“Approximately every three minutes, someone in the United States is diagnosed with a blood cancer.”
Two years ago, I dropped my youngest off at preschool and received a call an hour later that forever changed my family. I don’t remember much more the surgeon said to me besides the words “lymphoma” and “cancer.” After receiving the devastating news, time stood still. Then everything became a whirlwind of doctor’s appointments, lab tests and waiting for answers.
When you hear the word cancer, you feel a wide range of emotions from fear, grief and sadness. Even if you thought it might be cancer, the news it still shocking. Despite the wide range of emotions you are feeling, it’s important to remember you aren’t alone. More than 1.3 million Americans are living with or in remission from a blood cancer. September is Blood Cancer Awareness Month, a time to honor cancer fighters and survivors of blood cancers like leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma that affect your bone marrow, blood cells or lymphatic system. Whether you are your loved one was recently diagnosed, here are some tips that may help you on your journey.
1. Don’t dwell on the statistics. Cancer affects everyone differently. Not everyone loses their hair. Your journey is your own. Get a second opinion or a third. Look into clinical trials and explore new treatment options like immunotherapy. Instead of focusing on the statistics, seek out stories from other cancer survivors who achieved radical remission against all odds. Remember, no matter what the prognosis, there is a first time for everything are you are more than your diagnosis.
2. Breathe. Hearing you have cancer is a difficult experience and may lead to a range of emotions. Grief, worry and fear are natural responses to such shocking news. Learning how to work through these powerful emotions can help lower your stress and help you heal. Be kind to yourself and try not to judge yourself for how you feel. Your emotions will often fluctuate as you move through treatment. A great practice I learned during treatment was how to use my breathing to calm my anxiety. There are many different breathing techniques that can reduce your anxiety and help you calm down almost instantly. One of my favorites it the 4-7-8 technique, which focuses on the following relaxing breathing pattern: Empty your lungs of air. Breathe in quietly through your nose for 4 seconds. Hold your breath for a count of 7 seconds, then exhale for 8 seconds.
3. Take someone with you. The thought of living with cancer and treatment can be overwhelming. It may be hard for you to hear or remember anything you hear the news. Having an extra set of ears with you at your first appointments can help you understand your treatment options and next steps. It’s also a good idea to record your first appointment. There are many great apps you can use on your phone to record your first appointments to ensure you don’t miss any important details.
4. Find Support. After a lump or a symptom leads you to the hospital or your doctor, there may be many days or weeks of waiting to have tests done and waiting for test results. This is often one of the most difficult and scary times for cancer patients as it’s when we undergo a battery of tests to stage our cancer and prepare for treatment. After I was diagnosed with Classical Hodgkins Lymphoma, one of the first things I did was join a Facebook group for my type of cancer. Getting connected with other cancer fighters and survivors gave me tremendous hope and helped me better prepare for treatment.
5. Surround yourself with positivity. Whether it’s your favorite quotes, bible verses, song lyrics, or motivational videos, reading inspirational messages daily can help you cope with treatment. Make a Pinterest board of uplifting quotes or save them to your phone so you can view them during treatment.
6. Visualize a positive outcome. Your thoughts and words have the power to heal. Just as the mind’s reactions to stress can impair immunity and create illness, according to psychoneuroimmunology (PNI), it is believed that certain mental processes, like specific images and visualization procedures, can stimulate the immune system to better fight disease. Use your imagination to construct the following scenes in vivid detail: Imagine your immune system as little soldiers fighting and destroying your cancer. You can also imagine a luminescent stream of white light entering through the crown on your forehead radiating from your head to your toes healing you. Next, imagine yourself getting the news you are in remission. Picture yourself surrounded by family and friends ringing a bell to signify the end of your treatment. Repeat these visualizations daily. Remember: Think well, Act well, Feel well, Be well. Research shows that visualization has a calming effect, increasing optimism and giving you more control over your personal situation.
7. Use mantras and sound to combat negative emotions. Anger, jealousy, fear, anxiety and even depression – all these difficult emotions are caused by over thinking. As Eckhart Tolle says, “It’s never the situation that causes suffering, it is your thoughts about it.” Thoughts come with their own emotional charge that researchers have discovered lasts about 90 seconds. The problem is we keep thinking over things, reigniting the emotional charge until we become sick, weak and drained of our vital energy. Mantras can help disrupt negative thoughts. They are specific sounds or vibrations that when chanted aloud or repeated silently, can create positive effects in any area of your physiology or life—for healing, transformation, and inner awakening. There are many mantras available to help support and increase your balance, harmony, and self-awareness. You can also receive similar effects by listening to mantra music, binaural beats and meditation music on YouTube or other music streaming services.
8. Laugh. Laughter is the best medicine. A great way to pass the time during treatment or when you are anxious about an upcoming test or scan is to distract yourself with laughter. I don’t know about you but America’s Funniest Home Videos and baby videos can always make me smile.
9. Make a playlist. Music has healing power. Sometimes there are no words that can relate to the depth of your feelings, but music can help bridge the divide. Make a playlist of your favorite songs and pump up anthems. You can also curate a special “Cancer Killer Mix” by asking your friends or family to send songs that you will listen to during treatment. Chemotherapy can take hours and what better way to pass the time than listening to your favorite songs and discovering new music.
10. Look into local resources. Hospitals and cancer societies like the American Cancer Society and other national and international organizations have many resources to help you and your loved ones manage your lives and get the emotional support you need through treatment and recovery. Free wigs, rides to treatment, lodging programs and financial assistance are some of the many local resources that can help you and your loved ones during treatment and beyond.
Sources:
1. Immunotherapy for All Cancer Types – Cancer Research Institute
2. Blood Cancer Awareness Statistics- LLS
3. Radical Remission Case Studies
4. Calming Breathing Techniques- Healthline
5. Apps for Voice Recording -Techzilla
6. PNI Visualization Techniques for Serious Illnesses – Psychology Today
7. Healing Mantras – Chopra Center
8. Binaural Beats Health Benefits- Healthline
9. American Cancer Society Resources
10. Cancer Patient Resource Websites
11. International Resources for Cancer Patients & Caregivers
12. My Treatment for Stage 3 Hodgkin Lymphoma