10 ways I got through cancer treatment, how about you?

1. Be Grateful.

Treatment comes with lots of dependencies. You have many people who will be doing things to you and for you. Show your gratitude by thanking them, complimenting them when they go out of their way for you or just on something that brings you joy about them. If you’re genuine about your thanks, this will help call out the best in your providers.

2.     Focus on you.

Let your essential self be free to express who you really are, this will help you determine what if any changes you can work on during this tearing down and building up process we call Cancer treatment.

3.     Eat.

While this may be the furthest thing from what you want to do, nourishing your body with high quality, nutrient rich foods will help it get through treatment. Find foods that you enjoy throughout your treatment and consume them with fervor.

4.     Drink.

The medications used in treatment are toxic to the cells you want to kill, by keeping yourself fully hydrated (even if it’s going out as soon as you’re drinking it in) will help the medications work and flush out some of their ill effects more quickly.

5.     Seize opportunities.

If family wants to come visit, let them; if you want to go to the zoo, go; if you’ve wanted to go somewhere, do something or accomplish something, do it. In treatment, you’ll likely hear about percentages, these are ways of saying some individuals will make it and some won’t. Don’t put off what you’ve wanted to do.

6.     Defer conflict.

Conflict will come during your treatment. Ask family to trouble shoot for you, or if they’re the source of the conflict ask them to let you opt out of it while you’re in care. While there are lots of battles to fight throughout life, you’re in a very important battle that requires your best, so let others sort out the conflicts.

7.     Listen.

Take this as an opportunity to hear what your loved ones have to say. Ask questions; listen for ways of deepening your relationships with those you love. Hear their words to know how they’re doing. You can use cancer treatment to build stronger relationships by listening.

8.     Watch.

Look for signs of what your closest friends and family need from you and give it to them. If they are exhausted, make sure they sleep, if they are hungry, make sure they eat, if they need professional help to get through this with you, arrange it for them.

9.     Walk.

Use your physicality to stay healthy. Whether its walking, exercising in your bed or your normal workouts, adjust them to keep active. Your body needs to feel normal when you go through treatment and whatever exercise level you’re at, you can maximize your body’s strength by doing what you can physically.

10. Talk.

If you’re able, talk to those closest to you, disclose things you may have wanted to disclose, but timing didn’t permit. Now’s the time to make sure you say what you’ve always wanted to say.