason), he didn’t mention the option of cold capping. W...
----»

Complimentary Treatments

There is a big difference between Traditional Treatment, Complimentary Treatment and Alternative Medicine. This is about Complimentary Treatment that goes  along side  Traditional Medicine. Some of these might resonate with you. Others might be “Too far, Lady.” Try the ones that feel right and scroll past the ones that don’t rock your world. Everyone is going to be different. None of these should take the place of traditional cancer treatment . When I walked into my acupuncturist and saw the crystals she laid out on the table next to the sound machine, I asked if those were going to cure me. She side-eyed glanced at me to see if I was serious and said, “Chemotherapy, radiation and surgery are going to eradicate your tumor. What I do is alleviate the symptoms of those treatments.” I nodded my head. “Right answer,” I said. Here is a list of things that I used or other people used that they found beneficial: Yoga  –There are dozens, if not thousands, of YouTube vid...
----»